James Newton Howard is currently scoring the upcoming historical drama Parkland. The film is written and directed by Peter Landesman and stars Zac Efron, Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti, Billy Bob Thornton, Jeremy Strong, Jacki Weaver, Jackie Earle Haley, Colin Hanks and Ron Livingston. The film chronicles the events leading up to President John F. Kennedy’s assassination and is named for the Parkland Memorial Hospital where JFK was rushed on Nov. 22, 1963. Playtone’s Tom Hanks & Gary Goetzman (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Polar Express) and Exclusive Media’s Nigel Sinclair & Guy East (Let Me In, End of Watch) are producing the project with Bill Paxton. Newton Howard has previously scored Hanks’ directorial feature Larry Crowne and also has also written the music for Playtone’s Charlie Wilson’s War. The composer’s music is being recorded this week at Abbey Road Studios in London. Read the rest of this entry »
James Newton Howard Scoring ‘Parkland’
Posted: June 20, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring AssignmentsTags: James Newton Howard, Parkland, Peter Landesman, Tom Hanks
New ‘Mad Men’ Soundtrack Album Announced
Posted: June 20, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in TV Music AlbumsTags: AMC, David Carbonara, Mad Men, Mad Men On the Rocks, score, Soundtrack
Silva Screen Records will release a new soundtrack album for AMC’s critically acclaimed series Mad Men. The album features selections from the score of the show composed by David Carbonara. Mad Men On the Rocks will be released overseas on August 5, 2013. No word yet on a domestic release. Lionsgate Records has previously released a number of soundtracks featuring the composer’s score from the early seasons. Click here to download the first score album. Mad Men is created by Matthew Weiner and stars Jon Hamm, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, Christina Hendricks and John Slattery. The season finale of the sixth season of the drama will air this Sunday on AMC. Read the rest of this entry »
‘The To Do List’ Soundtrack Details
Posted: June 20, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Soundtrack, The To Do List
Universal Music Enterprises has announced the details of the soundtrack album for the comedy The To Do List. The album features the songs from the film including a number of 90s classics by Tears for Fears, Cranberries, Mazzy Star, House of Love, Elastica, Gin Blossoms and Big Head Todd and the Monsters, as well as hip hop tracks by 2 Live Crew, MC Hammer, Naughty by Nature and Salt N’ Pepa. The soundtrack will be released on July 23, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The To Do List is written and directed by Maggie Carey and stars Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover and Connie Britton. The movie follows an awkward overachiever who tries to make up for her sexual underachieving in high school before she heads to college. Jennifer Todd, Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett are producing the comedy, which is set to be relased on July 26, 2013 by CBS Films. Read the rest of this entry »
Christophe Beck to Score ‘Runner, Runner’
Posted: June 19, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring AssignmentsTags: Brad Furman, Christophe Beck, Runner Runner
Christophe Beck has taken over scoring duties on the upcoming thriller Runner, Runner. The film is directed by Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer) and stars Justin Timberlake, Gemma Arterton, Ben Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Oliver Cooper, Michael Esper and Ben Schwartz. The movie centers on a young man who is cheated out of his tuition money playing online poker and flies to Costa Rica in the hope of reclaiming his losses from the site’s billionaire owner and ends up becoming the corrupt CEO’s right-hand man. Brian Koppelman & David Levien (Ocean’s Thirteen, Runaway Jury) co-wrote the screenplay and are also producing New Regency Pictures production with Leonardo DiCaprio & Jennifer Davisson Killoran (The Ides of March, Orphan) for Appian Way and Michael Shamberg & Stacey Sher (Django Unchained, Contagion) for Double Feature Films. Read the rest of this entry »
Alan Menken Vying for EGOT
Posted: June 19, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music NewsTags: ABC, Alan Menken, The Neighbors
Alan Menken is in a position to become only the third composer to ever win the EGOT, which is bestowed to artists that won all four major annual American entertainment awards: the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. The other composers who were previously honored with the EGOT are Richard Rogers and Marvin Hamlisch. Menken composed the original song Sing Like a Larry Bird for a musical episode of this TV season’s hit ABC alien comedy The Neighbors, in which the aliens discover Broadway. Menken won Oscars for his scores of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pocahontas, a Tony for the Broadway musical Newsies and a Grammy for Disney’s Tangled. His work on The Neighbors is eligible for an Emmy in the Original Music and Lyrics category. Read the rest of this entry »
‘The Lone Ranger’ Score Album Details
Posted: June 19, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Hans Zimmer, score, Soundtrack, The Lone Ranger
Walt Disney Records will release a soundtrack album for Gore Verbinski’s western The Lone Ranger. The album features the film’s original score composed by Hans Zimmer who has previously collaborated with the director on the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Rango and The Ring Also included is a track by the folk band Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three. The soundtrack will be released digitally on July 2, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon, where you can also listen to audio clips. A physical version is set to be released later in July by Intrada Records. As previously reported, Hollywood Records will release a separate soundtrack featuring music inspired by the film. The Lone Ranger based on the popular 1950s TV series and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer stars Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter. Read the rest of this entry »
Walter Murphy Tapped for NBC’s Animated Special ‘How Murray Saved Christmas’
Posted: June 19, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in TV Scoring AssignmentsTags: How Murray Saved Christmas, NBC, Walter Murphy
Walter Murphy has been tapped to write the music for the NBC holiday special How Murray Saved Christmas. The project is based on the best-selling children’s book of the same name by Mike Reiss and centers on the cranky deli owner Murray Kleiner, who is forced to fill in for Santa one Christmas and does a weirdly wonderful job. Reiss whose best known credits as a writer include TV shows, such as The Simpsons and The Critic, as well as the features The Simpsons Movie and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will also executive producing the Universal TV production. Rough Draft Animation will serve as the animation studio. Murphy’s best known film/TV credits include last year’s hit comedy Ted, as well as TV shows including Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. How Murray Saved Christmas is set to air in December 2014 on NBC. (via Deadline)
‘The Conjuring’ Soundtrack Details
Posted: June 19, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Joseph Bishara, Mark Isham, score, Soundtrack, The Conjuring
La-La Land Records will release the official soundtrack album for the horror thriller The Conjuring. The album features the film’s original score composed by Joseph Bishara (Insidious, Dark Skies). Also included is a theme written for the movie by composer Mark Isham. The soundtrack will be released on July 16, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check back on this page for audio clips. The Conjuring is directed by James Wan (Saw, Insidious) and stars Lili Taylor, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Joey King, Shanley Caswell, Haley McFarland, Mackenzie Foy, Kyla Deaver and Sterling Jerins. The movie tells the story of how two world-renowned paranormal investigators were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Read the rest of this entry »
Ilan Eshkeri Takes Over Scoring Duties on ’47 Ronin’
Posted: June 18, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring AssignmentsTags: 47 Ronin, Carl Rinsch, Ilan Eshkeri
Ilan Eshkeri has taken over scoring duties on the upcoming 3D martial arts fantasy adventure 47 Ronin. The movie is directed by Carl Rinsch and stars Keanu Reeves, as well as Japanese actors Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, and Kou Shibasaki. Chris Morgan (Fast Five) and Hossein Amini (Drive) have written the screenplay for the film, which follows the 47 Ronin, a band of samurai swordsmen who avenge the death of their master in 18th century Japan. Scott Stuber (Ted, Identity Thief), Eric McLeod (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and Pamela Abdy (Garden State) are producing the project. Eshkeri is replacing Javier Navarrete (Pan’s Labyrinth, Wrath of the Titans) who was previously scoring the film. Atticus Ross (The Social Network) was originally attached to write the music for the project. Eshkeri has been recording his score over the last couple of days at Air Studios in London. Read the rest of this entry »
‘The Smurfs 2’ Soundtrack Details
Posted: June 18, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Soundtrack, The Smurfs, The Smurfs 2
RCA Records will release the soundtrack album for the hybrid live action/animated family movie The Smurfs 2. The album features music from and inspired by the film, including Britney Spears’ new single Ooh La La, as well as songs by Owl City, Nelly Furtado (feat. Ace Primo), Right Said Fred, Becky G (feat. Austin Mahone), Kiana Brown, G.R.L. Cady Groves, Sophia Black and Buckwheat Zydeco. The soundtrack will be released on July 23, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Varese Sarabande Records will release a separate album featuring the film’s score by Heitor Pereira on the same day. Check back on this page for the full details of the score album. The Smurfs 2 directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria and Brendan Gleeson. The sequel’s voice cast includes Katy Perry, Jonathan Winters, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, John Oliver, Christina Ricci and JB Smoove. Read the rest of this entry »
