Film Music Reporter

Opening nationwide today is the action thriller sequel Taken 3 directed by Olivier Megaton, produced by Luc Besson and starring Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace, Dogray Scott, Sam Spruell and Leland Orser. The film’s original music is composed by Nathaniel Mechaly (Colombiana, Taxi Brooklyn) who previously scored the first two movies in the series. EuropaCorp has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as songs by Glass Animals, Olafur Arnalds & Arnor Dan and The XX earlier this week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details, to listen to audio clips and to learn more about the film.

Opening in select cities this week is the sci-fi thriller Predestination written and directed by Peter & Michael Spierig and starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook and Noah Taylor. Peter Spierig has also written the film’s original music. No word on a soundtrack album. Predestination follows a Temporal Agent who is sent on an intricate series of time-travel journeys designed to prevent future killers from committing their crimes and must stop the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time and prevent a devastating attack. The thriller premiered at last year’s SXSW Film Festival and is being released by Vertical Entertainment.

Also opening in limited release is the dramatic thriller The World Made Straight directed by and starring Jeremy Irvine, Noah Wyle, Minka Kelly, Adelaide Clemens, Steve Earle and Haley Joel Osment. The film’s music supervisor is Dawn Sutter Madell. No composer is credited. The World Made Straight takes place in a rural Appalachian community haunted by the legacy of a Civil War massacre and follows a young and rebellious man who finds himself ensnared in the violence of the past and the subtle evils of the present. The thriller is being released by Millennium Entertainment. For more information about the film, visit the official movie website.

Opening in New York before expanding to more cities within the next couple of weeks is the horror thriller Dark Summer directed by Paul Solet and starring Keir Gilchrist, Peter Stormare and Grace Phipps. Austin Wintory (Journey video game, Captain Abu Raed) who previously collaborated with Solet on Grace has composed the film’s original score. No soundtrack album has been announced. Dark Summer follows a 17-year-old on house arrest for the summer, who witnesses a horrifying incident and becomes haunted by a terrifying presence while stuck in his home. The thriller is being released by IFC Midnight. Visit the official movie website for more information about the film, which is now also available on VOD.