Ron Howard to direct documentary on The Beatles

LOS ANGELES, July 16 (UPI) -- Ron Howard will direct a new documentary about The Beatles.

The 60-year-old director intends to focus on the early touring years of the band, with an approximate time frame of 1960 to 1966. The film has been authorized by surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. All four stars have agreed to be interviewed for the documentary.

"What's so compelling to me is the perspective that we have now, the chance to really understand the impact that they had on the world," Howard tells Rolling Stone. "That six-year period is such a dramatic transformation in terms of global culture and these remarkable four individuals, who were both geniuses and also entirely relatable. That duality is something that is going to be very interesting to explore."

Producer Brian Grazer and George Harrison: Living in the Material World producers Nigel Sinclair and Scott Pascucci will work alongside Howard on the project. The team has access to The Beatles archives at Apple Corps, and plan to include fan-sourced video footage as well.

"We are going to be able to take the Super 8 footage that we found, that was all shot silent. We'll not only be able to digitally repair a lot of that, but we've also been finding the original recordings," the director reveals. "We can now sync it up and create a concert experience so immersive and so engaging, I believe you're going to actually feel like you're somewhere in the Sixties, seeing what it was like to be there, feeling it and hearing it."

Howard's Jay Z tour documentary, Made in America, was released in theaters July 11, and he is also known for directing Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and Rush. The Beatles documentary is currently untitled, and scheduled for a tentative release in late 2015.