Four new movies are opening in wide release this weekend:
Opening in most theaters is the animated feature Planes directed by Klay Hall and featuring a voice cast including Dane Cook, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Cedric the Entertainer, Val Kilmer, John Cleese, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett and Teri Hatcher. The film’s original music is composed by Mark Mancina (Tarzan, Speed Twister). Walt Disney Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score, as well as original songs by Mark Holman, Chris Classic & Alana D and Jon Stevens of The Dead Daisies. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details.
Also opening in wide release is the sci-fi action film Elysium written and directed by Neil Blomkamp and starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Wagner Moura, Alice Braga, William Fichtner, Diego Luna and Carly Pope. The film’s original score is composed by Ryan Amon. Varese Sarabande has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s music. Check out our previous article for more information and to listen to audio clips. Also visit Film Music Magazine for an audio interview with the composers, as well as Wired and RogerEbert.com for more interviews. Read the rest of this entry »
Verve International will release a soundtrack album for the drama Lee Daniels’ The Butler. The album features the film’s original score composed by Rodrigo Leão. The soundtrack will be released digitally on August 20, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on 
The first teaser trailer for Walt Disney Pictures’ Muppets Most Wanted confirms that composer Christophe Beck who scored 2011’s reboot of The Muppets will return to provide the music for the sequel. The film is directed by James Bobin who also helmed the original film and stars Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey. The movie follows Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Walter and rest of the Muppets as they travel to Europe and find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine – the World’s Number One Criminal – and his sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two. Bobin has also co-written the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller (Get Him to the Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall). David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman (The Proposal, The Fighter) are producing the Mandeville Films production. 
Varese Sarabande has announced the details of the soundtrack album for the drama The Ultimate Life. The album features the film’s original score composed by Mark McKenzie (Durango, Blizzard). Also included is the song One Life written by Kelly Morrison and performed by Tamela Mann. The soundtrack will be released on September 10, 2013. Audio clips can be checked out below. The Ultimate Life is directed by Michael Landon, Jr. and stars Drew Waters, Bill Cobbs, David Mann, Ali Hillis and Peter Fonda. The film is a sequel to 2007’s The Ultimate Gift, which also was scored by McKenzie and had its soundtrack release on Varese Sarabande. The drama is set to be released in select theaters on September 6 by FilmDistrict. 
The details of the soundtrack album for the upcoming racing drama Rush have been revealed. The album features the film’s original music written by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer. Also included are the songs featured in the film, including Dave Edmunds’ I Hear You Knocking, Steve Winwood’s Gimme Some Lovin, Mud’s Dyna-mite, Thin Lizzy’s The Rocker and David Bowie’s Fame. The soundtrack will be released digitally on September 10, 2013 and physically on September 24 by WaterTower Music. To pre-order the CD, visit 
Paul Leonard-Morgan has taken over scoring duties on the upcoming family action adventure Walking with Dinosaurs 3D. The movie is helmed by Neil Nightingale & Barry Cook (Mulan, Arthur Christmas) and follows two brothers looking to follow in their father’s footsteps, which leads them to a showdown with dinosaurs in the Arctic. John Collee (Happy Feet, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World) and Theodore Thomas have co-written the screenplay. Mike Devlin, Amanda Hill and Deepak Nayar (Bend It Like Beckham, Lost Highway) are producing the BBC Earth, Evergreen Films and Reliance Big Entertainment production. Leonard-Morgan has previously scored the comic book adaptation Dredd for Reliance Big Entertainment. 
Stax Records will release a soundtrack album for the ABC hit drama Scandal. The album, entitled Songs from Scandal: Music for Gladiators, includes songs from the 70s featured in the first two seasons of the show by artists including Edwin Starr, Johnny Nash, KC and The Sunshine Band, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Nina Simone, Sly & The Family Stone and Rufus & Chaka Khan. The soundtrack will be released on September 3, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on 
Varese Sarabande Records has announced the details of the soundtrack album for the comedy drama Girl Most Likely. The album features the film’s original score composed by Rob Simonsen (The Way Way Back, The Spectacular Now, 500 Days of Summer). The soundtrack will be released digitally on August 13, 2013. Audio clips will be added to this article next week. Girl Most Likely (aka Imogene) is directed by Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini (American Splendor) and stars Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon, Darren Criss and Bob Balaban. The movie follows a New York playwright who stages a fake suicide attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend, only to end up being forced into the custody of her gambling-addict mother. The film was released in theaters earlier this summer by Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate. 
Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans have composed the score for the upcoming indie thriller Enemy. The film is directed by Denis Villeneuve (Incendies, the upcoming Prisoners) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon and Isabella Rossellini. The movie is based on the novel The Double by José Saramago and follows a dysfunctional history teacher who accidentally discovers his exact double on a rented DVD, seeks him out and ends up turning both of their lives upside down. Javier Gullón has adapted the material for the screen and Niv Fichman (Blindness, The Red Violin, Last Night), Miguel A. Faura and Luc Déry (Monsieur Lazhar) are producing the project. 
Lakeshore Records will release a soundtrack album for the martial arts epic The Grandmaster. The album features the film’s original music composed by Shigeru Umebayashi (House of Flying Daggers, In the Mood for Love) and Nathaniel Mechaly (Taken, Colombiana). Also included are two tracks composed by Ennio Morricone, including Deborah’s Theme from Once Upon a Time in America. The soundtrack will be released physically on September 10, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on 