Junkie XL is currently working on the score for the upcoming post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road. The film is directed by George Miller (Happy Feet, The Witches of Eastwick) and stars Tom Hardy in the title role of Max Rockatansky, alongside Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, supermodel Abbey Lee Kershaw, Courtney Eaton, Josh Helman, Jennifer Hagan and singer/songwriter iOTA. The fourth installment in the series follows Mad Max as he is caught up with a group of people fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by the Imperator, which leads to Road War. Miller has also co-written the screenplay with Brendan McCarthy and Nico Lathouris. The director is also producing the Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures production with Doug Mitchell (Babe, Dead Calm, Happy Feet) and P.J. Voeten. Miller’s first two Mad Max installments were scored by Brian May and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome featured music by Maurice Jarre. Mad Max: Fury Road is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in 2014. (Manly Movie via The Playlist)
Junkie XL (aka Tom Holkenborg) who previously scored this summer’s thriller Paranoia and also contributed music for Man of Steel also has scored 300: Rise of an Empire, which is scheduled to be released on March 7, 2014.
The ongoing music conundrum of “Mad Max: Fury Road:” First we had John Powell, then we had Marco Beltrami, then Brian Tyler; Now we have a new addition in Junkie XL. I am sure director George Miller is trying to appeal to the “Fast & Furious” crowd. Why not just layer samples of composer Brian May’s original score over the film…Oh, well – different generation.
Out of the composers mentioned, only John Powell was ever attached to score the film when it was about to shoot with a different cast about 6-7 years ago. Beltrami and Tyler were never officially on board, I think they were just rumored to be involved based on unconfirmed speculations on some film music message boards.
Tyler was never confirmed. Elliott Wheeler had his score replaced by Junkie XL.
Elliot Wheeler was mentioned, and might yet have some of his cues appear in the final cut of the film. As for, Brian Tyler: He was in talks, but because of the set backs during post-production, he had to give himself over to the another “Fast & Furious” flick and those pesky”Expendables.” I think George Miller (the director) is seeking the tastes of the “Fast & Furious” crowd – and who can blame him!