Mark Isham is scoring the upcoming TNT original series L.A. Noir. The show created by Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) and based on on the book L.A. Noir: The Struggle For The Soul Of America’s Most Seductive City by John Buntin chronicles the battle between Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker and mobster Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of LA.s criminal world during the 1940’s & 1950’s. The series stars Jon Berthnal, Jeffrey DeMunn, Jeremy Strong, Neal McDonough, Milo Ventimiglia, Ron Rifkin, Pihla Viitala and Alexa Davalos. Darabont who has previously collaborated with Isham on the feature films The Mist and The Majestic directed the pilot episode and is executive producing the project with Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Elliott Webb (Tall Time Tales).
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‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Soundtrack Details
WaterTower Music has announced the details of the soundtrack albums for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The albums feature the film’s music composed and conducted by Howard Shore, which was recorded at Abbey Road Studios by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Also included is the original song Song of the Lonely Mountain written and performed by Neil Finn (Crowded House). The soundtrack will be released in a 2 CD Standard and 2CD Deluxe version. Visit Amazon to pre-order the standard version and click here to order the deluxe version. Check back on this site for audio clips. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Graham McTavish, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm and Elijah Wood will be released nationwide on December 14, 2012.
Video Game Soundtrack Roundup (November 2012)
A couple of soundtracks for major video game titles have recently been announced:
Available now from Ubisoft Music is the soundtrack album for Assassin’s Creed III. The album features the game’s music composed by Lorne Balfe (Megamind, The Dilemma) who previously co-scored last year’s Assassin’s Creed: Revelations with Jesper Kyd. The soundtrack is now available to download on Amazon. Audio clips are available after the jump. Assassin’s Creed III has just been released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 earlier this week and a Wii and Microsoft Windows version is coming out in November. To learn more about the fifth title in the Assassin’s Creed series, visit the official game website.
Ilan Eshkeri to Score ‘I Give It a Year’
Ilan Eshkeri has signed on to score the upcoming romantic comedy I Give It a Year. The film marks the directorial debut of Dan Mazer who is best known for his collaborations with Sacha Baron Cohen as a writer/producer of Borat, The Dictator, Bruno and Ali G Indahouse. The comedy starring Rose Byrne, Anna Faris, Simon Baker, Rafe Spall, Minnie Driver and Jason Flemyng follows a mismatched couple as they struggle to survive their first year of marriage. Mazer has also written the screenplay and Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner (Atonement, Love Actually) are producing the Working Title Films and StudioCanal production with Kris Thykier (Kick-Ass, The Debt). Eshkeri has previously scored last year’s comedy Johnny English Reborn for Working Title.
‘Call of Duty: Black Ops II’ Soundtrack Announced
Activision will release a soundtrack album for the first-person shooter game Call of Duty: Black Ops II. The album includes the main theme composed by Trent Reznor (The Social Network), as well as more than 2 hours of the game’s score composed by Jack Wall (Mass Effect, Myst III & IV). The soundtrack will be released digitally on November 13, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Audio clips, as well as a video featuring footage from the recording sessions at Abbey Road Studios in London (via IGN) are available after the jump. Call of Duty: Black Ops II is the ninth title in the Call of Duty series and the sequel to 2010’s Black Ops game (scored by Sean Murray and Kevin Sherwood). The video game will be released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows on November 13, 2012.
David Wittman Scoring ‘Empire State’
David Wittman is currently scoring the upcoming heist drama Empire State. The film is directed by Dito Montiel and stars Liam Hemsworth, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts, Nikki Reed, Chris Diamantopoulos, Michael Angarano, Jerry Ferrara, Paul Ben-Victor, Shenae Grimes and Greg Vrotsos. The movie is set in the 80s and follows two childhood friends from Astoria, N.Y., who plan to rob an armored car depository. Adam Mazer (Breach, You Don’t Know Jack) has written the screenplay and Randall Emmett & George Furla (16 Blocks, Rambo) are producing the Emmett/Furla Films with Sandy Kyrkostas. Wittman has previously co-scored Montiel’s other three features A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, Fighting and The Son of No One with Jonathan Elias. Empire State is expected to be released in 2013 by Lionsgate.
Emily Wells’ Original Song ‘Becomes the Color’ from ‘Stoker’ Released
Milan Records has released the original song Becomes the Color performed by violinist/singer Emily Wells from the psychological thriller Stoker. The one-track single is now available to download on Amazon. Listen to the full track after the jump. As previously reported, the label will release a soundtrack album for the film featuring Wells’ song, as well as Clint Mansell’s score and additional music by Philip Glass on February 26, 2013. Stoker directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney and Jacki Weaver will be released on March 1, 2013 by Fox Searchlight.
Aaron Zigman Scoring ‘Escape from Planet Earth’
Aaron Zigman is scoring the upcoming animated 3D family comedy Escape From Planet Earth. The film is directed by Cal Brunker and features the voice talent of Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry, James Gandolfini and Craig Robinson. The movie is set on the planet Baab, where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova is a national hero to the blue alien population. Brunker has written the script with Bob Barlen based on a screenplay by Tony Leech & Cory Edwards (Hoodwinked!). Luke Carroll and Catherine Winder (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) are producing the Rainmaker Entertainment production and Harvey and Bob Weinstein are executive producing.
‘California Solo’ Soundtrack Details
The details of the soundtrack album for the indie drama California Solo have been revealed. The album features the film’s title song California Solo written by Adam Franklin and performed by actor Robert Carlyle, as well as the movie’s original score composed by T. Griffin. The soundtrack will be released digitally on November 1, 2012 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Audio clips are available after the jump. California Solo is written and directed by Marshall Levy and stars Carlyle as a Britpop ex-rocker who now works on a farm, gets caught driving drunk and faces deportation after living in Los Angeles for many years. Alexia Rasmussen, Kathleen Wilhoite, A Martinez, Michael Des Barres and Danny Masterson are co-starring in the movie, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Rupert Gregson-Williams to Score ‘Grown Ups 2’
Rupert Gregson-Williams has been hired to score the upcoming comedy sequel Grown Ups 2. The film is directed by Dennis Dugan (Big Daddy, Just Go With It) who directed the first installment and reunites cast members Alan Sandler, Kevin James, David Spade, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph and Maria Bello. They are joined by Taylor Lautner, David Henrie, Oliver Cooper, Nick Swardson and Cheri Oteri. Sandler is producing the Happy Madison Productions film with Jack Giarraputo (50 First Dates, Anger Management). Gregson-Williams has previously written the music for the 2010 original film about a group of childhood friends who reunite as adults after their high school basketball coach dies.