Apple TV announced today that Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie is writing original songs for the upcoming animated feature Little Santa. The film directed by Peter Baynton (The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland) and is based on the popular children’s book of the same title by author and illustrator Jon Agee. The movie follows young Santa Claus on an Oz-like trek through the North Pole, meeting and inspiring the offbeat friends who will create Christmas and remind the world to believe.
Tag: Bret McKenzie
‘Plankton: The Movie’ Soundtrack Album Details
Lakeshore Records will release album for the Netflix animated film Plankton: The Movie. The album features the film’s original songs written by Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Princess Chelsea, Mark Mothersbaugh & Bob Mothersbaugh. Also included are several tracks from the movie’s original score composed by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (Shadow in the Cloud, Housebound, The Legend of Baron To’a). The soundtrack will be released digitally tomorrow, March 7 and will be available to stream/download on all major digital music services, including Amazon. Also listen to several of the songs and the first score track below. Plankton: The Movie is directed by Dave Needham and stars Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Carolyn Lawrence, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown and Rodger Bumpass. The Nickelodeon Movies production follows the title character whose tangled love story with his sentient computer wife goes sideways when she takes a stand and decides to destroy the world without him.
Netflix’s ‘Plankton: The Movie’ to Feature Score by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper and Songs by Bret McKenzie, Linda Perry, Mark & Bob Mothersbaugh
Netflix announced today that Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (Shadow in the Cloud, The Legend of Baron To’a, Housebound) has been tapped to score the upcoming animated feature Plankton: The Movie. The film is directed by Dave Needham (The Loud House Movie) and features the voices of Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Tom Kenny, Carolyn Lawrence, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown and Rodger Bumpass. Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords, The Muppets), Linda Perry (of 4 Non Blondes) and Mark Mothersbaugh (Thor: Ragnarok, The LEGO Movie) & Bob Mothersbaugh (Rugrats, 200 Cigarettes) are writing original songs for the movie, which is based on the series SpongeBob SquarePants characters created by Stephen Hillenburg and follows Plankton whose world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted.
‘Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You)’ from ‘The Simpsons’ Episode ‘Panic on the Streets of Springfield’ Released
Hollywood Records has released the original song Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You) from The Simpsons episode Panic on the Streets of Springfield. The track is written by episode writer Tim Long and Academy Award winner Bret McKenzie (The Muppets, Flight of the Conchords) and performed by Quilloughby with Lisa Simpson. Visit Amazon or any other digital music service to stream/download the song. Also check out the official music video and listen to the full track after the jump. Panic on the Streets of Springfield follows Lisa as she becomes obsessed with an imaginary friend, a depressed British singer from the 1980s (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).
Bret McKenzie to Develop New Film Adaptation of ‘Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas’
Variety is reporting that Flight of the Conchords member Bret McKenzie is writing the script and will compose the music for a new movie adaptation of the classic ABC special Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. The movie produced by the Jim Henson Company, Pacific Electric Picture Company and Snoot Entertainment follows a poor otter family who risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas. The 1977 ABC special, which was based on the children’s book of the same name by Russell Hoban, featured original songs by Paul Williams.
‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’ to Feature Original Song by Bret McKenzie
Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie has composed an original song for James Bobin’s family adventure Dora and the Lost City of Gold. The comedian, actor, producer and songwriter wrote a musical number (Hooray! We Did It) for the movie’s end titles sequence that is performed (on screen) by cast members including Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Jeff Wahlberg, Nicholas Coombe and Madeleine Madden. Paramount Music will release a soundtrack album for the movie next month.
Bret McKenzie to Write Songs for Disney’s ‘Bob the Musical’
Bret McKenzie has been tapped to write original songs for Disney’s upcoming musical comedy Bob the Musical. The film is set to be directed by Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Tom Cruise is in talks to star in the movie a regular guy who, after a blow to the head, suddenly can hear the inner songs of everyone’s heart as his reality is instantly turned into a musical, much to his dismay. Michael Chabon (Wonder Boys, John Carter) is writing the screenplay and Tripp Vinson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose), Chris Bender (We’re the Millers), JC Spink (The Butterfly Effect) and Beau Flynn (San Andreas) are producing the project.
‘Muppets Most Wanted’ Soundtrack Details
Walt Disney Records will release the official soundtrack album for the family movie sequel Muppets Most Wanted. The album features the film’s original songs written by Bret McKenzie performed by the movie’s cast, as well as a number of demos. Also included is a suite from the film’s original score composed by Christophe Beck (Frozen, The Hangover) who previously scored 2011’s original movie. The soundtrack will be released on March 18, 2014 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Muppets Most Wanted is directed by James Bobin and stars the Muppets characters including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, as well as Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey. The movie takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper.
Bret McKenzie to Write New Songs for ‘The Muppets 2’
Producer Todd Lieberman has revealed in an interview with Collider (via The Playlist) that he will be returning to write new songs for Disney’s upcoming sequel The Muppets 2. McKenzie has written the original songs for last year’s hit reboot of the franchise and ended up winning an Academy Award for the song Man or Muppet. James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords) who directed the first part is returning to direct the sequel. He is also co-writing the script with Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall). It has recently been announced that Christoph Waltz will play an interpol agent. Lieberman is producing again with David Hoberman (The Fighter, The Proposal). No word yet on whether composer Christophe Beck will also be returning to write the score. The Muppets 2 is set to be released towards the end of 2013.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (November 25, 2011)
Three new movies opened in wide release this past Wednesday:
The film released in most theaters this Thanksgiving weekend is the new movie adaptation of The Muppets directed by James Bobin and starring Amy Adams, Jason Segel and Chris Cooper. The film’s score is written by Christophe Beck and Bret McKenzie serves as the project’s music supervisor and has also written several songs for the movie. To find out more about McKenzie’s work on the film, check out interviews in the New York Times, TWoP and The Hollywood Reporter. A soundtrack album featuring the songs from the film has been released on Walt Disney Records. To find out more about the album, visit out our previous article. No release of Beck’s score has been announced at this point. To learn more about Beck’s contributions to the film, check out an article in Variety.
Also opening wide is the family movie Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Asa Butterfield, Chloe Moretz, Sascha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone and Christopher Lee. Howard Shore has composed the music for the film. A soundtrack album including the composer’s score has been released on his own label Howe Records last Tuesday. For more information and audio clips, visit our soundtrack announcement. Also check out Shore’s official website for an interview with the composer about his work on the film and a recent article in Variety to learn more about his latest collaboration with Scorsese.