A LEADING Scottish movie producer has confirmed plans to turn his John Lennon film Nowhere Boy into a musical with original songs from pop star Paolo Nutini.

The project is a departure for Edinburgh-born Douglas Rae, managing director of Ecosse Films, who is best known for producing the BBC TV series Mistresses and historical films including Mrs Brown, Charlotte Gray and Becoming Jane.

"One of my favourite composers and singers is Paolo Nutini, and Paolo is helping us with the music and the words so it will be original songs," said Rae, speaking for the first time about the project.

His 2009 film version was directed by Sam Taylor-Wood and focuses on Lennon's teenage years and his relationships with the two dominant women in his life: his aunt Mimi, who brought him up, and his mother, Julia.

It charts his first meeting with Paul McCartney and George Harrison and the birth of The Beatles

Based on an autobiography by Lennon's half-sister Julia Baird, the film showed how the young Lennon, – played by Aaron Johnson – picked up much of his early musical influences from his mother who loved jazz and rockabilly.

"Essentially, Nowhere Boy is about Lennon growing up in the 1950s and discovering what he really wanted to be was a rock'n'roll star, so that's what the musical is about," said Rae. "Obviously there will be some early Lennon-McCartney stuff from before they became The Beatles."

Also involved is Sally Greene, chief executive of London's Old Vic theatre and producer of the smash-hit musical Billy Elliot.

Rae hopes to tap into the musical's success, which was adapted from the popular 2000 film and has music from Elton John.

It has been running since 2005 and won 10 Tony awards, including Best Musical.

"It's a new departure for us," said Rae. "I am nervous because at least with a film, if it doesn't get big box office success, you've always got DVD and TV.

"With a musical, first night, the critics hate it, it closes, that's it.

"But like everything in life, you've got to embrace challenges and take risks.

"We've been working on it for two years so far. It takes a long time because you've got choreography, singing, costumes, spoken word."

He hopes to open the show in London's West End next Easter.