The relationship between John Lennon and Yoko Ono will be the basis of a new film from the writer of The Theory of Everything.
According to Deadline, the untitled film will focus on the romance between the Beatles star and Ono, who will also produce the project. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten, who gained acclaim for his take on the relationship between Stephen and Jane Hawking, will pen the script. His upcoming work includes the Winston Churchill drama Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman.
“The story will focus on ripe and relevant themes of love, courage and activism in the US – with the intention of inspiring today’s youth to stand up for and have a clear vision for the world they want,” said producer Michael De Luca, whose previous credits include The Social Network, Captain Phillips and Moneyball.
The script is likely to cover the pair’s status as a celebrity couple throughout the 70s, Lennon’s move away from the Beatles, the couple’s music together and Lennon’s murder in 1980.
In 2009, Lennon’s life as a youth was brought to the screen by Sam Taylor-Johnson in Nowhere Boy, where he was played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Ono was supportive of the finished product and was “flabbergasted” at how good it was. The murder of Lennon was also covered in the 2007 drama Chapter 27, which starred Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman.