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Paul McCartney to adapt 'It's a Wonderful Life' as new musical

By Annie Martin
Paul McCartney is writing music and lyrics for a stage version of the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI
Paul McCartney is writing music and lyrics for a stage version of the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo

July 18 (UPI) -- Paul McCartney will adapt the beloved film It's a Wonderful Life as a new musical.

The New York Post confirmed Wednesday the 77-year-old British singer and musician is developing a stage version of the classic Christmas movie.

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The new production marks McCartney's first musical. He is writing music and lyrics for the show, with Lee Hall to pen the book and co-write lyrics and Bill Kenwright to produce.

"Writing a musical is not something that had ever really appealed to me," McCartney said in a statement. "But Bill and I met up with Lee Hall and had a chat and I found myself thinking this could be interesting and fun. It's a Wonderful Life is a universal story we can all relate to."

Variety said Kenwright obtained rights to It's a Wonderful Life in 2016 and reached out to McCartney, who started working on the project last year.

"Out of the blue I got an email from Paul asking my thoughts on his first stab at an opening song," Kenwright recalled. "He wasn't sure -- but wanted to know what Lee and I thought of it? I played the demo. Lee and I were unanimous. Our hero was a musical theater writer!"

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McCartney, a founding member of the Beatles, is still in "the final stages" of completing songs for the musical. The production is slated for a late 2020 launch in the U.K., with a later move to Broadway.

It's a Wonderful Life stars James Stewart and Henry Travers, and opened in theaters in 1946. The movie follows George Bailey (Stewart), a man contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve when his guardian angel (Travers) intervenes.

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