It was first reported in June that Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes was working on four separate films that would tell the story of The Beatles, each focusing on a different member of the group.

At the time, it was reported that the Saltburn star would play Ringo, and while this is yet to be confirmed, the man himself appeared to let the cat out of the bag during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

“I think it’s great,” the Grammy-nominated musician said when asked about Barry playing him on screen.

He also joked: “I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”

Sam Mendes – best known for helming films like 1917, Spectre and American Beauty – said in a statement that he was “honoured to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies”.

The Beatles have previously been depicted in numerous films and shows over the years, most notably 2009’s Nowhere Boy – a biopic about John Lennon, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the Imagine singer – and 1994’s Backbeat, which depicted the Beatles’ early days.