Paul McCartney: New Film Details Life After The Beatles & Wings Rise
- The question of what followed the most important rock band in history has been perhaps the second most challenging act in pop culture history.
- As evidenced by his tireless touring and recording activity in the half-century since, McCartney had little to worry about.
- “The Beatles had broken up and I was thinking, ‘What do I do now?’” McCartney says as “Band on the Run,” his 1974 hit with his band Wings,...
The question of what followed the most important rock band in history has been perhaps the second most challenging act in pop culture history. Following The Beatles’ breakup in April 1970, Paul McCartney, then 27, suddenly faced the question of what to do with the rest of his career after the dissolution of the biggest pop band ever.
As evidenced by his tireless touring and recording activity in the half-century since, McCartney had little to worry about. But in the new trailer for the biographical film Paul McCartney: Man on the Run, which chronicles McCartney’s rebirth after the Beatles’ split, the double Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee describes that worrying moment and his determination to overcome fear.
“The Beatles had broken up and I was thinking, ‘What do I do now?’” McCartney says as “Band on the Run,” his 1974 hit with his band Wings, plays in the background. “‘How can I do anything remotely as good as The Beatles?’”
The answers will be revealed in the film directed by Oscar winner Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom, Won’t You Be My Neighbor), which follows McCartney’s rebirth following the complicated dissolution of the band. The film will have a one-night theatrical release by Trafalgar Releasing on , with tickets currently on sale. Each screening will also include an additional conversation between McCartney and Neville.
In addition to McCartney reflecting on his rise from the ashes of the Fab Four, the film includes previously unseen archival footage and photographs by his late wife and bandmate, Linda McCartney. It also features interviews with Linda, Paul, and their daughters Mary and Stella, Wings band members, Sean Ono Lennon, Mick Jagger, and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders.
“I was on my own for the first time,” McCartney says in the one-minute trailer. “I had to look inside myself, so I formed a new band.”
Alongside the 1974 hit that lends the film its title, Wings had five other singles reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100: “My Love,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Silly Love Songs,” “Let ‘Em In,” and “With a Little Luck.” In February 2024, the band’s official debut (following two solo albums by McCartney) returned to the Billboard charts following the 50th-anniversary reissue of Band on the Run, reaching No. 5 on Top Album Sales and No. 156 on the Billboard 200. During its initial release, the album spent four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 1974. The band achieved five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 before disbanding in 1981.
Paul McCartney: Man on the Run will be available to stream globally on Prime Video starting .
The documentary chronicles McCartney’s transformative journey following the breakup of The Beatles and the formation of Wings. It features rare unreleased music and footage, offering an intimate look at his life and career during that pivotal period. Morgan Neville, the Academy Award-winning director, utilizes previously unseen footage and archival materials to capture McCartney’s post-Beatles era through a uniquely vulnerable lens.
The film’s release coincides with the publication of Paul McCartney’s book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, which was available as of . Also released around the same time was WINGS, a definitive self-titled collection available on streaming and limited edition vinyl on .
Produced by Tremolo, in association with MPL and Polygram Entertainment, Man on the Run features producers Morgan Neville, Chloe Simmons, and Meghan Walsh for Tremolo; Scott Rodger and Ben Chappell for MPL; and Michele Anthony and David Blackman for Polygram Entertainment. Paul McCartney and Caitrin Rogers serve as executive producers.
The film premiered on at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado. Amazon MGM Studios acquired distribution rights.