In addition to four movies (Lone Survivor, Her, August: Osage County, Inside Llewyn Davis) expanding nationwide, only one movie is opening wide this weekend:
Opening in roughly 2100 theaters is the 3D action adventure The Legend of Hercules directed by Renny Harlin and starring Kellan Lutz, Liam McIntyre, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee and Liam Garrigan. The film’s original music is composed by Tuomas Kantelinen (Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan) who previously scored Harlin’s Mindhunters. No word yet on a soundtrack album. For more information about the film, which was originally entitled Hercules: The Legend Begins and is being released by Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment, visit our previous news article and the official movie website.
Opening in limited release is the family adventure The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box directed by Jonathan Newman and starring Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, Ioan Gruffudd and Aneurin Barnard. Fernando Velazquez (The Impossible, Mama, Devil) has composed the film’s original music. A soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score is in the works. The Adventurer is based on the novel by G.P. Taylor and follows a 17-year-old boy in Victorian England who is searching for his lost parents and is kidnapped in a mysterious luxury hotel. The movie is being released by Image Entertainment and The Film Arcade. Read the rest of this entry »
IDOL – Eskwad will release a soundtrack album for Christophe Gans’ adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (La Belle et la Bete). The album features the film’s original music composed by Pierre Adenot (Romantics Anonymous, Paris, je t’aime). Also included is Brian Keane’s Dark History Waltz from the New York documentary, as well as two songs performed by Yoann Freget. The soundtrack will be released overseas on February 4, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on 
Varese Sarabande has announced the details of the soundtrack album for the action thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. The album features the film’s original music composed by Academy Award nominee Patrick Doyle (Thor, Sense and Sensibility, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). The soundtrack will be released physically on February 4, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on 
Ben Lovett is the composer of the upcoming indie comedy Don Peyote. The film is written and directed by Dan Fogler and Michael Canzoniero. Fogler also stars in the movie alongside Josh Duhamel, Jay Baruchel, Kelly Hutchinson and Wallace Shawn. Anne Hathaway and Topher Grace will make a special appearance. The comedy follows an unemployed stoner who encounters a homeless man preaching the end is near and becomes obsessed with doomsday theories and decides to make a documentary on the subject. Stuart Braunstein, Luke Daniels, Thomas Sullivan and Carlos Velasquez (The Lifeguard) are producing the Studio 13 and Tunnel production. 
22D Music has released a soundtrack album for the animated feature The Magic Snowflake. The album features the film’s original music composed by Robert Marcel Lepage. Also included is the song When Snow Falls Down performed by Rachel Bonneau. The soundtrack is now available to download on 
Twitter and Southwest Air present the Collective Conversations: Sound & Vision – a panel discussion on music in film, and how the recording artist transitions into film composer at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The panel will be moderated by actor William H. Macy who made his directorial debut with the drama Rudderless, which is set to premiere at the festival. The event’s panelists include Mike Patton who is known as the lead singer of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle and whose film scoring credits include The Place Beyond the Pines and Crank: High Voltage. Also participating are Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, who recently received a Golden Globe nomination for his film scoring debut with J.C. Chandor’s All is Lost; 
Mike Patton has been hired to score the upcoming horror thriller The Vatican Tapes. The movie is directed by Mark Neveldine (Crank, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) and stars Michael Pena, Djimon Hounsou, Dougray Scott, Kathleen Robertson, Peter Andersson, Olivia Dudley, John Patrick Amedori and Alex Sparrow. The movie centers on a series of events that unfold after a tape gets leaked from the Vatican displaying an exorcism that goes wrong. Christopher Borrelli has written the screenplay based on an original story by himself and Chris Morgan (Fast Five, Wanted). Tom Rosenberg & Gary Lucchesi (Million Dollar Baby, Underworld, The Lincoln Lawyer) are producing the Lakeshore Entertainment production with Chris Cowles. 
Milan Records will release a soundtrack album for the documentary Tim’s Vermeer. The album features the film’s original music composed and conducted by Conrad Pope (My Week with Marilyn, Pavilion of Women). The soundtrack will be released digitally January 28, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on 
WaterTower Music will release a soundtrack album for the DC Universe original movie Justice League: War. The album features the film’s original music composed by Kevin Kliesch (Thundercats, Sofia the First) who previously scored DC’s Superman: Unbound. The soundtrack will be released digitally on February 4, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on 
Lorne Balfe has signed on to score DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming animated feature The Penguins of Madagascar. The film is directed by Simon J. Smith (Bee Movie) and centers on the penguins from the studio’s Madagscar franchise. Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, John DiMaggio and Christopher Knights lend their voices to the title characters. The spin-off’s voice talent also includes Benedict Cumberbatch and John Malkovich. Michael Colton & John Aboud have written the screenplay and Lara Breay is producing the project. Balfe has previously co-scored Megamind for Breav and DreamWorks Animation with Hans Zimmer. 