Three new movies are opening wide this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is Universal Pictures’ action tentpole Battleship directed by Peter Berg and starring Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Hamish Linklater and Rihanna. The film’s music is composed by Steve Jablonsky (Transformers). Varese Sarabande Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score. For the full album details and to listen to audio clips, visit our previous article. Also check out this recent Variety article on Jablonsky’s work on the film based on Hasbro’s classical naval combat board game.

Also opening wide is the ensemble comedy ensemble What to Expect When You’re Expecting directed by Kirk Jones and starring Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Chace Crawford, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, Matthew Morrison, Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock and Rodrigo Santoro. Mark Mothersbaugh has composed the film’s original score. A soundtrack album featuring the movie’s songs by artists including Chiddy Bang, The Human League, Kinky, Sleeper Agent, Black Lips, Robert Palmer and David Gray has been released by Capitol Records. For audio clips and the full track list, check out our soundtrack announcement. Read the rest of this entry »

Madison Gate Records will be releasing a soundtrack album for the upcoming mini-series Hatfields & McCoys. The album entitled Famous For Killing Each Other features songs from and inspired by the series performed by Kevin Costner & Modern West. Also included is one track from the period drama’s original score composed by John Debney. The soundtrack will be released on May 22, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Hatfields & McCoys is directed by Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) and stars Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton as two lose friends during the Civil War who return to their neighboring homes to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments that soon exploded into all-out warfare between the two families. Read the rest of this entry »

Rachel Portman has been tapped to score Diablo Cody’s currently untitled directorial feature debut. The comedy written and directed by the Academy Award-winning writer (Juno, Young Adult) writer stars Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Octavia Spencer and Holly Hunter. The movie follows a sheltered young woman who loses her faith after a plane crash and goes to Las Vegas to experience the wild life, where she meets an unlikely companion who helps her find her true self. Mason Novick (500 Days of Summer, Juno) is producing and Nathan Kahane (50/50, Stranger Than Fiction) is executive producing the Mandate Pictures production. No word yet on when the film will be released. Read the rest of this entry »

Cicero Recordings will be releasing a soundtrack album for Dustin Lance Black’s drama Virginia. The album features the film’s music composed by Nick Urata (Crazy, Stupid, Love, I Love You Phillip Morris). The soundtrack will be released digitally on May 18, 2012 and is available to download on Amazon. Audio clips from the score can be checked out after the jump. Virginia marks the directorial debut of the Academy Award-winning writer (Milk) and stars Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts and Toby Jones. The film revolves around single mother who struggles to raise her son while dreaming of escaping her small Southern boardwalk town and is mucking up the state senate campaign of a sheriff with whom she’s long had an affair. The drama will be released in select cities this Friday, May 18. Read the rest of this entry »

According to a recent article in Variety, composer Steve Jablonsky has already started working on Michael Bay’s upcoming comedy action thriller Pain & Gain. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Ed Harris, Ken Jeong, Tony Shaloub, Anthony Mackie, Rob Corddry and Bar Paly. The movie is based on the true story of body builders in Miami Beach who headed a kidnapping and extortion ring that went terribly wrong. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (Captain America: The First Avenger, The Chronicles of Narnia) have written the screenplay. Bay is producing the film with Ian Bryce (Transformers, Saving Private Ryan) and Donald De Line (The Italian Job, Green Lantern) through his Platinum Dunes production company. Read the rest of this entry »

A soundtrack album for the historical drama A Royal Affair has been released on iTunes last week. The album features the film’s original music composed by Academy Award-winning composer Gabriel Yared (The English Patient) and Cyril Aufort (Splice). The soundtrack is now available digitally and a limited physical release is scheduled to come out on May 22, 2012 by Movie Score Media. Audio clips are available on iTunes. A Royal Affair is directed by Nicolaj Arcel (King’s Game, screenwriter of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and stars Mads Mikkelsen and Alicia Vikander as Caroline Mathilda. The Zentropa production is set in the early 1770’s and centers on the affair between Chr. VII’s German physician, Johan Struensee, and the English born queen of Denmark, Caroline Mathilda. The drama premiered at this year’s Berlin Film Festival and has already been released in several European markets. Read the rest of this entry »

David Buckley has signed on to score the upcoming thriller Parker. The film is directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte and Michael Chicklis. The movie is based on a book series by Donald Westlake (The Grifters) and revolves around an honorable thief (played by Statham), which is the same character that has previously been portrayed by Mel Gibson in Brian Helgeland’s Payback. John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) has written the screenplay and Hackford is producing the Sierra/Affinity, Incentive Filmed Entertainment and Sidney Kimmel Production with Steven Chasman, Les Alexander (Transporter series, The Bank Job), Sidney Kimmel (The Lincoln Lawyer, Lars and the Real Girl) and Jonathan Mitchell. Read the rest of this entry »

Pale Blue Records will be releasing a soundtrack album for Xavier Gens’ sci-fi thriller The Divide. The album features the film’s original music composed by Jean Pierre Taieb. The soundtrack is set to be released digitally on June 3, 2012 and will be available to download on Amazon. Audio clips from all tracks on the release can be checked out after the jump. The Divide directed by Gens (Hitman) and starring Michael Biehn, Lauren German, Rosanna Arquette and Milo Ventimiglia follows nine tenants of a New York high rise apartment who escape a nuclear attack by hiding out in the building’s bunker-like basement. The post-apocalyptic thriller was released in theaters earlier this year and is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD. Read the rest of this entry »

Lyle Workman has announced on Twitter that he will be scoring the upcoming magician comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. The film is directed by Don Scardino (30 Rock) and features an all-star cast including Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini and Brad Garrett. The movie is set in the world of rival Las Vegas magicians and follows a traditional magic man who is dethroned by a hipper illusionist and then must find a way to rediscover his love for magic. John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (Horrible Bosses) have written the screenplay based on a story by Chad Kultgen. Carell is also producing the New Line Cinema production with Chris Bender (American Pie, A History of Violence), Tyler Mitchell (Lucky Number Slevin) and  J. C. Spink (The Butterfly Effect). Read the rest of this entry »

Varese Sarabande has announced a soundtrack album for Blue Sky Animation’s Ice Age : Continental Drift. The album features the original music from the film composed by John Powell. The movie marks Powell’s third score for the Ice Age series following 2006’s The Meltdown and 2009’s Dawn of the Dinosaur. The soundtrack will be released on July 10, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. The album details are expected to be announced within the next month. The label has previously released the other scores for the franchise, including David Newman’s music from the original film. Ice Age: Continental Drift is directed by Steve Martino & Mike Thurmeier and features the voice talent of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah, as well as Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Jennifer Lopez, Peter Dinklage, Wanda Sykes, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Drake, Josh Gad, Alan Tudyk, Nick Frost, and Joy Behar. 20th Century Fox will release the film on July 13. Read the rest of this entry »