Two new movies are opening nationwide this weekend:

dumb-and-dumber-toOpening in most theaters is the comedy sequel Dumb and Dumber To directed by Peter & Bobby Farrelly and starring Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Kathleen Turner, Laurie Holden, Rob Riggle, Rachel Melvin and Steve Tom. The film’s original music is composed by the electronic music duo Empire of the Sun. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack album featuring music from the duo, as well as songs by Eels, Natural Child, Lissie, Firefall, Franz Ferdinand, Jake Bugg, The Dahls and more. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to learn more about the film.

beyond-the-lightsAlso opening wide is the drama Beyond the Lights written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Richard Colson Baker (“MGK”) and Danny Glover. Relativity Music Group has released a soundtrack album featuring the original song Grateful written by Academy Award-nominated songwriter Dianne Warren and performed by Rita Ora, as well as songs by artists including Mavado feat. Nicki Minaj, Noni feat. Kid Culprit, Birdy and Yuna. Click here for the full album details. The film’s original score is composed by Mark Isham (CrashOnce Upon a TimeA River Runs Through It). No word yet on a score release. Read the rest of this entry »

imageRupert Gregson-Williams is composing the score for the upcoming comedy sequel Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. The film is directed by Andy Fickman (Race to Witch Mountain, She’s All That) and stars Kevin James, Molly Shannon, Nicholas Turturro and D.B. Woodside. The movie follows the title character as he must try to stop art thieves while attending a Security Guard Expo in Las Vegas. Todd Garner (Knight and Dayand Adam Sandler are producing the project. Read the rest of this entry »

the-riot-clubVarese Sarabande will release a soundtrack album for Lone Scherfig’s drama The Riot Club. The album features the film’s original music composed by Kasper Winding (The Salvation). Also included is the song We’re Out There Somewhere performed by Graham Coxon of Blur. The soundtrack will be released digitally on November 17, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Audio clips are embedded below. The Riot Club is directed by Scherfig (An Education, One Day) based on Laura Wase’s play and stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth, Jessica Brown Findlay and Holliday Grainger. The movie follows two young men who are inducted into the exclusive, debaucherous company of Oxford’s elite “Riot Club”. Read the rest of this entry »

Stephen Oremus Named Oscar Music Director

Posted: November 14, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News
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stephen-oremusAcademy Awards producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today that Stephen Oremus was selected as music director for this season’s 87th Oscar ceremony. He will make his Oscar debut this year. Oremus has worked on such Broadway shows as Avenue QWicked, All Shook Up,  9 to 5, The Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots.  He earned two Tony Awards for Best Orchestration in 2011 and 2013. Oremus also served as the orchestra conductor and music director for Rufus Wainwright’s Carnegie Hall and London Palladium tributes to Judy Garland in 2006 and 2007. His feature film work includes arranging and producing New York, New York, sung by actress Carey Mulligan, for Steve McQueen’s 2011 drama Shame starring Michael Fassbender.  Read the rest of this entry »

john-debneyJohn Debney has been tapped to score the upcoming Amazon Studios pilot Point of Honor . The show is created by Academy Award-nominated writer Randall Wallace (Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, The Man in the Iron Mask) & Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and stars Nathan Parsons, Christopher O’Shea, Annabelle Stephenson, Riley Voelkel, Hanna Mangan Lawrence, Patrick Heusinger, Luke Benward, Adrienne Warren, Lucien Laviscount and James Harvey Ward. The historical drama centers on a Virginia family who at the outset of the Civil War makes the controversial decision to defend the South while freeing all of their slaves. Wallace has also directed the pilot and is executive producing the project with Cuse and Barry Jossen (Sex and the City). Read the rest of this entry »

supernatural-musicalWaterTower Music has released a single featuring three songs from the Supernatural musical episode Fan Fiction. The songs are written by the show’s composers Christopher Lennertz and Jay Gruska and performed by cast members Alyssa Lynch, Katie Sarife, Vivien Armour, Kelli Ogmundson, Rachel Warkentin and Nina Winkler. To download the soundtrack, visit  iTunes, where you can also listen to audio clips. The label has also released the song I’ll Just Wait Here Then performed by Nina Winkler for free. Click here (right click and save) to download the track. The Supernatural musical episode follows Sam and Dean Winchester as they investigate the disappearance of a high school teacher and discover that the school is putting on a musical based on their lives.  Read the rest of this entry »

Zhong_KuiJavier Navarrete is currently recording his orchestral score for the upcoming Chinese 3D fantasy action adventure Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal. The film is directed by Tianyu Zhao (The Law of Attraction) and stars Chen Kun, Li Bingbing, Winston Chao, Yang Zishan, Bao Bei-er and Jike Junyi. The movie is based on the mythological figure Zhong Kui, a ghost assigned with capturing wayward spirits and keeping order in the afterlife. Academy Award-winning cinematographer Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Forbidden Kingdom) is producing the project with Ann An (Ip Man 2). Read the rest of this entry »

penguins-of-madagascarRelativity Media Group will release a soundtrack album for DreamWorks Animation’s Penguins of Madagascar. The album features the film’s original music composed by Lorne Balfe (Megamind, The Dilemma, The Bible). The soundtrack will be released on November 25, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon, where you can also listen to audio clips. The label will also release The Penguins of Madagscar Black & White Christmas Album, which features five holiday songs. Penguins of Madagscar is directed by Simon Smith & Eric Darnell and features the voices of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Chris Knights, John Malkovich, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annett Mahendru and Peter Stormare. Read the rest of this entry »

space-station-76Madison Gate Records will release a soundtrack album for the indie comedy Space Station 76. The album features the film’s original music composed by Marc and Steffan Fantini (Criminal Minds, Moms’ Night Out). The soundtrack will be released digitally this Friday, November 14, 2014. Space Station 76 is directed by Jack Plotnick and stars Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler, Matt Bomer, Jerry O’Connell, Marisa Coughlan, Kylie Rogers, Kali Rocha and Keir Dullea. The movie follows a group of people – and several robots – living on a space station in a 1970s version of the future. Read the rest of this entry »

american-sniperClint Eastwood has composed Taya’s Theme, the main theme music for his upcoming war drama American Sniper. The movie also features additional music by Joseph DeBeasi who serves as the music editor on the project. Also featured over the end credits sequence of the film is the track The Funeral from the 1965 western The Return of Ringo composed by Ennio Morricone. American Sniper stars Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Jake McDorman, Luke Grimes, Navid Negahan and Keir O’Donnell. The movie tells the story of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with the nickname “Legend” and 160 confirmed kills. Jason Hall (Paranoia, Spread) has written the screenplay based on Kyle’s autobiography. Read the rest of this entry »