Barry Keoghan reveals his Beatles makeover for the first time after signing up to play Ringo Starr in ambitious four film anthology as he attends the premiere of Crime 101

Barry Keoghan's latest red carpet appearance had Beatles fans twisting and shouting on Wednesday evening as the actor prepares to play Ringo Starr in an ambitious four-film anthology. 

Keoghan will play the legendary drummer in a forthcoming biographical account of each band-member, directed by Sir Sam Mendes and scheduled for simultaneous release as a 'cinematic event' in 2028. 

With principal photography well underway, the Irish actor gave fans a small taste of what to expect while promoting his latest cinematic release, Crime 101, in London.

Modelling the distinctive 'moptop' made famous by all four Beatles in the mid-1960s, Keoghan, 33, bore an undeniable resemblance to Starr as he walked the red carpet outside Leicester Square's Odeon Luxe.

Dressed in a leather biker outfit that had more in common with the Hell's Angels than the Fab Four, the actor was joined by Crime 101 co-stars Mark Ruffalo, Monica Barbaro, Halle Berry and Chris Hemsworth while celebrating the launch of their new thriller.

Sony Pictures previously announced there will be four separate films about the legendary band, with British actor Harris Dickinson playing John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Sir Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn portraying George Harrison.

Speaking at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas last April, an event the cast also attended, Sir Sam described the films as the “first binge-able theatrical experience”.

The project marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd and The Beatles – Sir Paul, Sir Ringo, and the families of Lennon and Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Ringo previously appeared to let slip that Saltburn star Keoghan had taken on the role.

He told Entertainment Tonight: 'I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.' 

When Sir Ridley Scott was promoting his second Roman epic Gladiator II, he revealed leading man Mescal was joining the Beatles project, telling an industry event that the actor was “actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next” so he may not be able to join him on his next film.

Keoghan recently admitted that he wasn't able to look Beatles legend Starr in the eye during their first meeting because he was so overcome with nerves.

While the actor described their meeting as 'lovely,' he told Jimmy Kimmel Live that he was so starstruck he struggled to make eye contact with the drummer.

He recalled: 'I met him at his house, and he played the drums for me. He asked me to play, but I wasn't playing the drums for Ringo.'

Asked if he was able to 'study' the musician, he added: 'I was. And when I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him. I was nervous, like right now. But he's like, "You can look at me."'

Previous films about The Beatles include Nowhere Boy, a biopic focusing on Lennon's childhood in Liverpool, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the late musician. 

BBC drama Lennon Naked starred Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston as Lennon, and Chapter 27 depicted the musician’s assassination in New York in 1980 with Dallas Buyers Club actor Jared Leto playing his killer, Mark David Chapman.

Formed in 1960, The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time and one of the most influential groups in the world, having achieved 18 UK number one singles and 16 UK number one albums.

They disbanded in 1970 following the release of their twelfth studio album, Let It Be.