Atli Orvarsson has been hired to score the upcoming animated feature Bilal. The film is directed by Khurram Alavi and features the voice talent of Ian McShane, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Thomas Ian Nicholas and Michael Gross. The movie is inspired by the story of the real-life African hero Bilal Ibn Rabah, who, born into slavery in the sixth century, was one of the most trusted companions of the Prophet Muhammad. The project marks the first feature-length animated film from the Dubai-based Barajoun, and also is the first Middle Eastern-funded and -produced animated film. No release date has been announced yet for Bilal.
Orvarsson (Vantage Point, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones) will also return to score the new seasons of NBC’s Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.. The composer also has the thriller The Perfect Guy coming up. He also scored the Icelandic drama Rams, which centers on two brothers from a remote Icelandic farming valley who haven’t spoken in 40 years, but have to come together in order to save their prize-winning flock of sheep. The movie premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival where it won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section. The film will be released in several international territories over the next couple of months and a U.S. distribution deal is expected to be announced soon.
