Rob Simonsen has been hired to score the indie comedy The Way, Way Back. The film marks the directorial debut of Jim Rash and Nat Faxon and stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, AnnaSophia Robb, Allison Janney and Amanda Peet. The movie follows a teen boy who struggles to find himself as he comes to terms with his unattentive mother and cheating stepfather during summer vacation. Rash and Faxon who received an Academy Award for writing last year’s The Descendants have penned the screenplay. Kevin Walsh is producing through his production company and Tom Rice is producing for Sycamore Pictures. It has just been announced that The Way, Way Back will be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Category: Film Scoring Assignments
‘Black Rock’ to Feature Music by Ben Lovett
Ben Lovett is writing a new score for the indie horror thriller Black Rock. The film is directed by Katie Aselton (The Freebie) who also stars in the film alongside Lake Bell, Kate Bosworth, Will Bouvier, Jay Paulson and Anslem Richardson. The movie follows three friends who are going on a weekend getaway to an isolated island in Maine and discover that they are not alone. Mark Duplass (Cyrus, Jeff Who Lives at Home) has written the screenplay and is also executive producing with his brother Jay. Adele Romanski is producing the project. The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it featured a different score by Peter Golub as reported earlier this year. Lovett has previously scored a number of movies, including the cult horror film The Signal.
Vinny Smith to Reunite with Lynn Shelton on ‘Touchy Feely’
Vinny Smith is reuniting with director Lynn Shelton on the upcoming indie drama Touchy Feely. The film is written and directed by Shelton and stars Ellen Page, Rosemarie DeWitt, Allison Janney, Ellen Page, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy and Josh Pais. The movie follows a massage therapist who is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Steven Schardt is producing the project. Smith has previously scored Shelton’s last two features Humpday and My Sister’s Sister and has also served as the sound mixer on both films. Touchy Feely will premiere in competition at next year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams to Return for ‘Despicable Me 2’
Heitor Pereira and Pharrell Williams are returning to provide the music for Despicable Me 2, the sequel to the 2010 animated hit film. Pereira is composing the film’s score and Williams is producing and writing new original songs for the project. The movie is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud who also helmed the first installment. The movie’s voice cast includes Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Russell Brand and Al Pacino. Christopher Meledandri & Janet Healy (Despicable Me, The Lorax) are producing the Illumination Entertainment production and Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul (Horton Hears a Who, The Lorax) have written the screenplay. Pereira’s and Williams’ music for the original movie was nominated for an Annie Award. Despicable Me 2 is set for a release on July 3, 2013 by Universal Pictures.
Nathan Johnson Scoring Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s ‘Don Jon’s Addiction’
Nathan Johnson is currently scoring the upcoming comedy Don Jon’s Addiction. The film marks the directorial feature debut of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt who has also written the screenplay and stars as a porn-addicted, modern day Don Juan who sets out to become a less selfish person after meeting a recently widowed older woman. Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson, Rob Brown and Tony Danza are co-starring. Ram Bergman is producing through his production company and Nicolas Chartier (The Hurt Locker, Killer Joe) is producing for Voltage Pictures. Bergman has previously produced Rian Johnson’s Brick, The Brothers Bloom and Looper, all of which were scored by Nathan Johnson.
Javier Navarrete to Score ’47 Ronin’
Javier Navarrete has taken over scoring duties on the upcoming 3D martial arts fantasy adventure 47 Ronin. The film is directed by Carl Erik Rinsch and stars Keanu Reeves, as well as Japanese actors Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, and Kou Shibasaki. The movie is written by Chris Morgan (Fast Five) and Hossein Amini (Drive) and follows the 47 Ronin, a band of samurai swordsmen who avenge the death of their master in 18th century Japan. Scott Stuber (Ted, Safe House), Eric McLeod (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and Pamela Abdy (Garden State) are producing the Universal Pictures release.
Victor Reyes to Score ‘Grand Piano’
Victor Reyes has been tapped to score the upcoming psychological thriller Grand Piano. The film is directed by Eugenio Mira (The Birthday) and stars Elijah Wood, John Cusack, Kerry Bishe, Tamsin Egerton, Don McManus, Alex Winter and Allen Leech. The movie follows a piano virtuoso who returns to perform after being forced into early retirement because of stage fright. Damien Chazelle (The Last Exorcism Part II) has written the screenplay. Adrian Guerra and Rodrigo Cortes are producing the Nostromo Pictures production. Reyes has previously collaborated with the producers on this year’s Red Lights and 2010’s Buried, which were both directed by Cortes and produced by Guerra. Grand Piano is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in 2013.
Craig Richey to Score ‘Uncanny’
Craig Richey is scoring the upcoming indie sci-fi thriller Uncanny. The film is directed by Matthew Leutwyler and stars Mark Webber, David Rogers, Lucy Griffiths and Rainn Wilson. The movie follows a technology reporter who gets a week of exclusive access to the world’s first perfect artificial intelligence. Shahin Chandrasoma has written the screenplay and Sim Sarna is producing the Ambush Entertainment production. Richey has previously collaborated with Leutwyler on his last feature Answers to Nothing and has also scored Ambush’s Wonderful World. Uncanny was shot this summer in Los Angeles and is now in post-production.
Alec Puro to Score ‘The Scribbler’
Alec Puro has been hired to score the upcoming thriller The Scribbler. The film is directed by John Suits (Breathing Room) and stars Katie Cassidy as a young woman who is confronting her destructive mental illness using an experimental machine designed to eliminate multiple personalities. Garret Dillahunt, Michelle Trachtenberg, Eliza Dushku, Michael Imperioli, Gina Gershon, Billy Campbell and Sasha Grey are also starring. The movie is based on the graphic novel by Dan Schaffer who has adapted the material for the screen. Gabriel Cowan and Ken F. Levin are producing the New Arts Alliance and Caliber Media production.
Jonathan Morali Scoring ‘Möbius’
Jonathan Morali is the composer of the upcoming French romance thriller Möbius. The film is written and directed by Eric Rochant and stars Jean Dujardin (The Artist) as an experienced spy who is tracking a powerful oligarch suspected of laundering money through his bank. Cecile de France (Hereafter), Tim Roth and John Lynch are co-starring in the movie, which is set in Monte Carlo. Eric Juherian, Mathias Rubin and Christophe Cervoni are producing the Recifilms, Axel Films and Les Productions du Tresor production in association with Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp. Morali is best known as the frontman of the French band Syd Matters. Möbius marks his film scoring debut. The thriller is set for a release in France on February 27, 2013.