Addams Family and American Idiot producer Vivek Tiwary is developing a film and stage musical based on the life of Epstein, who Paul McCartney once described as "the fifth Beatle." The property will use the phrase for its title.
Epstein, who struggled with life in the closet in the era when homosexuality was illegal in the U.K., died of an overdose in 1967.
Tiwary has obtained the rights for a handful of Beatles songs for the film through Sony/ATV, which handles the John Lennon/Paul McCartney catalogue. Songs expected for the biographical film include "All You Need Is Love," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "A Day in the Life," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Yesterday," "Eleanor Rigby," "Help!" "You Never Give Me Your Money," "Girl," "A Hard Day's Night," "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Come Together."
It was not revealed whether the stage adaptation of "The Fifth Beatle" would utilize Beatles material alongside original music by Kitt, or if Kitt would serve as musical supervisor/arranger. In addition to his work as a composer, Kitt is known for orchestrating American Idiot, Everyday Rapture and Next to Normal on Broadway.