Shogun Star Reportedly Eyed to Play Yoko Ono in The Beatles Cinematic Universe

Anna Sawai may have just found her next big role. After standing out as a fan favorite in the TV shows Shogun and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Sawai may next be playing the widow of music legend John Lennon.

Per film scooper Jeff Sneider of The InSneider, Sawai is currently being eyed to play Yoko Ono in the upcoming Beatles biopics from filmmaker Sam Mendes. Each member of The Beatles will be given his own biopic, though all four will be connected, essentially forming their own cinematic universe. Sawai's casting hasn't been officially announced, though she's not the only person whose name has come up in the rumor mill as being attached to a major role in the quadrilogy.

A Japanese artist, singer, and activist, Ono is known in part for her relationship with John Lennon. In 1969, the two were married and were in a relationship until Lennon's death in 1980. Ono, who had a son with Lenno in 1975, never remarried. Now 91, Ono continues to honor the legacy of her late husband.

No Casting Announcements Have Officially Been Made

As of now, no casting announcements have been made about the films, but certain names are heavily rumored to be up for each member of the Fab Four. Lennon, in particular, is reportedly going to be portrayed by The Iron Claw actor Harris Dickinson. While Dickinson did not verify that he was cast in the part, he recently addressed the rumors, noting that he thinks it would be a "brilliant opportunity" to play the music icon.

“Okay, my comment is that I think it would be a brilliant opportunity to play John Lennon, and to work with Sam and everyone else mentioned," Dickinson told THR in January. "Yeah, I don’t know. It would be splendid.”

The other rumored casting choices for the four Beatles films include Paul Mescal (Gladiator II) as Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan (Eternals) as Ringo Starr. Both Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) and Charlie Rowe (Red Band Society) have come up as rumored names in consideration for George Harrison.

It was reported in February 2024 that Sam Mendes, known in part for directing the James Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre, was taking on biopics for each member of The Beatles. The plan is for all four of the biopics to be released in 2027, and each one will be connected to help tell the overall story of The Beatles from each band member's perspective. McCartney and Starr are cooperating with the production, as are the families of Harrison and Lennon.

“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a statement when the films were announced.

Source: The InSneider