Rob Simonsen is reteaming with director Jason Reitman on the upcoming biographical drama The Front Runner. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Vera Farming, J.K. Simmons, Mamoudou Athie, Josh Brener, Kaitlyn Dever, Tommy Dewey, Molly Ephraim, Spencer Garrett, Ari Graynor, Toby Huss, Mike Judge, Alex Karpovsky, Mark O’Brien, Sara Paxton, Kevin Pollak and Steve Zissis. The movie chronicles the rise and fall of Gary Hart, a charismatic U.S. Senator from Colorado, who was considered the frontrunner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice.
Category: Film Scoring Assignments
Danny Elfman to Score ‘The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle’
Danny Elfman has been hired to score the upcoming fantasy adventure The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle. The film is directed by Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Gold) and stars Robert Downey Jr., Jim Broadbent, Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen. The project’s voice cast includes Selena Gomez, Tom Holland, Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, Kumail Nanjiani, Craig Robinson, John Cena, Marion Cotillard, Carmen Ejogo and Frances de la Tour. The movie is based on the character from Hugh Lofting’s 1920s series of children’s books about a Victorian-era physician who opts to treat animals instead of humans because he’s able to speak with them.
Frederik Wiedmann Scoring Netflix’s ‘The Dragon Prince’
Frederik Wiedmann is scoring the upcoming Netflix animated series The Dragon Prince. The show is created by Aaron Ehasz (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and follows two human princes who forge an unlikely bond with the elfin assassin sent to kill them, embarking on an epic quest to bring peace to their warring lands. Ehasz is also executive producing the project with director Justin Richmond (Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception), Gigi Pritzker (Drive, Ender’s Game, Genius) and Giancarlo Volpe who previously served as a producer on the Wiedmann-scored Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
Christopher Lennertz to Compose Score & Songs for Kelly Asbury’s ‘UglyDolls’
Christopher Lennertz (Lost in Space, Horrible Bosses, Ride Along) has signed on to compose the score the upcoming animated feature UglyDolls. The composer is also co-writing original songs for the movie with Glenn Slater (Tangled, Sausage Party, Galavant). The film is directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2, Gnomeo & Juliet, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron) and features the voice talent of Pitbull and Kelly Clarkson. The movie based on the plush toy line created by David Horvath & Sun-Min Kim follows a group of UglyDolls friends as they confront what it means to be different and struggle with their desire to be loved.
Dominic Lewis to Score ‘Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween’
Dominic Lewis is reuniting with director Ari Sandel on the upcoming horror comedy Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. The film starring Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Chris Parnell and Ken Jeong tells a new story based on R. L. Stine’s best-selling series of book. Rob Lieber (Peter Rabbit) wrote the screenplay. Deborah Forte (Mortal Engines, The Golden Compass) and Neal H. Moritz (Fast & Furious series, 21/22 Jump Street) are producing the project.
Mark Kilian & Paul Hepker to Reteam with Gavin Hood on ‘Official Secrets’
Mark Kilian and Paul Hepker are reteaming with director Gavin Hood on the upcoming political thriller Official Secrets. The film is co-written and directed by Hood and stars Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew Goode, Indira Varma, Conleth Hill, Tamsin Greig, Adam Bakri, Myanna Buring and John Hefferman. The movie tells the true story of British Intelligence whistle-blower Katharine Gun who, during the immediate run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, leaked a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint U.S.-U.K. illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council.
Jiang Wen’s ‘Hidden Man’ to Feature Music by Nicolas Errera & Aaron Zigman
Nicolas Errèra (Shaolin, The Butterfly) has recently scored the Chinese action drama Hidden Man. The film is directed by Jiang Wen (Gone with the Bullets, Let the Bullets Fly) who also stars in the movie alongside actress Eddie Peng, Zhou Yun, Liao Fan and Xu Qing. The movie is set in 1930s China and follows a young swordsman who returns home to try and solve a five-year-old murder case. Aaron Zigman (The Notebook, Bridge to Terabithia, John Q, The Proposal) has reportedly also contributed music to the film.
Bear McCreary Scoring Farhad Safinia’s ‘The Professor and the Madman’
Bear McCreary (10 Cloverfield Lane, The Walking Dead, Battlestar Galactica, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) has recently recorded his score for the upcoming drama The Professor and the Madman. The film is directed by Farhad Safinia (Boss, screenwriter of Apocalypto) and stars Mel Gibson, Sean Penn, Natalie Dormer, Jeremy Irvine, Ioan Gruffudd, Steve Coogan, Laurence Fox and Jennifer Ehle. The movie is based on the book The Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester and tells the story of professor James Murray, who began compiling the Oxford English Dictionary in 1857 and Dr. William Chester Minor, who submitted more than 10,000 entries while he was an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane.
Giona Ostinelli & Sonya Belousova to Score Matt Aselton’s ‘Lying and Stealing’
Giona Ostinelli and Sonya Belousova have been tapped to score the upcoming heist thriller Lying and Stealing. The film is directed by Matt Aselton (Gigantic) and stars Theo James, Emily Ratajkowski, Fred Melamed, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Evan Handler and John Gatins. The movie centers on ayoung thief whose specialty is stealing high end art from the LA elite and an aspiring actress with a closet full of skeletons and a mountain of debt who decide to team up for one last, big daring heist.
Jeff Russo to Score Noah Hawley’s ‘Pale Blue Dot’
Jeff Russo is set to reteam with writer/director/producer Noah Hawley on the upcoming sci-fi drama Pale Blue Dot. The film marks Hawley’s feature directorial debut and will star Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz, Dan Stevens and Ellen Burstyn. The movie follows a female astronaut who, after coming back home from a mission in space, starts to unravel when confronted by her seemingly-perfect life. Brian C. Brown (Edge of Tomorrow, Get on Up) and Elliott DiGuiseppi have written the screenplay. Reese Witherspoon & Bruna Papandrea (Big Little Lies, Wild) are producing the Fox Searchlight production.