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A new film entitled “Imagine,” set to star Al Pacino, Jeremy Renner, and Julianne Moore, is inspired by the true story of a lost letter from John Lennon to a British musician named Steve Tilston.

In an interview with a music magazine in 1971, Tilston expressed his worry that becoming rich and famous meant losing his creativity and “selling out,” The Examiner reports.  Little did he know, Lennon read this interview and decided to write him a letter.  In it, Lennon offered Tilston encouragement and assured him that wealth wouldn’t change his ideas or his music.   

However, the letter never reached Tilston. It was interrupted and ended up in the hands of a memorabilia collector who finally contacted him in 2005, 34 years later. Turns out Tilston didn’t have to worry about becoming famous and jaded; he was a moderately successful musician who never had the chance to “sell out.”

But the story inspired screenwriter and director Dan Fogelman to ask the question, “What if he had?”

‘Imagine’ follows the story of an extravagant yet aging rock star named Danny Collins, played by Pacino, who discovers the letter from Lennon and decides to turn his life around, including reconnecting with his son, played by Renner, and befriending a motel owner, played by Moore.

‘Imagine’ is the directorial debut for Dan Fogelman and it is set to begin shooting this spring.