Amie Doherty (UndoneBattle at Big RockThe High NoteHere and Now) has signed on to score DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming feature Spirit Riding Free. The film directed by Elaine Bogan (Tales of Arcadia: Trollhunters & 3Below) is based on DreamWorks Animation Television’s Netflix original series of the same title, which was itself inspired by the 2002 feature Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (scored by Hans Zimmer and featuring songs by Bryan Adams). The movie follows Lucky Prescott as she is forced to move from her big city home to a small frontier town, where she becomes a complete fish-out-of-water, makes new friends and forms an inseparable bond with a wild mustang named Spirit. Karen Foster is producing the project and Ennio Torresan serves as the co-director. Doherty has previously scored the animated short Marooned for DreamWorks Animation. Spirit Riding Free is currently scheduled to be released in theaters nationwide on May 14, 2021 by Universal Pictures.

Doherty is also expected to return to score the second season of the Amazon animated series Undone.

  1. Rosebuds says:

    Literally who. This has to be the oddest, most unknown choice. Bring back Hans if you’re going to do ANYTHING right.

    • Penderghast says:

      Do you seriously believe that Zimmer would entertain an idea of doing this low-budget crap even for a second? Or that the producers of this movie would be so far removed from reality as to really dare and ask him?

      • Rosebuds says:

        You’re right. Ugh, this is such a train wreck. Heck not even Matt Damon or James would be called. This movie is going to be a festival of mediocrity and toy-fodder and it’s nothing but frustrating and saddening. Why even bother riding the coat tails of a cult classic? Oh yeah! Money!

        Nothing can save this movie.

    • Joel Miner says:

      Perhaps Annie will incorporate familiar leitmotifs that Hans wrote as a way of establishing continuity as well as attract those who are familiar with the first film. It doesn’t hurt to hope.

  2. Christy says:

    Amie is INCREDIBLY talented – I highly recommend you check out her scores for Marooned, Undone and Battle at Big Rock. She has won multiple awards and fellowships and has a unique, powerful, expressive, cinematic voice. This choice reflects Dreamworks hiring excellence, it’s that simple.

  3. Ria says:

    I loved Spirit. But this movie and series is just a letdown. Can’t we just have a proper sequel and not a human-centric one? I’m only 14 and even I can tell that no matter what, the writers are letting lots of fans down. Should have just kept Spirit as just the original movie, not this. This breaks my heart. Yeah yeah, its for kids. But I AM a kid! And its no excuse to use. Kids like us deserve better!

  4. Perrine says:

    I am SO excited to hear what Amie will do with this score, she is so incredibly talented and will absolutely kill it!! Can’t wait for the release!!!