Jean-Marc Vallee To Direct Drama Based on John Lennon/Yoko Ono Relationship

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

By Darian Scalamoni

            There have been films including The Beatles music such as Across the Universe and even some that have showcased John Lennon’s life before The Beatles with Nowhere Boy but no film has ever told the story about the relationship between Lennon and his widow, Yoko Ono. Jean-Marc Vallée intends to tell this story.

            According to Deadline, Vallée will direct a currently untitled flick following the love story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. He is best known for directing such Oscar fair as Dallas Buyers Club and Wild but has since made a jump to HBO in recent years with limited series, Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects. Vallée was in the running for Bond 25 but took himself out of the conversation to have an opportunity to direct this movie.

Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to tell the story and the script will be written by Anthony McCarten. His latest film, Bohemian Rhapsody hits theaters November 2^nd. McCarten is a 2-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter for other biographical films, Darkest Hour and The Theory of Everything. The latter two films helped Gary Oldman and Eddie Redmayne win Best Actor honors respectively while the jury is still out on Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie Mercury, there is plenty of buzz surrounding his performance.

            Ono and Lennon first met in the late ‘60s when she was just an up-and-coming recording artist while Lennon was one of the most recognizable faces in the world. She became permanently linked with Lennon as he transitioned from life as a Beatle to the start of his solo career. They became massive advocates against the Vietnam War together and after a brief separation in the mid ‘70s, they stayed together until Lennon’s murder in 1980. 

I think this is a terrific team to adapt a story that very much needs to be told on screen. McCarten penning could help land whoever the lucky actor is to play Lennon into the Oscar conversation. Same could be said for whoever plays Ono as he also helped Felicity Jones to a nomination for playing Jane Hawking. I’m very excited to see how this turns out.