Paul Mescal hints he will disappear from the spotlight until 2028

Paul Mescal has hinted that he could disappear from the spotlight until he emerges in cinemas in 2028, as he prepares to portray Sir Paul McCartney in the upcoming Beatles biopics. 

Earlier this year, Sony finally confirmed the cast for its four highly anticipated Beatles films following months of speculation, with all four projects set for release in April 2028. 

Gladiator II hunk Paul, 29, will take on the role of McCartney, Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Barry Keoghan will star as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn will play George Harrison in the films about The Fab Four. 

However, despite the huge career milestone, Paul suggested he may be stepping back from public life for a while.

Speaking to The Guardian while promoting his new film The History of Sound and taking part in press for Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, the actor admitted he is considering a break. 

He said: 'People will get a break from me and I’ll get a break from them, over the next couple of years.' 

Paul added: 'I’m five or six years into this now, and I feel very lucky. But I’m also learning that I don’t think I can go on doing it as much.'

The actor went on to explain that filming indie projects, such as The History of Sound, in which he stars alongside Josh O'Connor as two men travelling across America recording folk songs in the 1920s, 'takes more out of the well' than many might expect. 

Despite hinting at time away from the spotlight, Paul is set to remain busy with the Beatles biopics and also has Richard Linklater's long-term project Merrily We Roll Along on the horizon. 

It comes after the Daily Mail revealed that the Beatles biopics will be filmed at London's iconic Abbey Road Studios, with production getting underway in November last year despite earlier reports that plans had been blocked. 

While it was previously claimed that Westminster Council would not allow filming at the famous zebra crossing, the council has since confirmed to the Daily Mail that production will be going ahead. 

Sam Mendes, who is directing the films, had wanted to recreate the Beatles' 1969 album cover on the crossing.

Westminster Council told Daily Mail that they are, in fact, working closely with production teams to facilitate filming, which will involve closing the road. 

Last year, it was revealed that the actresses who had been cast to play the Fab Four's wives in the biopics.

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Beatles biopics filming WILL take place at iconic Abbey Road as production gets underway despite reports local council had blocked plans

White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood, 31, will play George Harrison’s wife Pattie Boyd, while Irish Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, 31, has been cast as Linda McCartney, the muse to many of Paul McCartney's songs. 

Anna Sawai, 33, who has made a name for herself in the US drama series Shogun, will appear as John Lennon’s wife Yoko Ono, and British actress Mia McKenna-Bruce, 28, will play Maureen Cox, the wife of Ringo Starr. 

Entitled The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, the project was announced last year.

The movies will each take the perspective of one member of The Beatles as they evolve from unknowns in Liverpool in the early 1960s to becoming the biggest band in the world and then breaking up in 1970.

It’s the first time that surviving Beatles McCartney and Starr, and the families of the late Lennon and Harrison, have given the rights to feature films about them.

Announcing the female foursome, Mendes said: ‘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.'