“Man on the Run”: McCartney’s Big Gamble

Beatles legend Paul McCartney caught his second wind with Wings following the split from The Beatles. The new documentary titled Man on the Run chronicles Paul and late wife Linda’s journey as they form their new rock band and premieres on Amazon’s Prime Video on February 27, 2026.

The film features new interviews with McCartney, archival footage of Linda McCartney (renowned photographer and first woman to shoot a cover for Rolling Stone magazine), George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and more. Viewers will also see behind-the-scenes footage of Wings on tour as well as unreleased music.

Following the breakup of The Beatles in 1970, the “Let ‘Em In” singer released two solo albums, but yearned to get back into a band setting. He, along with wife Linda on keyboards, Denny Laine (formerly of the Moody Blues) on guitar and vocals, and Denny Seiwell on drums, formed Wings in 1971. The band had seen shuffles in line-up over the years, but that did not stop their ultimate success during their ten-year run.

Before disbanding in 1981, hits like “Band on the Run,” “Silly Love Song,” “Jet,” “My Love,” and “Live and Let Die” helped them earn five consecutive U.S. No. 1 albums, 14 American Top 10 singles, and six Billboard chart-topping singles. In October 1972, Wings recorded the theme song to the James Bond film Live and Let Die, which reunited McCartney with Beatles producer/arranger George Martin. Their fifth studio album, Wings at the Speed of Sound, turns 50 this year.

In the trailer for Man on the Run, McCartney said that starting Wings was about freedom, adding, “The Beatles had been my whole life, really. When we split up, I thought, I’ll never write another note of music ever. I had fear of being a grown-up.” In it, he also acknowledges his complicated relationship with Lennon.

The documentary is directed by Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville. In a previous statement, Michele Anthony of Polygram Entertainment said of the documentary, “How do you rediscover yourself after being in the biggest band the world has ever known? Well, until the breakup of The Beatles, no one had ever had to answer that question. At its heart, it’s a story of Linda and Paul’s enduring love as he finds his own voice as an artist, resulting in one of the most creative periods of his life.”

The film follows McCartney’s book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run, which was released in November, as well as the self-titled collection Wings, which was released on limited-edition vinyl and on streaming outlets.

Linda McCartney passed away in 1998 following a diagnosis of breast cancer. Denny Laine gave an interview for Man on the Run before he died in 2023. Neville was also able to speak with John Lennon’s son, Sean, among others.

The 83-year-old from Liverpool has proven time and time again that he can master a singing career with a band as well as going solo. Luckily for fans, Sir James Paul McCartney has demonstrated no signs of quitting yet.

-Sharon Oliver

Fair use image