[Update December 11 1:20 pm]: It turns out that Ridley Scott did in fact break this news correctly; Variety is now reporting that Paul Mescal is "attached" to star in the Sam Mendes film(s), thought he hasn't been fully signed up yet. The trade also notes that while speculated to portray Paul McCartney, that has not yet been confirmed.
[Original story]: Those Sam Mendes Beatles biopics have started affecting Hollywood schedules despite the fact that the cast hasn't officially been announced yet. It's a hard day's night for Ridley Scott fans, who may have to wait a while longer for the director's previously-announced Paul Mescal re-team, The Dog Stars.
During a conversation with fellow director Christopher Nolan, Scott may have accidentally let slip that Mescal would have to put the thriller on hold for a little while—or let it go completely. "Yes," Scott said, confirming Mescal's current Dog Stars billing, per The Hollywood Reporter. He then amended his statement, saying "Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go."
Mescal has long been rumored as the top choice to play Paul McCartney in one of four projects Mendes is currently planning for each of the Fab Four. Scott may be getting a strongly worded letter from Sony soon, but he isn't the only high-profile figure to spoil the project's casting news in the past few weeks. Ringo Starr himself may have also let slip that Barry Keoghan was "somewhere taking drum lessons" as preparation to play him in an Entertainment Tonight interview in November. Now there are two, which are rumored to be Harris Dickson (John Lennon) and Charlie Rowe (George Harrison). Dickson, at least, has the whole Babygirl press tour ahead of him, so anything could slip.
For Mescal's part, he refused in an interview with Entertainment Tonight to actually break the news, but did say "it would be an incredible story to be attached to" and that "the fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, like truly, it would be a dream come true." Seems like he may soon be busy working on that dream eight days a week.
