Film Music Reporter

Four new movies are opening in theaters nationwide this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the live-action adventure comedy Sonic the Hedgehog directed by Jeff Fowler and starring James Marsden, Ben Schwartz, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Neal McDonough, Adam Pally and Jim Carrey. The film’s original music is composed by  Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL) (Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Alita: Battle Angel, Terminator: Dark Fate). Paramount Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score digitally today. La-La Land Records will release a CD version soon. Check out our previous article for the full album details.

Also opening wide is the supernatural horror thriller Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island directed by Jeff Wadlow and starring Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Portia Doubleday, Ryan Hansen and Michael Rooker. Bear McCreary (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) has composed the film’s original music. Madison Gate Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our soundtrack album announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Sony Pictures release.

Also opening nationwide is the romantic drama The Photograph written and directed by Stella Meghie and starring Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Chanté Adams, Y’lan Noel, Rob Morgan, Lil Rel Howery and Courtney B. Vance. The film’s original score is composed by Robert Glasper (Miles Ahead). Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as original songs by Lucky Daye (also available as a digital single) and H.E.R. and Erykah Badu’s & James Poyser’s cover of Squeeze’s Tempted. Click here for the full album details and for more information about the Universal Pictures release.

The final wide release of the week is the comedy Downhill co-written and directed by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash and starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Zach Woods, Zoë Chao and Miranda Otto. Volker Bertelmann (aka Hauschka) (Lion, Adrift, Hotel Mumbai, Patrick Melrose, The Art of Racing in the Rain, A Christmas Carol) has composed the film’s original music. Hollywood Records and Fox Music have released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score today. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Searchlight Pictures release.

Opening in limited release is the drama Ordinary Love directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa & Glenn Leyburn and starring Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville. The film’s original music is composed by David Holmes (Ocean’s Eleven, Out of Sight, Haywire, Killing Eve, Analyze That, The Laundromat) & Brian Irvine. Touch Sensitive Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ score last fall when the movie opened overseas. Check out our soundtrack album announcement for the full album details and for more information about the Bleecker Street release.

Also opening in limited release is the comedy drama Buffaloed directed by Tanya Wexler and starring Zoey Deutch, Judy Greer, Jermaine Fowler, Noah Reid and Jai Courtney. Matthew Margeson (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Rocketman, Eddie the Eagle) has composed the film’s original music. No word on a soundtrack release. Check out our scoring assignment announcement to learn more about the dramedy, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival and is being released in theaters and on VOD by Magnolia Pictures.

Also opening in select theaters and on VOD is the action horror movie VFW directed by Joe Begos and starring Stephen Lang, William Sadler, Fred Williamson, Martin Kove, Sierra McCormick and David Patrick Kelly. The film’s original music is composed by Steve Moore (The Guest, Mayhem, Bliss, Camera Obscura). Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our previous article for the full album details and to learn more about the RLJE Films release.

Also opening in select cities is the drama The Kindness of Strangers written and directed by Lone Scherfig and starring Zoe Kazan, Andrea Riseborough, Caleb Landry Jones, Jay Baruchel, Bill Nighy and Tahar Rahim. Andrew Lockington (San Andreas, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Rampage, Frontier, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) has composed the film’s original music. Music.Film Recordings/Varese Sarabande have released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and for more information about the Vertical Entertainment release.

Another limited release this week is the romantic action comedy Spy Intervention directed by Drew Mylrea and starring Drew Van Acker, Poppy Delevingne, Blake Anderson, Natasha Bassett, Max Silvestri, Brittany Furlan, Dave Sheridan and Brian Sacca. The film’s original music is composed by Roger Suen (Gook, Miss Purple).  Notefornote Entertainment has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Cinedigm release.

Also opening in limited release is the romantic comedy A Simple Wedding co-written and directed by Sara Zandieh and starring Tara Grammy, Christopher O’Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson, Maz Jabroni, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Houshang Touzie and Jaleh Modjallel. Nima Fakhrara (The Signal, Detroit: Become Human, The Pyramid, The Girl in the Photographs) has composed the film’s original music. Click here for the full album details and for more information about the Blue Fox Entertainment release.

Also opening in select theaters and on VOD is the horror movie Camp Cold Brook directed by Andy Palmer and starring Chad Michael Murray, Danielle Harris and Courtney Gains. The film’s original music is composed by Chad Rehmann (Badlands of Kain, Killer Island, The Funhouse Massacre). Grey Duck Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score last week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Shout! Studios release.

Opening in select U.S. theaters while also premiering on Netflix today is the animated feature A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon directed by Will Becher & Richard Phelan. Tom Howe (Early Man, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Charming) has composed the film’s original score. Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music, as well as original songs performed by Kylie Minogue and The Vaccines, Kieran Shudall & Heather Shudall and Jorja Smith. Click here for the full album details and for more information about the Aardman Animations production, which is now available to stream on Netflix.

Also premiering in select theaters before premiering on Netflix next Friday is the drama The Last Thing He Wanted directed by Dee Rees and starring Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Toby Jones, Rosie Perez, Willem Dafoe, Edi Gathegi and Mel Rodriguez. The film’s original music is composed by Tamar-kali (Mudbound, Shirley, The Assistant, Come Sunday). Check out our scoring assignment announcement to learn more about the film, which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be available to stream on Netflix on February 21.