“It’s A Wonderful Life” musical project is on hold

In July 2019, it was reported that Paul McCartney was writing his first musical, an adaptation of Frank Capra’s “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

In December 2023, Paul was asked if we would ever get to hear the songs he write for “It’s A Wonderful Life.” He replied:

I hope so, yeah! Musicals are difficult things to put together, but I think it may be shaping up at last. So, hopefully you’ll get to hear the songs.

Paul McCartney – From paulmccartney.com, December 12, 2023

On this day, December 23, 2024, the Daily Mail published an update, explaining the project had been halted due to creative differences:

[…] While Sir Paul, 82, shows no sign of slowing down, with plans to finish a new album next year, mystery shrouds the It’s A Wonderful Life stage musical he announced he was working on back in 2019. It was set to be a glorious collaboration between him and the late theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, who had acquired the rights to Frank Capra’s 1946 classic Christmas film. 

The Oscar-nominated drama starred James Stewart as George Bailey, a suicidal man saved by a guardian angel on Christmas Eve. Yet I hear plans for the musical adaptation have been halted after the two Liverpudlian life long friends apparently had creative differences over the production before Kenwright’s death in October last year, aged 78. 

A source tells me: ‘Bill was incredibly upset about the outcome of a business meeting between him and Paul because they couldn’t agree on how the stage version of It’s A Wonderful Life would progress. Paul wanted the production to be focused on music while Bill wanted more action and speaking on stage. It’s a shame two great legends couldn’t agree on the outcome of the show that they both decided to invest in. The project won’t see the light of the day.‘

Kenwright had been complimentary about working with McCartney on the project and said it was ‘a dream realised‘. Meanwhile, Sir Paul admitted of the production: ‘Musicals are difficult things to put together.‘

But a source close to Macca says the proposed stage play may still come to fruition. Representatives for Paul McCartney and Bill Kenwright declined to comment. […]

From Daily Mail Online, December 23, 2023

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.