Bravo Media continues its commitment to scripted programming with the development announcement of limited event series “The Fifth Beatle.” From Universal Cable Productions (UCP) and Sonar Entertainment, the project is based on Tony Award-winning producer Vivek J. Tiwary’s critically acclaimed bestselling graphic novel, “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story,” exploring the complicated personal life of the band’s visionary manager who helped catapult the Fab Four to international stardom.
“I don’t think of the Fifth Beatle as an activist book. I certainly don’t have a political agenda but I do hope it’s an inspiring book. I hope that when people finish reading it they close the book inspired to chase their own dreams in the world however they see fit.” – Vivek Tiwary
I had the pleasure to review “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story,” and spoke at length with Author & Tony Award-winning Broadway Producer Vivek J. Tiwary (Green Day’s American Idiot) about the expanded edition, his personal story and how Art can change the world.
Published by Dark Horse Comics, “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story” was written by Vivek J. Tiwary with art by Andrew C. Robinson and Kyle Baker. Vivek has a remarkable underdog story of his own, and he shared his compelling journey with me in writing his groundbreaking Graphic Novel, which in some ways, mirrored Brian Epstein’s. For more background, you should definitely read the article I wrote based upon our discussion linked below and view the embedded Dark Horse video –
Dark Horse Comics #1 New York Times Bestseller -The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story
Tiwary will pen the series adaptation and serve as executive producer along with Leopoldo Gout. The project includes Tiwary’s access to the John Lennon-Paul McCartney song catalog, the first Beatles-related biopic to secure such rights. The announcement comes on the heels of Bravo’s recent series greenlight of anthology series “Dirty John,” also from UCP, which will join the network’s original scripted slate including “Imposters,” returning for a sophomore season on Thursday, April 5 and the fifth and final season of “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce,” premiering this summer.
“The Fifth Beatle” recounts the true story of the legendary Beatles manager, Brian Epstein, a brilliant yet often tormented dreamer who discovered the band in the Cavern Club in Liverpool, then nurtured, protected and guided them to unprecedented worldwide success. As a gay Jewish man living in 1960s England where homosexuality was a felony, Epstein was a double outsider who struggled to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. He was instrumental in the Fab Four’s rise to fame and saw their potential when no one else did. Yet behind the music, Epstein suffered from loneliness and his crushing desires to be one of the boys and belong.
Epstein grew to become not only the engineer of Beatlemania, but also a key architect of the cultural revolution of the sixties with his ambition to change the world and spread the Beatles’ messages of love and peace.
If you haven’t had the pleasure,“The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story,” is truly one of the best Graphic Novels I’ve ever read, and I’ve read hundreds Geek Nation.
Order a copy of The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story Expanded Edition for only $7 from Amazon Prime with the link below and check out the awesome FIFTH BEATLE SOUNDTRACK by Vivek J Tiwary on SPOTIFY.
You can learn more about the graphic novel at http://thefifthbeatle.com
I will be following this story as it develops and hope to interview Vivek again soon to get more details about this exciting new venture!
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All art-Dark Horse Comics