Beatlemania: Ron Howard to Direct Documentary on Beatles Popularity in 70s

US director Ron Howard will direct a documentary on the Beatles, focusing on the band's popularity in the 1970s.

The documentary will project the band's concerts, from those in Liverpool clubs to the final 1966 performance in San Francisco, and trace the 'Beatlemania' effect on society.

Flimmaker Howard, one of the biggest fans of the band, felt 'honoured' to have been asked by producers Apple Corps Ltd., White Horse Pictures and Imagine Entertainment to work on the film, reported Variety.

He said: "I am excited and honoured to be working with Apple and the White Horse team on this astounding story of these four young men who stormed the world in 1964."

"Their impact on popular culture and the human experience cannot be exaggerated."

Surviving group members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are expected to be involved in the documentary, which will be the band's first since Let It Be in 1970. Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, the widows of deceased John Lennon and George Harrison, are also involved in the film.

Howard said the film will explore why the Beatles became so popular by examining the era's social and political context.

"After I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan, all I wanted after that was a Beatles wig," Howard said. His parents said no, but then they gave him one for his 10th birthday, he added.

An official website has been set up for the documentary, www.thebeatlesliveproject.com. Fans have been requested to submit materials to the site for inclusion in the documentary.

A message on the site reads: "Were you there? Or were your parents or grandparents a part of Beatlemania?"

"If you or someone you know has visual or audio materials that document the Beatles' live tours, we want to hear from you! We are looking for rare or unusual footage, photographs, and audio recordings, particularly those that highlight the fan experience - what it was like to be a part of the frenzy."

"If you have materials you believe belong in this film, please contact us."

No release date for the film has been announced yet.