According to the film’s latest trailer, Hans Zimmer has taken over scoring duties on Gore Verbinski’s upcoming western The Lone Ranger. The film stars Armie Hammer in the title role of the masked crime fighter and Johnny Depp as his Native American sidekick from the popular 1950s TV series. Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner and Barry Pepper are co-starring in the film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) has written the script with Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott (The Mask of Zorro). Zimmer has previously collaborated with Verbinski on the Pirates of the Caribbean films, The Ring and last year’s animated feature Rango. The composer is taking over for Jack White, lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band White Stripes and member of the Raconteur and the Dead Weather, who was previously announced as the composer of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »

The Academy of Motion Pictures Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the eligible movies in contention for nominations in the Original Score category for the 85th Academy Awards. Notable omissions include such titles as Moonrise Kingdom (Alexandre Desplat) and Silver Linings Playbook (Danny Elfman). The 104 eligible scores along with the composer are listed below in alphabetical order by film title:

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” Henry Jackman, composer
“After the Wizard,” Stephen Main, composer
“Alex Cross,” John Debney and Sebastian Morton, composers
“The Amazing Spider-Man,” James Horner, composer
“Anna Karenina,” Dario Marianelli, composer Read the rest of this entry »

Madison Gate Records will release a soundtrack album for the political thriller Zero Dark Thirty. The album features the film’s original score composed by Alexandre Desplat and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. The soundtrack will be released on December 19, 2012 and is available to order on Amazon. Listen to the full score after the jump. Zero Dark Thirty is directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) and stars Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke, Mark Strong, Edgar Ramirez, Chris Pratt, Kyle Chandler, Nash Edgerton and Jennifer Ehle. The film follows an elite team of intelligence and military operatives who devoted themselves to to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. The movie will be released in New York and Los Angeles on December 19 and expand to additional markets on January 11, 2013. Read the rest of this entry »

Mark Bradshaw has been hired to score BBC’s and Sundance Channel’s mini-series Top of the Lake. The seven-part series is helmed by Academy Award-winning director Jane Campion (The Piano) and Australian director Garth Davis and stars Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan and David Wenham. The drama is set in New Zealand and follows the disappearance of a five-months pregnant 12-year-old girl who was last seen standing chest-deep in a frozen lake. Emile Sherman & Iain Canning (The King’s Speech, Shame) are producing the project for See-Saw Films and Philippa Campbell (Black Sheep) is producing for Escapade Pictures. Campion has written the teleplay with Gerard Lee (Sweetie). Read the rest of this entry »

Lionsgate Records has announced a domestic release for the soundtrack of the drama The Impossible. The album features the film’s original score composed by Fernando Velazquez (The Orphanage, Devil). The soundtrack will be released on December 11, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The album features the same content as the international version that was  released overseas in October by Quartet Records. Check out our previous article for the full album details. Velazquez was recently honored with the Critic’s Choice Award from the National Radio of Spain for Best Classical Music for his score for the film, which has been breaking box office records in Spain over the last couple of weeks. The Impossible starring Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland is based on the true story about a family caught in mayhem of the tsunami that hit the coast of Thailand in 2004. Read the rest of this entry »

A couple of major local critics associations have been announced their winners for this year’s movies. Unlike in previous years, each organization picked a different winner. Check out the film music-related picks after the jump. For a full list of winners, click on each group’s name below.

Los Angeles Film Critics Association:

Best Film Score: Beasts of the Southern WildDan Romer & Benh Zeitlin

Runner-Up: The MasterJonny Greenwood Read the rest of this entry »

WaterTower Music will release a soundtrack album for the crime drama Gangster Squad. The album features songs from and inspired by the movie by artists including Johnny Mercer & The Pied Pipers, Imelda May, Pee Wee King, Kitty Daisy & Lewis, Peggy Lee, Delta Rae and St. Vincent. The soundtrack will be released digitally on January 8, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check out audio clips after the jump. As previously reported, Varese Sarabande will release a separate soundtrack featuring composer Steve Jablonsky’s score. Gangster Squad is directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and stars Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Nick Nolte, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi and Michael Pena. Read the rest of this entry »

Premiering tonight on ABC is Hallmark Hall of Fame Production’s original movie Christmas With Holly. The film is directed by Allan Arkush (Heroes, Crossing Jordan) and stars Sean Faris, Eloise Mumford, Daniel Eric Gold, Dana Watkins, Catherine Bèrubè, Alex Paxton-Beesley and Lucy & Josie Gallina. Nathan Wang (The Game Plan, She’s the Man) has composed the movie’s score. The film follows a 6-year-old who writes a letter to Santa Claus asking for a mother for Christmas, after her mother passes away. To learn more about the Hallmark production, visit ABC’s official movie website. Read the rest of this entry »

The details of the soundtrack album for Tom Hooper’s film adaptation of the stage musical Les Misérables have been revealed. The album features the songs from the film composed by Claude-Michel Schonberg and with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and performed by cast members including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Eddie Redmayne, Colm Wilkinson and Sacha Baron Cohen. Also included is the new original song Suddenly composed by Schonberg and featuring lyrics by Alain Boublil. Anne Dudley (The Crying Game, The Full Monty) serves as the film’s music producer. The soundtrack will be released on December 25, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon, where you can also download the album and listen to audio clips. Les Misérables will be released on December 25 by Universal Pictures. Read the rest of this entry »

Only one new movie is opening nationwide this weekend:

Opening in almost 3000 theaters is the romantic comedy Playing for Keeps directed by Gabriele Muccino and starring Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Judy Greer, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The film’s music is written by Italian composer Andrea Guerra (Letters to Juliet, Hotel Rwanda) who has previously collaborated with director on The Pursuit of Happiness. No soundtrack album has been announced. The comedy follows a former soccer star who returns home to put his life back together. To learn more about the film, visit the official movie website.

Opening in limited release is the period comedy drama Hyde Park on Hudson directed by Roger Michell and starring Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Colman, Samuel West, Elizabeth Marvel, Elizabeth Wilson, Eleanor Bron and Olivia Williams. Jeremy Sams (The Mother, Enduring Love) has composed the film’s original score. Relativity Music Group will release a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score next Tuesday. For audio clips and to check out the full album details, visit our soundtrack announcement. Read the rest of this entry »