The story of the Fab Four’s takeover of America is coming to Disney+ this Thanksgiving weekend, giving fans an up-close look at The Beatles’ 1964 arrival leading up to and after their iconic Ed Sullivan Show performance.
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The Beatles’ first trip across the Atlantic to the United States is being highlighted for the first time in the new Disney+ film Beatles ’64, showcasing behind-the-scenes footage shot by documentarians David and Albert Maysles for the rarely seen 1964 TV documentary, What’s Happening! The Beatles in the USA.
“They're all so free on this trip, and joyful,” says director David Tedeschi, “Even later on in 1964, it wasn't the thrill that it was in February.”
In Beatles '64, filmmakers Tedeschi and Martin Scorsese reveal each of the four members at the moment of their musical breakthrough, featuring newly filmed and archival interviews with The Beatles, along with fans whose lives were transformed by their music, helping to illuminate this singular cultural moment and its continued resonance in culture today.
Now, beautifully restored in 4K, the archival footage shows the group’s rise in the charts, throngs of screaming fans, and finally, their record-breaking performance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, witnessed by an astounding 73 million people.
New interviews are also included with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, while Scorsese also gets a tour of Ringo's immaculately preserved wardrobe, including this iconic “Sgt. Pepper's” uniform and more. Beatles '64 begins streaming on Disney+ on Friday, November 29.
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Additionaly, set for 2027, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr will each get the biopic treatment by award-winning British director Sam Mendes -- best known for his work on American Beauty, the 007 franchise, and more. These new films will follow up director Peter Jackson's 2021 film series The Beatles: Get Back focused on the sessions surrounding the making of the band's iconic album Let It Be.