According to First Showing, Summit Entertainment has confirmed that Steve Jablonsky is scoring the upcoming sci-fi movie Ender’s Game. The composer is taking over scoring duties from James Horner who was previously attached to score the film as reported earlier this year. The film is directed by Gavin Hood (X-Men: Wolverine) and stars Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Abigail Breslin, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Aramis Knight, Moises Arias, Jimmy “Jax” Pinchak, Suraj Partha, Conor Carroll and Khylin Rhambo. The movie based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card follows a genius strategist who is recruited by the government to help destroy an insect-like alien race.
Category: Film Scoring Assignments
Alexander Payne’s ‘Nebraska’ to Feature Music by Tin Hat’s Mark Orton
Mark Orton has composed the score for the upcoming comedy drama Nebraska. The film is directed by Alexander Payne and stars Will Forte, Bruce Dern, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk and Stacy Keach. The movie was shot in black and white and follows an old man with increasing dementia who goes on a road trip from Montana to Nebraska with one of his sons to collect a sweepstakes prize he thinks he has won. Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa (Little Miss Sunshine, Little Children) are producing the project for Bona Fide Productions. Orton is best known as a member of the Californian acoustic chamber music group Tin Hat. He has previously scored a number of films and was one of the composer on Miguel Arteta’s 2002 comedy drama The Good Girl starring Jennifer Aniston.
Rachel Portman Scoring ‘Belle’
Rachel Portman is currently recording her score for the upcoming period drama Belle. The film is directed by Amma Asante (A Way of Life) and stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson, Sarah Gadon, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Sam Reid, Tom Felton, Matthew Goode, James Norton and Emily Watson. The movie follows a mixed–race girl who is raised as an aristocratic lady in 18th century England Story and faces class and color prejudices and develops a relationship with a vicar’s son who is an advocate for slave emancipation. Misan Sagay (The Secret Laughter of Women) wrote the screenplay with Asante and and Damian Jones (The Iron Lady, Millions, The History Boys) is producing the project.
Junkie XL Scoring ‘300: Rise of an Empire’
Junkie XL has taken over scoring duties on the upcoming action sequel 300: Rise of an Empire. The film is directed by Noam Murro and stars Sullivan Stapleton, Rodrigo Santoro, Eva Green, Callan Mulvey, Jack O’Connell and Lena Headey are co-starring. The movie follows the Greek general Themistocles as he battles an invading army of Persians under turned-god Xerxes. The original movie’s director Zack Snyder co-wrote the screenplay with Kurt Johnstad (Act of Valor, 300) based on Frank Miller’s novel and is also producing the Legendary Films production with Mark Canton & Gianni Nunnari (300, Immortals), Bernie Goldmann, Deborah Snyder (Man of Steel, Watchmen) and Thomas Tull (42, Pacific Rim). Orchestral recording sessions for the film are set to start this coming Sunday.
Carter Burwell Scoring ‘August: Osage County’
Carter Burwell is scoring the upcoming drama August: Osage County. The film is directed by John Wells (The Company Men) and stars Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Margo Martindale, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Ewan McGregor, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Misty Upham and Sam Shepard. The movie is based on the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play by Tracy Letts (Bug, Killer Joe), which follows the strong-willed women of the Weston family who revisit their Midwest home when their alcoholic patriarch goes missing. Letts has also written the screenplay and Harvey Weinstein and Jean Doumanian (Sweet and Lowdown) are producing the film with George Clooney & Grant Heslov (Argo, Good Night, and Good Luck).
William Ross Scoring ’50 to 1′
William Ross is the composer of the upcoming sports family drama 50 to 1. The film is directed by Jim Wilson who is best known as an Academy Award-winning producer of such films as Dances with Wolves and The Bodyguard and whose previous directing credits include 1996’s Head Above Water. The movie starring Skeet Ulrich, Christian Kane, William Devane, Madelyn Deutch and Calvin Borel tells the true story of Kentucky Derby longshot Mine That Bird who won the Derby in 2009 and went on to finish second in the Preakness and third in the Belmont that year. Wilson co-wrote the script with Faith Conroy and is also producing the project.
David Gordon Green’s ‘Joe’ to Feature Music by David Wingo and Jeff McIlwain
David Wingo and Jeff McIlwain are reuniting with director David Gordon Green on his latest feature Joe. The Southern drama stars Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan and follows an ex-con who becomes the unlikeliest of role models to a 15-year-old child of a homeless family ruled by a drunk father. Gary Hawkins wrote the screenplay based on the novel of the same title by Larry Brown. Lisa Muskat (Compliance), Gordon Green and Christopher Woodrow (The Immigrant) are producing the project with Derrick Tseng (Palindromes). Wingo and McIlwain previously shared scoring duties on Gordon Green’s Snow Angels and The Sitter, while Wingo also scored the director’s George Washington and All the Real Girls.
Frederik Wiedmann to Score ‘Beware the Batman’ and ‘Justice Leage: The Flashpoint Paradox’
Frederik Wiedmann has been hired to score the upcoming Warner Bros. Animation series Beware The Batman. The show is a new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise and features such characters as Alfred, Katana, Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. The series’ voice talent includes Anthony Ruivivar, J. B. Blanc, Lance Reddick, Sumalee Montano, Kurtwood Smith, Udo Kier and Cree Summer. Wiedmann has previously scored Green Lantern: The Animated Series for Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. Beware the Batman is set to premiere later this year on Cartoon Network.
Steve Jablonsky Scoring Peter Berg’s ‘Lone Survivor’
Steve Jablonsky is currently scoring the upcoming action drama Lone Survivor. The film is written and directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Hancock) and stars Mark Wahlberg, Eric Bana, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch and Taylor Kitsch. The movie is based on the book Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell and tells the true story of a group of Navy SEAL members who fought to stay alive after being ambushed in Afghanistan in 2005 by Taliban forces during a covert mission in the Hindu Kush mountain region. Berg and Wahlberg are producing the project with Sarah Aubrey (Bad Santa, Lars and the Real Girl), Randall Emmett (16 Blocks, Broken City), Steven Levinson (Contraband), Norton Herrick (The Devil’s Double) Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, I Am Legend) and Barry Spikings (The Deer Hunter). Jablonsky has previously collaborated with Berg on the director’s last feature Battleship.
Hans Zimmer Scoring Steve McQueen’s ‘Twelve Years a Slave’
Hans Zimmer has recently composed the score for the upcoming historical drama Twelve Years a Slave. The film is directed by Steve McQueen amd stars Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Quvenzhané Wallis, Paul Dano, Scott McNairy, Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard, Paul Giamatti and Lupita Nyong’o. The movie is based on the autobiography Of the same title by Solomon Northup and centers on a free man who was kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery on a Louisiana cotton plantation. McQueen co-wrote the script with John Ridley (Red Tails). Dede Gardner (The Tree of Life, Eat Pray Love) is producing the New Regency Producctions and Plan B Entertainment production with Jeremy Kleiner (Killing Them Softly) and Brad Pitt. McQueen’s previous feature Shame featured a score by Harry Escott.