BBC Confirms Cast for Beatles Biopic Series ‘Hamburg Days’
The six-part series focuses on the Fab Four’s formative 1960–1962 club residencies in Germany, separate from Sam Mendes’ upcoming theatrical films.
The BBC has confirmed the cast for Hamburg Days, its upcoming six-part television biopic series on The Beatles. The production, developed alongside AGC Television and German broadcaster ZDF, centers on the band’s five residencies in Hamburg between 1960 and 1962, the period widely credited with forging them into one of the most formidable live acts in rock history. No release date has been announced.
Full Cast Revealed for Hamburg Days
The BBC has named the principal cast for Hamburg Days, filling out the roles of both the young Beatles and the key figures in their Hamburg circle. Rhys Mannion will play John Lennon, Ellis Murphy takes Paul McCartney, Harvey Brett steps in as George Harrison, Louis Landau portrays original bassist Stu Sutcliffe, and Patrick Gilmore plays drummer Pete Best, who preceded Ringo Starr in the lineup.
On the German side of the story, Luna Jordan has been cast as photographer Astrid Kirchherr, Casper von Bülow as artist Klaus Voormann, and Laura Tonke as Nielsa Kirchherr.
- Rhys Mannion as John Lennon
- Ellis Murphy as Paul McCartney
- Harvey Brett as George Harrison
- Louis Landau as Stu Sutcliffe
- Patrick Gilmore as Pete Best
- Luna Jordan as Astrid Kirchherr
- Casper von Bülow as Klaus Voormann
- Laura Tonke as Nielsa Kirchherr
What Hamburg Days Is and Where It Fits
Hamburg Days is distinct from Sam Mendes’ forthcoming quartet of theatrical Beatles films, which will star Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Harris Dickinson, and Barry Keoghan and are intended to cover the band’s full career. Hamburg Days narrows its scope deliberately, examining only the two-year stretch when the group played multiple shows per day in German clubs, a grind that is broadly regarded as the crucible of their musicianship.
The series is based on the autobiography of German artist Klaus Voormann, who was a close friend of the band during that period and will serve as a consultant on the production. Voormann is well known to Beatles fans as the designer of the Revolver album cover and a musician who later played with Lennon on the Plastic Ono Band record.
Sue Deeks, head of scripted pre-buy acquisitions at the BBC, described the project when it was first announced last December as “the fascinating story of how, in the space of two short years, a raw young band from Liverpool honed their music skills in Hamburg, before returning home to become an overnight worldwide success.” Deeks added that “it is an incredible story, accompanied (of course) by an amazing soundtrack!”
Production Details
Hamburg Days is a co-production between the BBC, AGC Television, and German public broadcaster ZDF. The series will run six parts. As of this writing, no premiere date has been set.
What we know
- Rhys Mannion, Ellis Murphy, Harvey Brett, Louis Landau, and Patrick Gilmore have been cast as Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Sutcliffe, and Best respectively.
- Luna Jordan plays Astrid Kirchherr, Casper von Bülow plays Klaus Voormann, and Laura Tonke plays Nielsa Kirchherr.
- Hamburg Days is a six-part series co-produced by the BBC, AGC Television, and German broadcaster ZDF.
- The series is based on Klaus Voormann’s autobiography; Voormann will also serve as a consultant.
- The series covers the Beatles’ five Hamburg residencies between 1960 and 1962.
- No release date has been confirmed for Hamburg Days.
- Sam Mendes is separately developing four theatrical Beatles films starring Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Harris Dickinson, and Barry Keoghan.
The take
The Hamburg period is arguably the most mythologized chapter in Beatles lore, and for good reason. Before Beatlemania, before Ed Sullivan, before even ‘Love Me Do,’ there were the Reeperbahn clubs: the Indra, the Kaiserkeller, the Star-Club. The band reportedly played up to eight hours a night across those five residencies, and the transformation from promising Merseybeat outfit to a locked-in, road-hardened unit was dramatic. Lennon himself later credited Hamburg as the place where they really grew up, musically and otherwise. Basing the series on Voormann’s autobiography is a smart structural choice. Voormann was an eyewitness who became a lifelong collaborator, and his perspective offers an outsider-turned-insider view that avoids the well-worn internal band narrative. The casting of relatively unknown actors, rather than established stars, follows the same logic that made early biopics like Control feel grounded rather than performative. The timing is notable too. With the Mendes films generating enormous anticipation, the BBC is positioning Hamburg Days as a complementary deep-dive rather than a competitor, targeting the portion of the audience that wants texture and context over a sweeping career retrospective. For Classic Rock fans, the Hamburg era has always felt underserved on screen, making this series a genuinely welcome addition.
Why it matters
For Classic Rock audiences, the Beatles’ Hamburg years represent the missing chapter in the standard telling of the band’s story. Most films and documentaries begin at the point of fame. Hamburg Days goes back to the foundation, covering the lineup that included Sutcliffe and Best and the raw, relentless live work that shaped everything afterward. With the Mendes theatrical films already commanding attention, this BBC series gives fans a second, more intimate lens on the same story, one rooted in a firsthand account and focused on the people and places that rarely get their due.
What’s next
No premiere date has been announced for Hamburg Days. The series is confirmed as a six-part production co-made by the BBC, AGC Television, and ZDF. Separately, Sam Mendes’ four theatrical Beatles films, each focusing on a different band member, remain in development with their own cast in place.
Frequently asked questions
Who is playing John Lennon in Hamburg Days?
Rhys Mannion has been cast as John Lennon in the BBC’s Hamburg Days series.
What is Hamburg Days about?
Hamburg Days is a six-part BBC biopic series covering the Beatles’ five residencies in Hamburg, Germany between 1960 and 1962, based on Klaus Voormann’s autobiography.
Is Hamburg Days the same as the Sam Mendes Beatles movies?
No. Hamburg Days is a separate BBC television series. Sam Mendes is developing four theatrical films covering the band’s full career, starring Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Harris Dickinson, and Barry Keoghan.
When does Hamburg Days come out?
No release date has been confirmed for Hamburg Days as of the latest announcements.
Who is Klaus Voormann and why is he involved in Hamburg Days?
Klaus Voormann is a German artist who befriended the Beatles during their Hamburg residencies. The series is based on his autobiography, and he will serve as a consultant on the production.
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