Paul McCartney Teams With Netflix, Gaumont on Animated ‘High in the Clouds’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Paul McCartney is collaborating with Netflix and Gaumont on the animated feature “High in the Clouds,” based on the children’s novel he wrote with Geoff Dunbar, and Philip Ardagh.

McCartney is producing and contributing songs to the film, which centers on an imaginative teenage squirrel named Wirral who find himself pulled into a ramshackle gang of teenage rebels who live high in the clouds. He accidentally antagonizes Gretsch the owl, the tyrannical leader who steals the voice of anyone who upstages her.

Timothy Reckart is directing from a script by Jon Croker, who has credits on the Paddington movies and “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Besides McCartney, the producers include Bob Shaye  (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), the late Michael Lynne, Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Nicolas Atlan and Terry Kalagian ().

“High in the Clouds” was published in 2005. McCartney set the project up with Shaye and Lynne in 2013.

“We are  thrilled to be partnering with ,” McCartney said. “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.”

Gregg Taylor, Netflix Director of Original Animated Films, said, “Bringing the world a new animated film from the heart and mind of the brilliant is undoubtedly one of the greatest thrills we’ve experienced at Netflix. We’re beyond grateful to be partnering with Nicolas and the Gaumont team on ‘High in the Clouds’ and with Tim at the helm, this whimsical story celebrating individuality and the unifying power of music is in great hands.”