Simon Cowell Boards Beatles Manager Brian Epstein Biopic ‘A Life in the Day’
Simon Cowell and IM Global have come on board to produce “A Life in the Day,” based on the life of Beatles manager Brian Epstein.
Cowell will produce through his SyCo production company with Stuart Ford’s IM Global along with David Permut through his Permut Presentations and Dylan Sellers. Permut Presentations VP Chris Mangano will exec produce.
The script for “A Life in the Day” — a play on the Beatles’ iconic song “A Day in the Life” — has been written by Tony Gittelson.
Epstein discovered the Beatles while selling records in his father’s store, and despite not having experience as a manager, became convinced he could make the band bigger then Elvis Presley. Six months later, after being rejected by nearly all major labels in London, he was able to persuade George Martin of EMI Parlophone to sign the group.
Despite his personal demons, he made good on his promise to the band before dying in 1967 at the age of 32. Paul McCartney said in 1997, “If anyone was the fifth Beatle, it was Brian.”
It’s the second Epstein biopic that’s been in the works for Cowell and IM Global. Variety exclusively reported last May that Cowell, IM Global and Vivek J. Tiwary had unveiled development “The Fifth Beatle,” based on an adaptation of Tiwary’s graphic novel.
Permut is in post-production on “Hacksaw Ridge,” starring Andew Garfield and directed by Mel Gibson. Sellers is a former production exec with the Weinstein Co. who has exec producing credits on “Southpaw” and “Burnt.”
Cowell is a London native best known for the reality TV franchises “American Idol,” “The X Factor” and “America’s Got Talent.” He was a producer on the “One Direction: This Is Us” documentary.
The news about Cowell and IM Global coming on board “A Life in the Day” was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
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