A film adaptation of Paul McCartney’s children’s novel, High in the Clouds, is headed to Netflix.
Per a statement, High in the Clouds tells the story of a teenage squirrel named Wirral who finds himself “pulled into a ramshackle gang of teenage rebels who live high in the clouds after he accidentally antagonizes Gretsch the owl, the tyrannical leader (and fabulous singer!), who steals the voice of anyone who upstages her.” A release date has yet to be announced.
McCartney, co-author Philip Ardagh and illustrator Geoff Dunbar published High in the Clouds in 2005, and a film adaptation was first reported in 2013. Two years later, it was revealed that McCartney had written seven or eight new songs for the movie, including one featuring Lady Gaga. McCartney will provide original songs and music for the Netflix film, although it’s unclear if that includes any previously reported tracks.
McCartney will co-produce the High in the Clouds adaptation, with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Timothy Reckart (Head Over Heels) attached to direct and Jon Croker (Paddington 2, Desert Dancer) writing the script.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Netflix,” McCartney said of the project. “They complement what is already an amazing team with Gaumont and we can think of no one better to be working with to bring our film to a global audience. 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.”
Last month, McCartney released two new songs, “Home Tonight” and “In a Hurry,” both of which he recorded during his Egypt Station sessions and released for Record Store Day Black Friday. The musician was also recently tapped to headline Glastonbury 2020, making him the oldest headliner in the festival’s history.
