Simon Franglen has been hired to write indigenous songs to be performed on screen by members of various Na’vi clans for James Cameron’s Avatar 2 & 3. The composer is also attached to score the first two sequels (which are being shot simultaneously) to the Academy Award-nominated 2009 film (scored by James Horner) will star Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Dileep Rao and Matt Gerald who are reprising their roles from the original film. They are joined by Sigourney Weaver (in a new role) and new cast members Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Michelle Yeoh, Jemaine Clement, Oona Chaplin, Brendan Cowell, David Thewlis, Vin Diesel and CJ Jones. Cameron also co-wrote the screenplay and is producing the Lightstorm Entertainment production with Jon Landau (Titanic, Alita: Battle Angel). Franglen has previously served as arranger and score producer on the original Avatar movie and collaborated with Horner on numerous other projects, including Cameron’s Titanic. He also composed music for Walt Disney World’s Pandora: The World of Avatar. His solo scoring credits include Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven, Pierre Morrel’s Peppermint and Jean-Jacques Annaud’s TV series The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair. Avatar 2 is set to be released on December 17, 2021 by 20th Century Fox/Disney and Avatar 3 is scheduled to come out on December 22, 2023.

Note: Article updated on December 19, 2019. A previous version of this article stated that Franglen had signed on to compose the score for the sequels. Several sources indicated that Franglen is also set to be scoring the movies, but no composer has officially been hired yet.

As previously reported, Franglen also has the Chinese fantasy romance Turandot directed by Xiaolong Zheng and starring Guan Xiaotong and Dylan Sprouse coming up.

  1. Lucas Wilson says:

    Excellent choice, he is the only person who can continue James Horner’s legacy

  2. Zoe says:

    This makes my heart happy and sad. Hes the perfect choice.

    • Tony says:

      I am excited. The rest of the Avatar movies will probably be my favorite music of Simon Franglen.

  3. Bernd-Helmut Heine says:

    Although I had high hopes for James Cameron to “reunite” with Alan Silvestri I think Franglen will most likely be true to Horner´s spirit and continue his legacy.

    • Tony says:

      Alan Silverstri would have been a good choice. But I think Simon Franglen is the right and prefect choice. He will continue James Horner’s legacy.

  4. Neverman says:

    this is great news! it was said that horner created a amount of music for avatar that was more than a single movie could ever obtain. also he and cameron discussed the musical development of the sequels. so hiring a close collaborator of his seems like the best choice!

    • Phil says:

      At least no Djawadi… no Tyler Bates… no Junkie XL… that’s the good news.
      I could have seen Alan Silvestri here or Michael Giacchino.

      • Neverman says:

        usually I’d agree. but that was before giacchino made the terrible decision to recompose john williams and silvestri was doing bland superhero movie themes.

      • JY says:

        I actually like Djawadi since ‘Pacific Rim’ and Bates is getting better now, but yeah, they wouldn’t really fit with ‘Avatar’.

        As for Junkie XL… yeah, I honestly think he’s bit of a one trick pony.

    • Tony says:

      It’s like Simon Franglen was destined to do the other Avatar movies. And who knows, there might be some James Horner themes.

  5. Thiv says:

    Well, I was hoping for a John Powell collaboration, at least it’s not Junkie Xl.

    • Tony says:

      I am acutely glad that it is not Junkie XL. He is way to epic. We need someone that knew and worked with James Horner. Simon Franglen is the right choice.

  6. Tony says:

    Hmm…I really do miss James Horner very much and it is very hard to accept a new Composer for the rest of the Avatar movies. But I am so glad that Simon Franglen knows and has worked with James Horner. It will be very tough to watch the rest of the Avatar movies without James Horner. But I am very glad they chose someone who is James Horner’s freind. Glad it’s not Hans Zimmer, Junkie XL, John Powell, or even James Newton Howard for that fact.

    • Phil says:

      I do miss Horner a lot too. I grew up with his music in the 80s. He was one of the big guys and he died too soon.

  7. Philip says:

    Obviously you hope there will memories & Horner harmony but think they need to also bring their own ideas and which is similar but not the same, + Cameron knows exactly what he will want. Can’t wait to see this long awaited sequel.

  8. Chris A says:

    Thrilling news! Best possible choice and I cannot wait to hear the results. I miss James Horner’s presence in current film music so much, so this does my soul good.

  9. Lear says:

    Wait I’m confused… The news a couple days ago said he was going to be the composer for the Avatar sequels. This articles says that he’ll write *songs*, namely the ”indigenous songs to be performed on screen by members of various Na’vi clans.”
    Does that mean there is still no score composer?

  10. Van says:

    He is not a composer, he is recording arrangements supervisor. He does most technical and recording engineer. I hope he is not the only composer for Avatar Sequels. He needs a collaboration. Just by himself they will be not that epic blockbuster film level score.

  11. Tony says:

    I hope Simon Franglen does the score. I do not want to be interested anymore if Simon Franglen is not doing the music. I looked up on IMDB on Avatar 2 and 3. There used to be Simon Franglens name on Music Composer. But now it’s gone, both Simon Franglen and Music Composer. Does this mean that Simon Franglen won’t do the music? I really, really, really, really, really hope he does the musical score and continue James Horner’s legacy.

  12. Chris F says:

    Ahh Horner, oh how he is missed, such a legend! Those Timpani rolls, such a distinct composer. Simon Franglen is a good choice considering he’s worked closely with Horner and finished off The Magnificent Seven. Look forward hearing his legacy of James Horner.

    Before discovering this website when searching to see who would continue James Horner with the Avatar series, I came across another composer Thomas Bergersen. His latest album Humanity – Chapter I is really good. The track Beautiful People make me think it could be a good Avatar piece.

    • Penderghast says:

      Bergersen is honestly one of the most brilliant composers working today. So much so that his talents might actually get wasted while working under the big studio’s restraints, focus groups etc. That being said, I’d of course love to hear him tackle a film score, under the right circumstances.

  13. Tony says:

    Acutely, I wouldn’t mind if James Newton Howard does the music 🎶 for the rest of the Avatar movies. He is a great composer and one of my favorites.