BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) announced today that Ramin Djawadi will be honored as a BMI Icon at the 40th Annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on June 5, 2024 in Beverly Hills, CA. The Emmy Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated composer will be receiving BMI’s highest honor for his exceptional body of work across film, television and video games. Among his scoring credits are the TV shows Game of Thrones, Westworld, House of the Dragon, Person of Interest, Prison Break, this year’s Fallout & 3 Body Problem, features such as Iron Man, Pacific Rim, Eternals, Uncharted, Clash of the Titans & A Wrinkle in Time, as well as the video games Medal of Honor, Gears of War 4 and Gears 5. The ceremony will also salute the composers of the previous year’s top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series, and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs.
Category: Film Music News
Barry Jenkins’ ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ to Feature Original Songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Disney announced today that Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Encanto, Moana, In the Heights) is writing the original songs for the upcoming musical adventure drama Mufasa: The Lion King. He is also producing the songs with Mark Mancina (Tarzan, Speed, Twister, Brother Bear, Bad Boys). Lebo M is providing additional music and performances. The movie is directed by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk) and stars Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Kagiso Lediga, Tiffany Boone, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Lennie James, Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, John Kani, Keith David, Seth Rogen, Donald Glover, Billy Eichner, Blue Ivy Carter and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. The prequel to 2019’s The Lion King remake explores the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands.
Atli Örvarsson Wins BAFTA TV Craft Award for ‘Silo’ Score
Atli Örvarsson has won his first BAFTA TV Craft Award for his music from the Apple TV+ original series Silo created by Graham Yost based on Hugh Howey’s trilogy of novels and starring Rebecca Ferguson at tonight’s awards ceremony at The Brewery in London. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score has been released by Platoon. Check out Örvarsson’s acceptance speech below. The other nominees in the Original Music – Fiction category were Adiescar Chase for Heartstopper, Blair Mowat for Nolly and Natalie Holt for Loki.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (April 26, 2024)
Opening in theaters nationwide this weekend is the romantic comedy drama Challengers directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist. The film’s original music composed by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (The Social Network, Watchmen, Soul, Gone Girl, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Bones and All, Empire of Light, Mank). Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composers’ score, as well as an original song today. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the Amazon MGM Studios release.
Also opening nationwide is the action thriller Boy Kills World directed by Moritz Mohr and starring Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Rothe, Andrew Koji, Michelle Dockery, Sharlto Copley, Famke Janssen, Yayan Ruhian, Brett Gelman and Isaiah Mustafa. Ludvig Forssell (Death Stranding, P.T., Belle) has composed the film’s original score and El Michels Affair have contributed the original songs. Lakeshore Records has released two soundtrack albums featuring the songs and score today. Click here for the details of the score album and click here for the details of the song album.
Benjamin Wallfisch to Score Lee Isaac Chung’s ‘Twisters’
Benjamin Wallfisch (It, The Flash, Shazam!, Blade Runner 2049, Hidden Figures, The Invisible Man) has been hired to score the upcoming disaster movie Twisters. The film is directed by Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) and stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney, Sasha Lane, Daryl McCormack, Nik Dodani and Kiernan Shipka. The sequel to Jan de Bont’s 1996 feature Twister (scored by Mark Mancina) follows two competing teams of stormchasers who find themselves squarely in the paths of multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma in the fight of their lives.
Academy Announces Updates Rules in Original Score Category
The Academy’s Board of Governors has approved rules and campaign regulations for the 97th Academy Awards, including two changes in the Original Score category. The new rules state that “three composers will be allowed to receive individual statuettes if, in rare circumstances, they all contributed fully to the score. Previously, three composers were required to submit as a group. The rules now clarify the definition of a group as a recognized band. The shortlist will increase from 15 to 20 titles”. Visit Oscars.org for the full list of rules and regulations.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (April 19, 2024)
Opening in theaters nationwide this weekend is the vampire horror movie Abigail directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett and starring Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Angus Cloud, Kevin Durand and Giancarlo Esposito. The film’s original music is composed by Brian Tyler (The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3, Crazy Rich Asians, Fast & Furious, Yellowstone, Ready or Not). Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as an original song by Jean Dawson today. Check out our previous article for the full album details and to learn more about the Universal Pictures release.
Also opening wide is the action comedy The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Til Schweiger and Cary Elwes. Chris Benstead (The Gentlemen, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, Wrath of Man, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) has composed the film’s original music. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score is expected to be released in the coming weeks by Atlantic Screen Music. Click here to check out the project’s music team credits and check out our scoring assignment announcement for more information about the movie, which is being released by Lionsgate.
Gary Barlow, Shaznay Lewis & Nitin Sawhney to Compose Music for Gurinder Chadha’s ‘Christmas Karma’
Take That’s Gary Barlow, All Saints’ Shaznay Lewis and composer Nitin Sawhney (The Namesake, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Breathe,What’s Love Got to Do With It?) have been tapped to write the music for the upcoming movie musical Christmas Karma. The film is directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Blinded by the Light) and will star Kunal Nayyar, Eva Longoria, Billy Porter, Boy George, Hugh Bonneville, Leo Suter, Pixie Lott, Charithra Chandran, Danny Dyer, Allan Corduner, Bilal Hasna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Eve, Rufus Jones and Nitin Ganatra. The movie is being described a Bollywood musical retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol set in London.
M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ to Feature Original Songs by Saleka
Saleka (aka Saleka Shyamalan) has contributed original songs to the upcoming psychological thriller Trap. The singer/songwriter and actress also appears in the movie and has recorded her songs under her character’s artist name Lady Raven. Listen to a first track (Release) on the artist’s official website. Trap is written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and also stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The movie follows a father and teen daughter who attend a pop concert, where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event. As previously reported, Herdĭs Stefănsdŏttir is scoring the film.
Pharrell Williams to Return as Songwriter for ‘Despicable Me 4’
Universal Pictures confirmed today at this year’s Cinema-Con in Las Vegas that Pharrell Williams is returning to write original songs for the animated sequel Despicable Me 4. The singer/songwriter has previously contributed songs for the first three installments in the series. As previously reported, Heitor Pereira is composing the score for the movie directed by Chris Renaud and starring Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Joey King, Sofia Vergara, Pierre Coffin, Miranda Cosgrove, Stephen Colbert, Renaud himself, Chloe Fineman, Steve Coogan, Dana Gaier and Madison Polan.