What happened
Report Provider: Variety
Author: Elsa Keslassy
Published Date: September 4, 2025
The epic story behind Paul McCartney‘s stolen bass guitar, which was returned to him in 2024 after 51 years, will be told in a new feature-length documentary directed by Arthur Cary (“Surviving 9/11,” “The Last Survivors”).Titled “The Beatle and the Bass,” the documentary is produced by Passion Pictures, which won this year’s BAFTA with the Sundance hit “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” for BBC Arts.
Fremantle is handling global distribution. The documentary is announced as part of BBC Arena’s 50th Anniversary alongside “Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks” (also produced by Passion Pictures) and LS Lowry’s “Lost Tapes.”Popular on VarietyThe detective story charts the saga of McCartney’s original Höfner bass guitar whose disappearance 51 years ago became one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most enduring mysteries.
McCartney, who will be featured in the film, said, “I think anything that’s nicked, you want back, especially if it has sentimental value. It just went off into the universe and it left us thinking, where did it go? There must be an answer…” he said.The documentary will also boast interviews with others who are personally connected to the bass, including McCartney’s brother, Mike; as well as friend and artist Klaus Voormann, who knew the Beatles from the start; and collaborators such as Elvis Costello; along with fans, experts and journalists behind The Lost Bass Project who embarked on a mission to track down the bass and rescue and restore it.
McCartney had bought his beloved Höfner bass in 1961, when he was an unknown 18-year-old, in Hamburg for £30. It was by his side throughout the birth of the Beatles but in the early 1970s, it vanished, and it was thought to be lost forever.Emily Jeal, Passion Pictures’ head of feature documentaries, said, “From its beginnings, we knew ‘The Beatle and the Bass’ was exactly the kind of distinctive, emotional and uplifting story that we love to tell.
”“Working with Arthur Cary and BBC Arena to bring the unforgettable story of Paul McCartney’s lost bass to the screen is a true privilege,” Jeal said. Ceire Clark, Fremantle’s VP of non-scripted acquisitions, said, “This remarkable story takes us on a truly global journey, spanning decades and continents.
”“The documentary offers a fresh perspective on music history, with access to McCartney himself and those who witnessed the Beatles’ rise from the very beginning,” Clark said, adding that Fremantle was “proud to be part of a project that celebrates the enduring power of music and storytelling to connect people around the world.
”“The Beatle and the Bass” is a Passion Pictures production, in association with Footprint MediaPartnership. Executive producers are Jeal and Hamish Fergusson. Associate producers are Scott Jones and Naomi Jones.McCartney is also the subject of Morgan Neville’s Amazon Prime Video documentary “Man on the Run,” which premiered at Telluride and looks at his career post-Beatles fame.
Source coverage
Report Provider: Variety
Author: Elsa Keslassy
Deeper analysis
Full source content
The epic story behind Paul McCartney‘s stolen bass guitar, which was returned to him in 2024 after 51 years, will be told in a new feature-length documentary directed by Arthur Cary (“Surviving 9/11,” “The Last Survivors”).Titled “The Beatle and the Bass,” the documentary is produced by Passion Pictures, which won this year’s BAFTA with the Sundance hit “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” for BBC Arts.
Fremantle is handling global distribution. The documentary is announced as part of BBC Arena’s 50th Anniversary alongside “Turner: The Secret Sketchbooks” (also produced by Passion Pictures) and LS Lowry’s “Lost Tapes.”Popular on VarietyThe detective story charts the saga of McCartney’s original Höfner bass guitar whose disappearance 51 years ago became one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most enduring mysteries.
McCartney, who will be featured in the film, said, “I think anything that’s nicked, you want back, especially if it has sentimental value. It just went off into the universe and it left us thinking, where did it go? There must be an answer…” he said.The documentary will also boast interviews with others who are personally connected to the bass, including McCartney’s brother, Mike; as well as friend and artist Klaus Voormann, who knew the Beatles from the start; and collaborators such as Elvis Costello; along with fans, experts and journalists behind The Lost Bass Project who embarked on a mission to track down the bass and rescue and restore it.
McCartney had bought his beloved Höfner bass in 1961, when he was an unknown 18-year-old, in Hamburg for £30. It was by his side throughout the birth of the Beatles but in the early 1970s, it vanished, and it was thought to be lost forever.Emily Jeal, Passion Pictures’ head of feature documentaries, said, “From its beginnings, we knew ‘The Beatle and the Bass’ was exactly the kind of distinctive, emotional and uplifting story that we love to tell.
”“Working with Arthur Cary and BBC Arena to bring the unforgettable story of Paul McCartney’s lost bass to the screen is a true privilege,” Jeal said. Ceire Clark, Fremantle’s VP of non-scripted acquisitions, said, “This remarkable story takes us on a truly global journey, spanning decades and continents.
”“The documentary offers a fresh perspective on music history, with access to McCartney himself and those who witnessed the Beatles’ rise from the very beginning,” Clark said, adding that Fremantle was “proud to be part of a project that celebrates the enduring power of music and storytelling to connect people around the world.
”“The Beatle and the Bass” is a Passion Pictures production, in association with Footprint MediaPartnership. Executive producers are Jeal and Hamish Fergusson. Associate producers are Scott Jones and Naomi Jones.McCartney is also the subject of Morgan Neville’s Amazon Prime Video documentary “Man on the Run,” which premiered at Telluride and looks at his career post-Beatles fame.
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