20th Century Fox has announced this week that composer John Powell and Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes are returning to provide the music for the upcoming animated feature sequel Rio 2. The film is directed by Carlos Saldanha who directed the original 2011 film. Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jemaine Clement, will.i.am, Tracy Morgan, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto, Jake T. Austin and Jamie Foxx are returning to voice the characters from the first part and are joined by new voice talent including Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Moreno, Amandla Stenberg, Rachel Crow, Pierce Gagnon and Natalie Morales. John C. Donkin and Bruce Anderson are producing the Blue Sky Animation production. The movie will feature new Brazilian artists and original music by Janelle Monáe and The Wondaland Arts Society, who also voices a role in the film. T Read the rest of this entry »
John Powell and Sergio Mendes to Return for ‘Rio 2’
Posted: February 23, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring AssignmentsTags: John Powell, Rio 2, Sergio Mendes
Weekly Film Music Roundup (February 22, 2013)
Posted: February 23, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music NewsTags: Antonio Pinto, Bless Me Ultima, Dark Skies, Geo Hoehn, Inescapable, Joseph Bishara, Mark Kilian, Snitch
Two new movies are opening wide this weekend:
Opening in most theaters is the action thriller Snitch directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon, Jon Bernthal, Benjamin Bratt and Barry Pepper. The film’s music is composed by Antonio Pinto (City of God, Lord of War, Senna). Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack featuring the composer’s digitally earlier this week. A physical release is set to come out next month. For audio clips and the full album details, check out our soundtrack announcement.
Also opening wide is the supernatural thriller Dark Skiesdirected by Scott Stewart, produced by Jason Blum and starring Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, Dakota Goyd and J.K. Simmons. The film’s score is composed by Joseph Bishara who has previously scored the Blum-produced horror hit film Insidious. No soundtrack album has been announced yet. To learn more about the film, which is being released by Dimension Films, check out our scoring assignment announcement. Read the rest of this entry »
Oscar-Nominated Composers in Conversation
Posted: February 22, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Composer InterviewsTags: Alexandre Desplat, John Williams, Mychael Danna, Thomas Newman
John Williams was featured today in a news segment on CNN about his 48 Academy Award nominations. The five-time Oscar-winning who is up for the award this Sunday for his score for Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln talks about his nomination, his past work and his collaboration with the director. The Academy has also published short videos interviews with three of the nominated composers: first time nominee Mychael Danna who received a nod for Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, Alexandre Desplat who is nominated for his music for Ben Affleck’s Argo and Thomas Newman who received his 11th nomination for Sam Mendes’ James Bond film Skyfall. Check out all videos after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Blake Neely Scoring ‘Golden Boy’
Posted: February 22, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in TV Scoring AssignmentsTags: Blake Neely, CBS, Golden Boy, Greg Berlanti
Blake Neely has composed the score for the new CBS cop drama Golden Boy. The show is created by Nicholas Wootton (NYPD Blue, Chuck) and stars Theo James, Chi McBride, Kevin Alejandro, Bonnie Somerville, Holt McCallany and Stella Maeve. The series follows an ambitious cop who becomes the youngest police commissioner in the history of New York City. Wootton is also executive producing the show Greg Berlanti who has previously worked with Neely numerous times on such shows as Everwood, Brothers & Sisters, Political Animals and the feature film Life as We Know It. Richard Shepard (The Hunting Party, The Matador) has directed the pilot episode and also serves as a producer. Golden Boy is set to premiere on February 26, 2013 and will air every Tuesday night on CBS. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Emperor’ Soundtrack Announced
Posted: February 22, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Alex Heffes, Emperor, Peter Webber, score, Soundtrack
Lakeshore Records has announced a soundtrack release for the historical drama Emperor. The album features the film’s original music composed by Alex Heffes (The Last King of Scotland, The Rite, State of Play). The soundtrack will be released digitally on March 5, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Audio clips can be checked out after the jump. Emperor directed by Peter Webber and starring Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones and Eriko Hatsune is set in post-World War II during the American occupation of Japan. The drama follows an American general who is tasked with deciding if Emperor Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal. The movie premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and will be released on March 8, 2013 by Roadside Attractions. Read the rest of this entry »
‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’ Soundtrack Details
Posted: February 21, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Lyle Workman, score, Soundtrack, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
WaterTower Music will release a soundtrack album for the comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. The album features the film’s original score composed by Lyle Workman (The 40-Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Win Win). The soundtrack will be released digitally on March 12, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check out audio clips from all tracks on the album after the jump. The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is directed by Don Scardino and stars Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, James Gandolfini, Jay Mohr and Michael Bully Herbig. 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 must find a way to rediscover his love for magic. The comedy will be released on March 15, 2013 by Warner Bros. Pictures. Read the rest of this entry »
Trevor Morris Scoring the History Channel’s ‘Vikings’
Posted: February 21, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in TV Scoring AssignmentsTags: History Channel, Michael Hirst, Trevor Morris, Vikings
Trevor Morris is the composer of the History Channel’s upcoming drama Vikings. The show is created by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth) and stars Gabriel Byrne, George Blagde, Travis Fimmel, Jessalyn Gilsig, Gustaf Skarsgard, Clive Standen and Katheryn Winnick. The series centers on Ragnar Lothbrok, a historical figure, and the greatest hero of his age – and the sagas of Ragnar’s. Johan Renck (Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead), Ciaran Donnelly (Titanic: Blood and Steel) and Ken Girotti (Rescue Me) have directed the nine episodes of the first season. Hirst is also executive producing the World 2000 and Take 5 production with Morgan O’Sullivan of World 2000 (The Count of Monte Cristo), John Weber, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, James Flynn and Sheila Hockin. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Soundtrack Details
Posted: February 21, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music AlbumsTags: Danny Elfman, Mariah Carey, Oz: The Great and Powerful, Sam Raimi, score, Soundtrack
The full soundtrack details for the fantasy adventure Oz the Great and Powerful have been revealed. The album features the film’s original score composed by Danny Elfman. The soundtrack will be released digitally on March 5, 2013 by Walt Disney Records and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. A physical version will be released by Intrada Records. To listen to audio clips from the score, click here. As previously reported, Mariah Carey is contributing the original song Almost Home, which has just been released on Island Def Jam this past Tuesday (click here to download the track). Oz the Great and Powerful is directed by Sam Raimi and stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams and Zach Braff. The movie about the origins of L. Frank Baum’s character, the Wizard of Oz, is set to be released on March 8, 2013 by Walt Disney Pictures. Read the rest of this entry »
Alt-J to Score ‘Leave to Remain’
Posted: February 21, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Scoring AssignmentsTags: Alt-J, Bruce Goodison, Leave to Remain
The British rock band Alt-J has been tapped to score the coming-of-age drama Leave to Remain. The film is directed by Bruce Goodison (Flight 93: The Flight That Fought Back, Bin Laden: Shoot to Kill) and stars Toby Jones. The movie centers on a young Afghan boy who arrives in London and follows him and a group of friends and his fight for a right to stay in the U.K. Kate Cook is producing the project, which marks the first scoring assignment for Alt-J. The band, which is formed of Gwil Sainsbury (guitarist/bassist), Joe Newman (guitar/vocals), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards) and Thom Green (drums) was awarded with the British Mercury Prize last year for their debut album An Awesome Wave. Read the rest of this entry »
First Hollywood Film Music Concert in China
Posted: February 21, 2013 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music EventsTags: Hollywood Love Stories
This Saturday, the first Hollywood film music concert in the history of China will be held in Macau. Hollywood Love Stories – Great Romantic Film Music will be performed by the Macau Orchestra and conducted by Lü Jia. The event will be hosted by Varése Sarabande Records’ producer Robert Townson and will feature performances by U.S. flutist Sara Andon and Italian violinist Paolo Morena and music by film composers including Jerry Goldsmith, Alex North, John Williams, Dave Grusin, Bernard Herrmann, Michael Kamen, James Horner, Henry Mancini, John Barry, Georges Delerue, Patrick Doyle, Craig Armstrong and Nino Rota. The concert will take place on February 23, 2013 at the Venetian Macau Resort and Hotel, in Macau, China. To order tickets and for more information on the event, click here.
