Film Music Reporter

Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the animated feature Onward directed by Dan Scanlon and starring Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer. The film’s original score is composed by Mychael Danna (Life of Pi, Moneyball, Capote, Little Miss Sunshine) and Jeff Danna (The Good Dinosaur, The Addams Family, Storks). Walt Disney Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ score, as well as an original song co-written and performed by Brandi Carlile. Check out our previous previous article for the full album details and to learn more about the Pixar Animation Studios production.

Also opening wide is the drama The Way Back directed by Gavin O’Connor and starring Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, Janina Gavankar and Glynn Turman. Rob Simonsen (Love, Simon, Nerve, Foxcatcher, The Upside, (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now) has composed the film’s original music. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score last week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and for more information about the Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Opening in limited release is the drama First Cow co-written and directed by Kelly Reichardt and starring John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones and Ewen Bremner. The film’s original music is composed by Nashville guitarist William Tyler. Merge Records has released a soundtrack album featuring Tyler’s score. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the A24 release.

Also opening in limited release is the romantic drama Hope Gap written and directed by William Nicholson and starring Annette Bening, Bill Nighy and Josh O’Connor. Alex Heffes (The Last King of Scotland, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Roots, 11.21.63) has composed the film’s original music. No word on a soundtrack release. The movie, which carts the life of a woman who is shocked to learn her husband, is leaving her for another after 29 years of marriage, and the ensuing emotional fallout the dissolution has on their only grown son, premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and is being released by Roadside Attractions. Check out our scoring assignment announcement for the full album details.

Also opening in select theaters is the thriller The Burnt Orange Heresy directed by Giuseppe Capotondi and starring Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland and Mick Jagger. The film’s original music is composed by Craig Armstrong (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby, The Incredible Hulk, The Bone Collector).  Music.Film Recordings & Varese Sarabande have released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Click here for the full album details and to learn more about the Sony Pictures release.

Also opening in select cities is the drama Run This Town written and directed by Ricky Tollman and starring Ben Platt, Mena Massoud, Nina Dobrev, Scott Speedman, Jennifer Ehle and Damian Lewis. Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge (Luke Cage, Black Dynamite) have composed the film’s original music. Linear Labs has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ score. Check out our previous article for the full album details and for more information about the Oscilloscope Laboratories and Quiver Distribution release, which is now also available on VOD.

Another limited release this week is the dramatic thriller Escape from Pretoria co-written and directed by Francis Annan and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Daniel Webber, Ian Hart, Mark Leonard Winter and Nathan Page. The film’s original music is composed by David Hirschfelder (Shine, Elizabeth, Australia, The Railway Man, Legends of the Guardians). Filmtrax has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score today. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the Momentum Pictures release, which is also being released on VOD.

Also opening in select theaters and on VOD is the psychological thriller Swallow directed by Carlo Mirabella-Davis and starring Haley Bennett, Austin Stowell, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rasche and Denis O’Hare. Nathan Halpern (The Rider, Minding the Gap, One Percent More Humid, Rich Hill) has composed the film’s original music. No soundtrack album has been announced. Check out our scoring assignment announcement for more information about the movie, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival and is being released by IFC Films.

Also opening in select U.S. cities is the British drama Sorry We Missed You directed by Ken Loach and starring Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Katie Proctor and Rhys Stone. The film’s original music is composed by George Fenton (Dangerous Liaisons, Groundhog Day, Hitch, The Blue Planet, The Wind That Shakes the Barley). No word on a soundtrack release. Click here to learn more about the movie, which premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival and is being released stateside by Zeitgeist Films.

Also opening limited release is the comedy drama Go Back to China written and directed by Emily Ting and starring Anna Akana, Richard Ng, Lynn Chen, Kelly Hu, Kendy Cheung and Aviva Wang. Timo Chen (Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong, Advantageous) has composed the film’s original score. Plaza Mayor Company has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. Check out our previous news article for the full album details.

Opening in select theaters today before premiering on Apple TV+ on March 20 is the drama The Banker directed by George Nolfi and starring Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult and Nia Long. The film’s original music is composed by H. Scott Salinas  (A Private War, Cartel Land, The Ballad of Lefty Brown, Warrior). A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score is expected to be released soon. Check out our previous article for more information about the film.