Graphic Novel About Life Of Brian Epstein,The Fifth Beatle, Heads To The Big Screen

Shelby Parker

Staff Writer

The Beatles might have changed the course of music history, but behind many successful artists, there is usually a great manager. The Beatles’ story is no different.

It is rare to find a person who can’t rattle off at least one Beatles hit or other some other random Beatles fact, but the real story might come from their manager, Brian Epstein. The new film is set to uncover all this.

According to Deadline, the film, The Fifth Beatle, based on the best selling graphic novel by Vivek J. Tiwary, will tell the untold story of Epstein. Epstein was the one who discovered the band, helped them land their first record deal, along with claiming that they would be bigger than Elvis, though many laughed in his face.

Peyton Reed is the director of the film with Bruce Cohen and Vivek J. Tiwary producing. Reid has previously worked with Cohen on Down With Love, as well as on Jim Carrey’s comedy, Yes Man.

Reed said, “From the moment I read Vivek’s graphic novel, I knew I wanted to be the person to bring Brian’s story to the big screen.” He added, “I’m a lifelong Beatle’s fan, obviously, but it’s Brian’s fascinating life that really blew me away and drew me to this project. He’s the ultimate outsider who, against all odds, became the ultimate insider. He was responsible for shepherding the most popular artistic expression of ‘love’ in the history of modern culture, and yet he wasn’t allowed to express his own love during that time.”

The film’s official description is this, “It’s a human story about the struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds – Brian was homosexual when it was a felony to be so, Jewish at a time of anti-semitist and from Liverpool when it was just a dingy port town.”

Epstein died of a drug overdose at the young age of 32 in 1967.

This film is the first feature film about The Beatles that has secured the music rights to the Lennon/McCartney songbook.

The Fifth Beatle will enter production in 2014.