THR has the scoop. There’s going to be a movie following the life of Brian Epstein, the man who made The Beatles what they were. As their manager, Epstein ushered the legendary band through their golden age, but he was plagued by personal problems, including drug addiction and closeted homosexuality, and ultimately died of an overdose in 1967, at age 32. John Lennon called him “the fifth Beatle.”
Tom Hanks is one of the producers of the now in-development film, which has Paul McGuigan attached as director and Todd Graff as screenwriter. But the most exciting news by far is that Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing Epstein. Cumberbatch, well-known for playing Sherlock Holmes in the BBC’s Sherlock, as well as having the most incredible, most thoroughly British name on Earth, is rising as a star lately. He’s the villain in Star Trek into Darkness*, and has a role in the new Hobbit trilogy** as well. This particular role smells like prime Oscar-baiting material, but I want to see Cumberbatch do well, so I’ll root for him.
*GAAAHHHH that name.
**GAAAHHHH a trilogy.
