Words by Riley Fitzgerald
Graphic by Press

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Netflix,” Paul McCartney shares in a new public statement.

“We can think of no one better to be working with to bring our film to a global audience,” the former Beatle continues. “I’ve always loved animated films, and this is a hugely important passion project for me. I can’t wait for the world to see it.”

The film he refers to is an adaption of his 2005 children’s book High in the Clouds.

The film will be directed by Oscar nominee Timothy Reckart, but more exciting still is the news that McCartney himself will be providing the soundtrack to the film. 

“To the creatures of the woodland, the land of Animalia sounds like a dream – a tropical island where all the animals live in harmony,” a synopsis of High in the Clouds reads. “They are overshadowed by a much more evil community: the polluted Megatropolis, whose dirty skyscrapers block the horizon. And then one day, Wirral the Squirrel’s woodland is destroyed by developers and he is thrown into the nightmare world of Megatropolis.

“Wirral believes in Animalia and he joins with Froggo,” it continues, ” a world-class amphibian balloonist, and Wilhamina, a girl squirrel, to lead the enslaved animals of the city to a new life. So begins an exciting adventure through the mean streets of Megatropolis, over the sea and through the sky.”

McCartney has long held a fascination with animation, one which traces itself all the way back to the Beatles’ surprise appearance in Yellow Submarine in 1968.

The news follows the announcement that McCartney will be headlining UK mega-festival Glastonberry’s 50th anniversary in 2020, touring Europe and producing a musical based on the film It’s A Wonderful Life.

He also released another children’s book, titled Hey Grandude earlier in September.

In all, not a bad year for the former Beatle.