Jonas Åkerlund will direct a forthcoming biopic on the life and work of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Midas Man is slated for release in 2021.
Midas Man will see the Swedish director chronicle Epstein's place in the cultural revolution of the 1960s and his influence on pop music. He served as manager of the Fab Four from January 1962 until his death in 1967, when he died of an accidental drug overdose at age 32.
In addition to his work with the Beatles, Epstein would also help discover artists including Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and Cilla Black, and would promote the likes of Jimi Hendrix, the Who, Cream and Pink Floyd.
"Brian Epstein's story has everything I'm looking for in a story," Åkerlund explained in a statement. "It's all about Brian's singularity for me. I love that Brian seemed to know every step of the way what no one else knew, he saw things that no one else saw. His vision was astonishing, he created a culture that didn't exist. The film is more like touring Brian's mind and what it was like to be him than how one thing led to another chronologically. I want to bring him back to life."
Åkerlund will also helm Midas Man's soundtrack, while Trevor Beattie Films and StudioPOW will produce. The film's screenplay was written by Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeman.
Producer Beattie added, "Brian Epstein lived an epic life. He was a remarkable man whose life's work was to make others more remarkable. Jonas Åkerlund is the perfect director for Midas Man. He has a rock 'n' roll heart. Jonas understands music and the music industry."
Åkerlund was recently tied to a new Netflix series that will feature music from Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt. The director's black metal horror-thriller Lords of Chaos was released early last year.
Midas Man will see the Swedish director chronicle Epstein's place in the cultural revolution of the 1960s and his influence on pop music. He served as manager of the Fab Four from January 1962 until his death in 1967, when he died of an accidental drug overdose at age 32.
In addition to his work with the Beatles, Epstein would also help discover artists including Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and Cilla Black, and would promote the likes of Jimi Hendrix, the Who, Cream and Pink Floyd.
"Brian Epstein's story has everything I'm looking for in a story," Åkerlund explained in a statement. "It's all about Brian's singularity for me. I love that Brian seemed to know every step of the way what no one else knew, he saw things that no one else saw. His vision was astonishing, he created a culture that didn't exist. The film is more like touring Brian's mind and what it was like to be him than how one thing led to another chronologically. I want to bring him back to life."
Åkerlund will also helm Midas Man's soundtrack, while Trevor Beattie Films and StudioPOW will produce. The film's screenplay was written by Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeman.
Producer Beattie added, "Brian Epstein lived an epic life. He was a remarkable man whose life's work was to make others more remarkable. Jonas Åkerlund is the perfect director for Midas Man. He has a rock 'n' roll heart. Jonas understands music and the music industry."
Åkerlund was recently tied to a new Netflix series that will feature music from Opeth's Mikael Åkerfeldt. The director's black metal horror-thriller Lords of Chaos was released early last year.
