Universal Music Group to manage The Beatles merchandise
What's the story
Universal Music Group (UMG) has signed a long-term agreement with Apple Corps to manage all physical and digital merchandise, licensing, and e-commerce related to The Beatles. This partnership was announced on Wednesday. UMG already manages The Beatles's music catalogue and was responsible for bringing the band's recordings to streaming platforms in 2015. Apple Corps was founded in 1968 to oversee the band's creative and business interests.
Future plans
Deal comes ahead of major events celebrating the band's legacy
The deal comes ahead of several major cultural events celebrating the band's legacy.
In 2027, Apple Corps will unveil The Beatles at 3 Savile Row, a new fan experience featuring seven floors of never-before-seen material from Apple Corps's archives, rotating exhibitions, a fan store, and a recreation of the original studio where Let It Be was recorded.
Film project
'The Beatles - A Four Film Cinematic'
Another major event is Sam Mendes's The Beatles - A Four Film Cinematic, set for release in 2028. This project will be the first time Apple Corps Ltd and The Beatles have given full life story and music rights for a scripted film.
Recently, it was reported that Mendes and his team were filming key scenes at London's Abbey Road. Videos of the shoot recreating the iconic Abbey Road album cover have since surfaced online.
Casting news
Cast of Mendes's upcoming film
The film will see Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn (The Fantastic Four: First Steps) as George Harrison, Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) as Ringo Starr, and Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) as John Lennon.
Other major roles include James Norton as Brian Epstein, the band's longtime manager; Saoirse Ronan as McCartney's first wife Linda; Mia McKenna-Bruce as Starr's first wife Maureen Starkey; Anna Sawai as Lennon's wife Yoko Ono; and Aimee Lou Wood as Harrison's first wife, Patty Boyd.