Lucas Vidal is currently finishing up work on the highly anticipated action thriller Fast & Furious 6. The film is directed by Justin Lin who helmed the previous three installments in the series, including 2011’s top-grossing Fast Five. The movie stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Luke Evans, Gina Carano and John Ortiz. Vidal recently recorded his full orchestral and electronic hybrid score at Abbey Road and Air Studios in London. At age 28, he becomes the youngest composer to ever score a major studio picture in the $100 Mio.+ budget range. In only a few years, the classically trained composer has moved from writing concert pieces and scoring independent films, to Spanish box office hits including Sleep Tight (Mientras duermes) and major international productions such as The Raven starring John Cusack and The Cold Light of Day starring Henry Cavill & Bruce Willis, leading to his first major studio tentpole assignment. He follows Brian Tyler, David Arnold and BT who wrote the music for the other movies of the franchise. The sixth installment takes the action to Europe where Hobbs and Toretto are forging an alliance to bring down a criminal gang led by Evans’ character and Toretto’s former flame Letty. Chris Morgan (Wanted) who penned the scripts for the previous two films returns, along with Neal H. Moritz (I Am Legend, 21 Jump Street) and Vin Diesel who are producing the project with Clayton Townsend (Bridesmaids, The 40 Year Old Virgin). Fast & Furious 6 will be released nationwide on May 24, 2013 by Universal Pictures. For updates on the film, visit the official movie website.
Vidal’s other upcoming projects include the Jaume Collet-Serra-produced dramatic thriller Mindscape starring Mark Strong, Taisa Farmiga and Brian Cox, as well as Hammer Films’ supernatural horror thriller The Quiet Ones and starring Sam Claflin and Jared Harris.
That’s great. I liked the car chases in Cold Light of Day!
Vidal is such an exciting young composer, I can’t wait to hear the score!
cool. so excited for this film
Talk about surprising news! Always exciting to hear a new voice in film music, but when does this ever happen for an established franchise like this? Can’t wait to hear this score!
nice!
So pleased for him an emerging talent. However, what is not being mentioned here is that for tax reasons they needed to hire a Spanish composer. Thus the whole story isn’t being told here, especially as Justin Lin and Brian Tyler have such a formidable and fruitful working relationship.
I highly doubt they would hire a composer solely for that reason even if there was an incentive. This is a billion dollar franchise and not some mid-level or low budget title and I’m sure they wouldn’t spare any expenses to get the best music they possibly can.
That is a logical and understandable assumption. However, with all due respect, as someone in the business, I am speaking with first hand knowledge on this picture. Yes – he is a remarkably talented composer and I am excited to see him flourish, but this is a news blog, hence my sharing my info.
Brian Tyler was busy scoring Iron Man 3
… I guess it’s because Brian Tyler was busy doing Iron Man 3? Either way, I loved The Cold Light of Day and The Raven so I’m eager to hear more from this composer
I hear it’s an european composer because it was shot in London.
Vidal is a Berklee graduate with a very impressive studio in Venice, CA. He works and lives in California. I do not know what passport he holds but he works in the USA and pays taxes like the rest of us. It is much more likely that the producers were simply looking for a newer sound and Vidals studio is capable of producing just that.
The film required a Spanish composer. There are only a few that would work on the low budget they gave to the music department.
low budget!!?? the film has a budget $185 million. they must have millions of $ for the music
I know it sounds ridiculous, but that is the great illusion. It is a frustrating time here in LA when some of the biggest films of the year are now only offering composers 100-200K as a creative fee. Deduct the agent percentage and taxes from that and that is what you are left with for several months to a year’s worth of work. It is true. I am one of the “lucky ones” perpetuating this downward pay spiral…
maybe. but not for a successful franchise. They had money to pay Brian Tyler on the previous one, and this one is $40m bigger!
It doesn’t matter if the film has a $300 million dollar budget, only top composers pull higher fees. Before Goldsith passed away, for example — one of the greatest compsers ever, award winning, some of the most famous film themes ever written (including “Patton” and “Star Trek” TMP theme) was commanding and getting $1 million dollars. Top composers like Silvestri and Elfman probably get that, too, sometimes. John Williams is probably the only exception, and not because he is Williams, but rather he works with old time friends all the time (Speilberg and Lucas) who probably pay him very generously, and spare any money for orchestra purposes Johnny wants.
The budget can be $150 million, and they’re not going to pay Tyler $5 million.
Johosephat is current — often times for tax reason, and also because of contractual reasons, if you shoot overseas, you have to hire a composer from that area/country. It also gives us a chance to have a new composer for a change.
Probably, though I don’t know the details, that’s the same reason for Jusid scoring the “300” sequel, which is interesting I must say.
I don’t know, anyway I’m very excited for this score!! I think Lucas Vidal is the most promising composer of his generation.
“300: Rise of an Empire” was shot in Bulgaria, with pick-ups done in the UK. Perhaps the post-production work is being conducted in the UK, hence Jusid being chosen for that film too.
300 Rise of an Empire’s score is actually composed by Junkie XL…
Junkie XL was the replacement composer…
Will Vidal’s soundtrack be released? Because I can’t find a release date anywhere, or information on it for that matter
The film has only premiered iin one country. It doesn’t open in others until later this month. I suspect, if there is a release (assuming ross hasn’t indeed replaced him), it’ll be about that time or shortly afterward.