Council bans The Beatles films from shooting at Abbey Road crossing
Sam Mendes has reportedly been banned from filming at the iconic Abbey Road crossing for The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event
The upcoming set of movies, which are set to be released in April 2028, will star Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson as John Lennon.
Production is now underway on the four films with Mendes at the helm. According to a new report from The Sun, the British director had planned to recreate their famous Abbey Road album cover, which Westminster Council has reportedly derailed by refusing permission.
A source reportedly told the aforementioned publication that the reason why the request wasn’t approved was that it would have meant they’d have had to shut down the entire road to ensure that filming could go ahead safely.
They also raised the high number of tourists who visit Abbey Road due to its history with The Fab Four as an issue, stating they can “cause disruption by having their picture taken recreating the scene” and claiming “that would be magnified by having dozens of cast and crew present to do the same thing for the movie”.
Meanwhile, last month, the cast for The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event expanded with confirmation of Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd, McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, and Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono.
It came after Boyd, who was married to Harrison, gave her approval to the casting of The White Lotus star. She took to X to respond to a report that claimed Wood portray her in the upcoming films to write, “Big news, indeed! I’m looking forward (hoping) to meet Aimee Lou at some point in the future”.
Mendes said of the casting news: “Maureen, Linda, Yoko and Pattie are four fascinating and unique figures in their own right – and I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to persuade four of the most talented women working in film today to join this amazing adventure.”
Far Out has contacted Westminster Council for comment.
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