John Lennon reportedly wanted The Beatles to star in a Stanley Kubrick-directed adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, but the proposal never progressed beyond preliminary discussions. The idea matters as an unusual example of the band’s ambition to expand their film work—and of Kubrick declining a high-profile project despite Lennon’s admiration for his films.

Leon Vitali, a close Kubrick collaborator, confirmed that The Beatles visited Kubrick’s office to discuss the possibility, but said Kubrick was not interested. Vitali identified Lennon as the driving force, noting that Lennon loved Tolkien’s story and was an avid viewer of Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey; the band instead remained associated with films including A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine.