theater

Paul McCartney Is Writing an It’s a Wonderful Life Musical

Photo: Jim Dyson/Getty Images

Perhaps if a global blackout caused the Beatles to never exist, Paul McCartney would have become a musical-theater impresario. The musician is making the career pivot anyway by adapting the classic Christmas movie It’s a Wonderful Life into a stage musical. He’ll write the music and lyrics with help from writer Lee Hall (Billy Elliot). Per the press release, McCartney is in the final stages of finishing up the music, and we should expect to see It’s a Wonderful Life onstage in 2020. The Beatle is working with film and stage producer Bill Kenwright. (Fun fact: Kenwright is also from Liverpool and attended the same high school as McCartney. Scouse pride!) “Writing a musical is not something that had ever really appealed to me but Bill and I met up with Lee Hall and had a chat and I found myself thinking this could be interesting and fun,” McCartney said in a statement. Yes, adapting a movie that’s mainly about contemplating suicide. Interesting and fun.

Paul McCartney Is Writing an It’s a Wonderful Life Musical