Tiwary, Robinson & Baker’s ‘The Fifth Beatle’ To Be Adapted As Event TV Series

Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker’s Dark Horse biography of The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, The Fifth Beatle, is being adapted as an event TV series by Sonar Entertainment. According to Deadline, the adaptation will be the first Beatles biopic to have full access to John Lennon & Paul McCartney’s song catalog, which Tiwary also had access to during production of the graphic novel.

Brian Epstein discovered The Beatles in 1961 in Liverpool’s infamous Cavern Club. He managed the band for six years, until his untimely death of an overdose at thirty-two years old. Epstein was also a gay man in the '60s, and although it was generally an open secret among his friends, he was arrested multiple times in his younger years under Britain’s anti-homosexuality laws.

The Fifth Beatle won an Eisner in 2013 for Best Reality-Based Work, as well as two Harvey Awards for Best Graphic Album, Original, and Best Biographical, Historical, or Journalistic Presentation. When Brian Epstein was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a year later, the book was also added to their archives.

Vivek J. Tiwary will serve as writer and executive producer on the event series, which does not yet have a network or a date attached. A previously planned adaptation of the graphic novel for the big screen, produced by Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and with Ant-Man’s Peyton Reed attached to direct, is no longer in development.

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