Yesterday (2019 film)

Yesterday (film)

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2019 (2019)
Founder	Danny Boyle, Richard Curtis, Jack Barth
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Products	Feature film
Parent	Universal Pictures, Perfect World Pictures, Working Title Films, Decibel Films, Dentsu Inc.

Yesterday is a 2019 jukebox musical romantic comedy helmed by director Danny Boyle and penned by Richard Curtis, adapted from a story co-created by Jack Barth and Curtis. The movie features Himesh Patel portraying Jack Malik, a struggling artist who rises to fame by performing Beatles songs after the band’s music inexplicably disappears from collective memory. The supporting lineup includes Lily James, Joel Fry, Ed Sheeran, and Kate McKinnon.

The project was announced in March 2018, with principal photography conducted primarily throughout England, including locations in Norfolk and Suffolk, supplemented by scenes filmed at Wembley Stadium, the Principality Stadium, and in Los Angeles. The production secured the rights to the Beatles’ catalog for $10 million; although the original band members were not directly involved, Boyle obtained approval from them or their families.

Yesterday had its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in May 2019 before being released in both the UK and US markets in June 2019 via Universal Pictures. It achieved a global box office total of $155 million against a production budget of $26 million.

Plot

Jack Malik, an aspiring singer-songwriter from Lowestoft, experiences an unexpected rise to prominence after a worldwide blackout causes everyone except him to forget the Beatles. Realizing their music has vanished from history, Jack begins performing their songs as if they were his own compositions.

Encouraged by his manager Ellie Appleton, Jack records a demo and eventually opens for pop icon Ed Sheeran during a concert in Moscow. Following a songwriting competition with Sheeran, Jack secures representation from the aggressive manager Debra Hammer in Los Angeles, which launches him into international fame. Before leaving for LA, Ellie confesses her feelings for Jack.

Unable to recall some lyrics accurately, Jack visits Beatles landmarks in Liverpool to trigger memories. He and Ellie share a brief romantic moment, but she chooses not to become involved in his celebrity lifestyle. Back in Los Angeles, Jack feels increasingly isolated as Ellie starts dating his producer Gavin.

The record label prepares to release Jack’s debut album One Man Only, rejecting his suggestions for Beatles-inspired titles. Jack insists on holding his album launch concert on a rooftop in Gorleston-on-Sea.

Two individuals who still remember the Beatles confront Jack backstage; they express gratitude but urge him to be truthful. They introduce him to John Lennon—living quietly away from fame—who advises him to pursue genuine love and honesty.

During a performance at Wembley Stadium, Jack publicly confesses that he has been passing off Beatles songs as his own and declares his love for Ellie. He then uploads the songs online for free, undermining the record label and angering Debra. Jack reconciles with Ellie; they decide to start a family, and he gives up stardom to become a music teacher.

Cast

James Corden and Michael Kiwanuka appear as themselves, while Robert Carlyle makes an uncredited cameo portraying a 78-year-old John Lennon.

Production

Yesterday was produced through collaborations among Perfect World Pictures, Working Title Films, Decibel Films, and Dentsu Inc., with distribution handled by Universal Pictures.

Writing

The film’s origins trace back to a 2012 screenplay titled Cover Version, authored by American writer Jack Barth, who endured years of difficulty selling scripts. Barth described his story as a reflection on professional setbacks where the protagonist fails to achieve success through Beatles songs.

British actor Mackenzie Crook contributed to an early draft and intended to direct but ultimately withdrew to concentrate on his television series Detectorists. The script eventually reached Working Title Films, where producers facilitated British filmmaker Richard Curtis taking over and transforming it into a romantic comedy. Curtis secured sole screenplay credit while sharing story credit with Barth.

Curtis developed his version without reviewing Barth’s original script, aiming to craft an emotionally resonant narrative with personal significance. Nevertheless, numerous aspects of Barth’s screenplay remained intact in the final product, including John Lennon depicted as an elderly fisherman and a joke referencing Harry Potter. Curtis credited comedian Sarah Silverman for suggesting this joke.

Barth expressed dissatisfaction with Curtis receiving sole screenplay credit and altering the plot by portraying Jack Malik as a successful songwriter—a reflection of Curtis’s own career path. Barth believed this revision reduced his financial recognition and altered the story’s initial message.

Casting

In March 2018, Curtis and director Danny Boyle revealed plans for a musical comedy set during the 1960s or 1970s, centered on a struggling musician who believes he is the sole person recalling the Beatles. Himesh Patel was selected for the leading role after impressing Boyle with his soulful renditions of Beatles songs during auditions. Patel personally performed the vocals, guitar, and piano parts.

Later that same month, Lily James and Kate McKinnon were added to the ensemble. Boyle reached out to the surviving Beatles members and their families to inform them about the project, receiving positive feedback from drummer Ringo Starr. In April 2018, Ed Sheeran joined the cast, stepping into a role originally offered to Coldplay's Chris Martin, who declined. Sheeran mentioned that Harry Styles was also considered for the part, though Boyle refuted this claim. Subsequent casting announcements included Ana de Armas, Lamorne Morris, followed by Sophia Di Martino, Joel Fry, and Harry Michell in May.

Filming

Production began on 21 April 2018, with principal photography in the UK commencing on 26 April across various East Anglia locations such as Cantley, Halesworth, Dunwich, Shingle Street, Latitude Festival, and Clacton-on-Sea. Following Ed Sheeran’s concerts at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in May 2018, extras were recruited for overnight shooting. In June, approximately 5,000 extras appeared at Gorleston-on-Sea Beach. Wembley Stadium served as a backdrop for a concert sequence. Additional filming occurred in Liverpool, utilizing iconic sites including Penny Lane, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Lime Street Station, and Queensway Tunnel.

The film was officially titled Yesterday in February 2019. Acquiring rights to Beatles tracks reportedly cost around $10 million, with licensing managed by Apple Records and Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Scenes featuring Ana de Armas as a romantic interest were removed after test audiences found her character unrelatable. Although de Armas appeared in early promotional content, she did not feature in the final cut. This led to a $5 million class-action lawsuit filed by two viewers who claimed they rented the movie under misleading circumstances. The lawsuit initially proceeded but was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson, who ruled that any harm was self-inflicted and that there was no legal standing to sue. By April 2024, the plaintiffs reached a settlement with Universal regarding court costs.

Music

The Yesterday soundtrack was released by Capitol Records on 21 June 2019, one week prior to the film’s release in both the UK and US markets. It included multiple Beatles songs performed by Patel, with music supervision by Adem Ilhan. The licensing fee for the Beatles’ catalog approached $10 million.

Composer Daniel Pemberton crafted the film’s score with an emphasis on delivering an authentic and intimate performance style in partnership with Patel. This approach aligned with director Boyle’s vision of avoiding overly polished sounds in favor of a more organic feel.

Release

The initial official trailer was unveiled on 12 February 2019. The film had its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on 4 May 2019 and later screened locally at Gorleston Palace cinema on 21 June 2019. Universal Pictures allocated $75.4 million toward global marketing efforts for the release.

Box office

Yesterday accumulated $73.3 million domestically in the United States and Canada, alongside $81.3 million from international markets, including $19.4 million from the United Kingdom, resulting in a global gross of $155 million compared to its $26 million production cost. It consistently ranked within the Top 10 at the US box office for five consecutive weeks.

In its North American debut, the movie was anticipated to generate between $10 and $15 million across 2,603 theaters during its opening weekend. It earned $6.1 million on the first day, which included $1.25 million from Thursday night previews, ultimately surpassing expectations with a $17 million opening and securing third place behind Toy Story 4 and Annabelle Comes Home. The second weekend yielded $10.7 million, maintaining third position behind Spider-Man: Far From Home and Toy Story 4, followed by a third weekend total of $6.8 million, dropping to fifth place.

According to Deadline Hollywood, the film's net profit amounted to approximately $45 million after accounting for all costs and revenues, excluding UK tax incentives. Despite Universal officially reporting an $87.8 million loss on the project in 2019, Deadline projected a profit of $26.5 million by early 2020 after factoring in television and home video sales.

Critical response

Audience feedback collected by CinemaScore assigned the film an average grade of "A-" on their A+ to F scale.

Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian awarded the movie four out of five stars, commenting that while the narrative occasionally felt contrived and uneven, the energetic charm brought by Curtis and Boyle propelled it forward. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph commended the film’s "beautifully balanced and unexpectedly poignant conclusion," highlighting the chemistry between Patel and James. In contrast, Owen Gleiberman of Variety described it as a "romantic comedy adorned with Beatles' nostalgia but lacking genuine emotional depth." Laura Snapes from The Guardian criticized Yesterday as "another jukebox-style film that sidelines its female characters."

The Beatles' reaction

Paul McCartney disclosed in an interview with Billboard that he and his spouse Nancy Shevell watched the movie in The Hamptons and "adored it". Director Danny Boyle also presented the finished film to Ringo Starr and his wife Barbara Bach, along with George Harrison's widow Olivia Harrison, who responded with "wonderful messages". Additionally, John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, expressed her approval of the film's depiction of her late husband.

Awards and nominations

Award	Ceremony date	Category	Nominees	Outcome
Awards of the Japanese Academy	6 March 2020	Best Foreign Film	Yesterday	Template:Nom
Blue Ribbon Awards	22 January 2020	Best Foreign Film	Yesterday	Template:Nom
Golden Trailer Awards	29 June 2019	Best Music	Universal Pictures and Motive NYC	Template:Nom
Goya Awards	25 January 2020	Best European Film	Yesterday – Danny Boyle	Template:Nom
Hollywood Music in Media Awards	9 November 2019	Outstanding Music Supervision – Film	Angela Leus	Template:Nom
		Best Soundtrack Album	Yesterday	Template:Nom
Montclair Film Festival	May 2019	World Cinema	Danny Boyle	Template:Won
Music City Film Critics' Association Awards	10 January 2020	Best Music Film	Yesterday	Template:Nom
Toronto International Film Festival	September 2019	People's Choice Award	Favorite Comedy Movie	Template:Nom
San Diego Film Critics Society	9 December 2019	Best Use of Music in a Film	Yesterday	Template:Nom
St. Louis Film Critics Association	15 December 2019	Best Soundtrack	Yesterday	Template:Nom
		Special Merit (for best scene, cinematic technique or memorable moment)	"Jack visits cottage."	Template:Nom
Saturn Awards	13 September 2019	Best Fantasy Film	Yesterday	Template:Nom
Teen Choice Awards	11 August 2019	Choice Summer Movie	Yesterday	Template:Nom
		Choice Summer Movie Actor	Himesh Patel	Template:Nom
World Soundtrack Awards	12 August 2019	Film Composer of the Year	Daniel Pemberton

Comparisons

Several media outlets have highlighted works with comparable themes centered on alternate realities or temporal displacement. The 2010 Japanese manga I'm a Beatle, created by Tetsuo Fujii and Kaiji Kawaguchi, tells the story of a musician who journeys back to 1961, astonished to find the Beatles unknown, and subsequently achieves success by performing their songs. Additional works with similar concepts include the 2011 French graphic novel Yesterday, the British sitcom from the 1990s Goodnight Sweetheart, the 2006 French movie Jean-Philippe, and Nick Milligan’s 2013 novel Enormity. Director Danny Boyle mentioned that he was initially unaware of these earlier creations when reviewing the screenplay but acknowledged the resemblances after viewing the film’s trailer.

See also

• Parallel universes in fiction