Netflix has unveiled the voice cast and brand new images from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy) upcoming CG animated feature That Christmas.
That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.
That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.
The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The movie will debut on Netflix later this year.
That Christmas is an adaptation of the beloved children’s book series written by acclaimed BAFTA Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.
That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’s first animation project and the directorial debut of animation veteran Otto.
The film stars Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw (Ms. Trapper), Jodie Whittaker (Mrs. Williams), and Bill Nighy (Bill) as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The movie will debut on Netflix later this year.
- 3/21/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Netflix on Wednesday unveiled the voice cast of CG animated feature film That Christmas from Locksmith Animation (Ron’s Gone Wrong) and director Simon Otto’s (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). The movie will star Brian Cox as Santa, Fiona Shaw as Ms. Trapper, Jodie Whittaker as Mrs. Williams, and Bill Nighy as Bill.
They are the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The film will debut on Netflix later this year.
That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series (The Empty Stocking, Snow Day and That Christmas) written by BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday). “A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto,” Netflix said.
The film also stars Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen,...
They are the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The film will debut on Netflix later this year.
That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series (The Empty Stocking, Snow Day and That Christmas) written by BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday). “A film of firsts, it marks Curtis’ first animation project as well as the directorial debut for animation veteran Otto,” Netflix said.
The film also stars Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An A-list cast including Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy will lend their voices to That Christmas, an animated feature from Netflix penned by Richard Curtis and directed by Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy).
That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series written by Curtis. The pic also marks the directorial debut of animation vet Otto.
Cox voices Santa in the pic. Shaw is Ms. Trapper, Whittaker is Mrs. Williams, and Nighy is Bill, residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The full synopsis reads: That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys. Also starring are Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown,...
That Christmas is an adaptation of the children’s book series written by Curtis. The pic also marks the directorial debut of animation vet Otto.
Cox voices Santa in the pic. Shaw is Ms. Trapper, Whittaker is Mrs. Williams, and Nighy is Bill, residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. The full synopsis reads: That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys. Also starring are Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
That Christmas, the upcoming Netflix animation co-written and produced by Richard Curtis has revealed its stacked voice cast. More on that below.
March is coming to an end soon, so it feels only appropriate to start talking about Christmas, right? Or, at least, Christmas films.
One of this year’s buzziest titles has to be That Christmas, which we reported was in the works back in 2022. The project has since found a home at Netflix and is expected to land during the festive season this year.
The film will be directed by Simon Otto and the script is penned by Peter Souter and Richard Curtis. That seems logical, considering the film is based on Curtis’ trilogy of children’s books. Curtis is also on board as an executive producer.
As announced today by Netflix, the voice cast for the film includes Brian Cox as Santa Claus himself and he will be joined by Fiona Shaw,...
March is coming to an end soon, so it feels only appropriate to start talking about Christmas, right? Or, at least, Christmas films.
One of this year’s buzziest titles has to be That Christmas, which we reported was in the works back in 2022. The project has since found a home at Netflix and is expected to land during the festive season this year.
The film will be directed by Simon Otto and the script is penned by Peter Souter and Richard Curtis. That seems logical, considering the film is based on Curtis’ trilogy of children’s books. Curtis is also on board as an executive producer.
As announced today by Netflix, the voice cast for the film includes Brian Cox as Santa Claus himself and he will be joined by Fiona Shaw,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Brian Cox is set to voice Santa Claus in Netflix’s upcoming festive animated feature “That Christmas.”
Due later this year, the film marks the directorial debut of animation veteran Simon Otto and comes from Locksmith Animation (“Ron’s Gone Wrong”). “That Christmas” is adapted from the children’s book series by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.
Alongside Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker and Bill Nighy have also joined the film as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. Other voice stars include Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.
‘That Christmas’
“Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was...
Due later this year, the film marks the directorial debut of animation veteran Simon Otto and comes from Locksmith Animation (“Ron’s Gone Wrong”). “That Christmas” is adapted from the children’s book series by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated writer and director Richard Curtis.
Alongside Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker and Bill Nighy have also joined the film as the residents of a charming seaside town where things turn upside down one Christmas. Other voice stars include Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot and Rhys Darby.
‘That Christmas’
“Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was...
- 3/20/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Gkids will bring the 1997 animated feature “End of Evangelion” to select theaters for event screenings on March 17 and 20, marking the first time the film has been shown in theaters in North America. It will screen in Japanese with English subtitles.
Created by Hideaki Anno, the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” TV series has become a global phenomenon since its 1995 premiere in Japan.
The “End of Evangelion” movie was created as an alternative ending to the TV series, remaking the final two episodes.
Gkids released the original 26 episode TV series in 2022, as well as the films “Evangelion: Death (True)2 and “The End of Evangelion” on Blu-ray and digital download in North America. Gkids also released the final installment of the new theatrical editions of the Evangelion franchise, “Evangelion:3.0+ Thrice Upon a Time,” in theaters and on Blu-ray and digital download.
‘Poor Things,’ ‘The Last of Us’ Among ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards Nominees
The American Society of Composers,...
Created by Hideaki Anno, the “Neon Genesis Evangelion” TV series has become a global phenomenon since its 1995 premiere in Japan.
The “End of Evangelion” movie was created as an alternative ending to the TV series, remaking the final two episodes.
Gkids released the original 26 episode TV series in 2022, as well as the films “Evangelion: Death (True)2 and “The End of Evangelion” on Blu-ray and digital download in North America. Gkids also released the final installment of the new theatrical editions of the Evangelion franchise, “Evangelion:3.0+ Thrice Upon a Time,” in theaters and on Blu-ray and digital download.
‘Poor Things,’ ‘The Last of Us’ Among ASCAP Composers’ Choice Awards Nominees
The American Society of Composers,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay, Caroline Brew and Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell won the award for Original Song for a Comedy or Musical for their Oscar-nominated “Barbie” tune “What Was I Made For?” while past Academy Award winner and 2024 nominee Ludwig Göransson took home the Original Score for a Studio Film honor for “Oppenheimer” to pace the Society of Composers & Lyricists Scl Awards tonight at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles in a ceremony hosted by singer-songwriter Siedah Garrett.
Also picking up trophies were Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro for Original Song for a Drama or Documentary for their tune “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” while John Powell was awarded the prize for Original Score for an Independent Film for scoring the documentary feature “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
SEE5th Annual Scl Awards Nominations: Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Lenny Kravitz among contenders [Full List]
Director...
Also picking up trophies were Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro for Original Song for a Drama or Documentary for their tune “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” while John Powell was awarded the prize for Original Score for an Independent Film for scoring the documentary feature “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.”
SEE5th Annual Scl Awards Nominations: Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Lenny Kravitz among contenders [Full List]
Director...
- 2/14/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Billie Eilish and her brother and songwriting partner Finneas took home best original song for a comedy at the 2024 Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards on Tuesday. Olivia Rodrigo, Ludwig Göransson, Nicholas Britell and John Powell were among other winners.
Eilish and Finneas won the award for their hit Barbie track “What Was I Made For,” less than two weeks after winning a Grammy for the same song, which is also nominated for an Oscar. It beat its fellow Barbie song “I’m Just Ken” Flamin’ Hot‘s “The Fire Inside,” The L Word: Generation Q’s “All About Me” and Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s “Peaches.”
Rodrigo and music producer Dan Nigro took home the award for best original song for a drama or documentary for her viral “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. She beat songs from American Symphony,...
Eilish and Finneas won the award for their hit Barbie track “What Was I Made For,” less than two weeks after winning a Grammy for the same song, which is also nominated for an Oscar. It beat its fellow Barbie song “I’m Just Ken” Flamin’ Hot‘s “The Fire Inside,” The L Word: Generation Q’s “All About Me” and Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s “Peaches.”
Rodrigo and music producer Dan Nigro took home the award for best original song for a drama or documentary for her viral “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. She beat songs from American Symphony,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oppenheimer‘s Ludwig Göransson won the marquee film prize at the Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards, which were handed out Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The Black Panther Academy Award winner took Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film and also is nominated for the Original Score Oscar next month.
Hitmakers Billie Eilish & Finneas and Olivia Rodrigo scooped Original Song statuettes for their respective tunes from Barbie and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The Barbie track won Song of the Year at the Grammys this month and a Golden Globe in January and is up for Best Song at the 96th Oscars on March 10.
Still: A Michael J. Fox composer John Powell won Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film.
The TV prizes went to Nicholas Britell for Succession and Carlos Rafael Rivera for Lessons in Chemistry.
Related: Martin Scorsese On Death Of “Confidante, Collaborator, Advisor...
Hitmakers Billie Eilish & Finneas and Olivia Rodrigo scooped Original Song statuettes for their respective tunes from Barbie and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The Barbie track won Song of the Year at the Grammys this month and a Golden Globe in January and is up for Best Song at the 96th Oscars on March 10.
Still: A Michael J. Fox composer John Powell won Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film.
The TV prizes went to Nicholas Britell for Succession and Carlos Rafael Rivera for Lessons in Chemistry.
Related: Martin Scorsese On Death Of “Confidante, Collaborator, Advisor...
- 2/14/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Billie Eilish, Finneas, Ludwig Göransson and Nicholas Britell were among the winners Tuesday evening at the 5th annual Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards.
Eilish and Finneas took home the award for outstanding original song for a comedy or musical for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie.” The win continued their sweep of the season from the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.
Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro won outstanding original song for a drama or documentary for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Britell took home the prize for outstanding original score for a television production for “Succession.”
Göransson, who was honored with Variety’s Artisans Award in Santa Barbara this past weekend, won outstanding original score for a studio film for “Oppenheimer.” John Powell won outstanding original score for an independent film, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” and Stephen Barton...
Eilish and Finneas took home the award for outstanding original song for a comedy or musical for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie.” The win continued their sweep of the season from the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards.
Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro won outstanding original song for a drama or documentary for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Britell took home the prize for outstanding original score for a television production for “Succession.”
Göransson, who was honored with Variety’s Artisans Award in Santa Barbara this past weekend, won outstanding original score for a studio film for “Oppenheimer.” John Powell won outstanding original score for an independent film, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” and Stephen Barton...
- 2/14/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay and Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety Film + TV
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie is in hot pursuit of an Oscar nomination, but in the meantime the documentary about the beloved Hollywood star has picked up major awards at the Emmys.
The film directed by Davis Guggenheim won Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special on Sunday on the second night of the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony in Los Angeles. Guggenheim also won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program; the film’s picture editor, Michael Harte, was honored for his work and composer John Powell won for his score for Still.
The film came into the night with a leading seven nominations — the most of any nonfiction contender — and picked up wins in four of those seven categories.
Davis Guggenheim at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live on January 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
In late December, Still: A Michael J.
The film directed by Davis Guggenheim won Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special on Sunday on the second night of the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony in Los Angeles. Guggenheim also won Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program; the film’s picture editor, Michael Harte, was honored for his work and composer John Powell won for his score for Still.
The film came into the night with a leading seven nominations — the most of any nonfiction contender — and picked up wins in four of those seven categories.
Davis Guggenheim at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live on January 7, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
In late December, Still: A Michael J.
- 1/8/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lenny Kravitz, Diane Warren and Jon Batiste are among the nominees announced Thursday morning for the Fifth Annual Scl Awards from the Society of Composers & Lyricists honoring scores and songs in visual media. The five music titans were all nominated in the Best Song categories for Drama/Documentary or Comedy/Musical, Eilish with her brother Finneas for their tune “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” Rodrigo along with Dan Nigro for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: Ball of Songbirds and Snakes,” Kravitz for “Road to Freedom” from “Rustin,” Warren for “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot” and Batiste along with Dan Wilson for “It Never Went Away” from “American Symphony.”
Rounding out the Drama/Documentary nominees are Nicholas Britell and Laura Stinson for “Slip Away” from “Carmen” along with Sharon Farber and Noah Benshea for “Better Times” from “Jacob the Baker.
Rounding out the Drama/Documentary nominees are Nicholas Britell and Laura Stinson for “Slip Away” from “Carmen” along with Sharon Farber and Noah Benshea for “Better Times” from “Jacob the Baker.
- 12/22/2023
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
The Society of Composers and Lyricists (Scl) has announced the nominees for the 2024 Scl Awards, including songwriters Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lenny Kravitz, Diane Warren, and Jon Batiste, all who earned spots on the Academy Awards shortlist for Best Original Song.
Also among the dual nominees are composers Anthony Willis for Saltburn, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for Barbie, Laura Karpman for American Fiction, the late Robbie Robertson for Killers of the Flower Moon, and Mica Levi for The Zone of Interest.
The awards will be presented on February 13, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Other categories still to be announced include the Spirit of Collaboration Award which honors the long relationship between a composer and a director.
The Society of Composers & Lyricists is for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and songwriters. The 78-year-old organization is focused on education and addressing the creative, technological...
Also among the dual nominees are composers Anthony Willis for Saltburn, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for Barbie, Laura Karpman for American Fiction, the late Robbie Robertson for Killers of the Flower Moon, and Mica Levi for The Zone of Interest.
The awards will be presented on February 13, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Other categories still to be announced include the Spirit of Collaboration Award which honors the long relationship between a composer and a director.
The Society of Composers & Lyricists is for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and songwriters. The 78-year-old organization is focused on education and addressing the creative, technological...
- 12/22/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Chris Meledandri’s Illumination animation house has had a boatload of hits from Despicable Me and Minions to 2023’s global smash The Super Mario Bros Movie. But in between, this underrated (in terms of awards) producer of delightful and genuinely funny toons creates new franchises by embracing originals such as The Secret Life of Pets and Sing, winners both in my book. Now, just in time for the holidays, comes Migration, about a family of ducks on the adventure of a lifetime. It is the kind of animated entertainment that all ages will find something to like, and in terms of the creative talent involved, it is a breath of fresh air in the genre.
Migration has a screenplay by none other than The White Lotus Emmy winner Mike White, who also gets credit for developing the original story with French animation director Benjamin Renner. The latter did the wonderful...
Migration has a screenplay by none other than The White Lotus Emmy winner Mike White, who also gets credit for developing the original story with French animation director Benjamin Renner. The latter did the wonderful...
- 12/20/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
When a composer gets hired to score a movie or a show, what is step one? Do they read the entire script, page by page? Or do they start writing music based on images or ideas? These are just some of the topics discussed by three top composers when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2023 / 2024 awards contenders: John Powell for “Migration,” Branford Marsalis for “Rustin” and Daniel Pemberton for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”
Watch our fascinating group roundtable panel above, and click on each name to view the contender’s individual interview.
SEE2024 Oscar contenders: Exclusive interviews
Powell tells us that he “used to think it was a great idea to read the script” — that is, until one time when he “came up with a whole bunch of brilliant ideas for the script and then saw the film, which was completely f***ing different.
Watch our fascinating group roundtable panel above, and click on each name to view the contender’s individual interview.
SEE2024 Oscar contenders: Exclusive interviews
Powell tells us that he “used to think it was a great idea to read the script” — that is, until one time when he “came up with a whole bunch of brilliant ideas for the script and then saw the film, which was completely f***ing different.
- 12/8/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
A broad range of titles, animation styles and plenty of music define this season’s animated feature race, with some expected contenders still to debut.
For instance, as the studio celebrates its centennial, Walt Disney Animation Studios hopes to grab one of the five nomination slots with its Nov. 22 musical Wish, which tells the story of how Disney’s wishing star came to be. Its voice cast is led by Ariana DeBose as young protagonist Asha and Chris Pine as villainous King Magnifico. The cast performs a collection of original songs from Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, including “This Wish,” “I’m a Star” and “This Is the Thanks I Get.” Oscar winner Chris Buck (Frozen) and Fawn Veerasunthorn direct, and Disney Animation chief creative officer and Oscar winner Jennifer Lee is a writer and executive producer.
This title joins an already crowded field. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — the bold...
For instance, as the studio celebrates its centennial, Walt Disney Animation Studios hopes to grab one of the five nomination slots with its Nov. 22 musical Wish, which tells the story of how Disney’s wishing star came to be. Its voice cast is led by Ariana DeBose as young protagonist Asha and Chris Pine as villainous King Magnifico. The cast performs a collection of original songs from Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, including “This Wish,” “I’m a Star” and “This Is the Thanks I Get.” Oscar winner Chris Buck (Frozen) and Fawn Veerasunthorn direct, and Disney Animation chief creative officer and Oscar winner Jennifer Lee is a writer and executive producer.
This title joins an already crowded field. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse — the bold...
- 12/4/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Aardman’s flock of clay chickens is back. And so is their composer.
23 years after Chicken Run became a stop-motion smash hit, Ginger, Rocky, Babs, Mac and the rest of the coop are returning for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, landing on Netflix on Dec 15. If the music sounds similar, it’s because Harry Gregson-Williams, who composed the original score alongside John Powell, has also returned.
In the more-than-two decades since the first film, the L.A.-based Brit — who has worked closely with Hans Zimmer for much of his career — has scored dozens of major titles for filmmakers including Ridley Scott, Joel Schumacher, Ben Affleck and Antoine Fuqua. Alongside movies such as Shrek 1, 2 and 3, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Kingdom of Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia, Prometheus, The Martian, The Meg and House of Gucci, the music man has also ventured back to Aardman for the...
23 years after Chicken Run became a stop-motion smash hit, Ginger, Rocky, Babs, Mac and the rest of the coop are returning for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, landing on Netflix on Dec 15. If the music sounds similar, it’s because Harry Gregson-Williams, who composed the original score alongside John Powell, has also returned.
In the more-than-two decades since the first film, the L.A.-based Brit — who has worked closely with Hans Zimmer for much of his career — has scored dozens of major titles for filmmakers including Ridley Scott, Joel Schumacher, Ben Affleck and Antoine Fuqua. Alongside movies such as Shrek 1, 2 and 3, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Kingdom of Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia, Prometheus, The Martian, The Meg and House of Gucci, the music man has also ventured back to Aardman for the...
- 12/1/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Illumination’s upcoming film Migration is a comedy about a family of ducks trying to fly from New York to Jamaica. Writer-director Benjamin Renner makes his 3D animation debut, and John Powell wrote the score for his film. Renner told the audience Saturday at Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles event that Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri assured him he could pick up 3D animation on the job.
“When I do 2D, basically I have a blank page,” Renner said. “I start to draw lines. I stop as soon as what I want to express is there on paper. If I want to draw a duck, I draw three lines. Some call it minimalistic. I call it lazy.”
Renner said he found the difference between 3D and 2D is that 2D is additive, where 3D is subtractive. There are so many elements, including texture, lighting and shading, that Renner found the...
“When I do 2D, basically I have a blank page,” Renner said. “I start to draw lines. I stop as soon as what I want to express is there on paper. If I want to draw a duck, I draw three lines. Some call it minimalistic. I call it lazy.”
Renner said he found the difference between 3D and 2D is that 2D is additive, where 3D is subtractive. There are so many elements, including texture, lighting and shading, that Renner found the...
- 11/19/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
For Migration, composer John Powell was tasked with creating a theme for a reluctant hero that evolves throughout his journey. Written and directed by Benjamin Renner, Migration follows a family of ducks on a new journey. Mack (Kumail Nanjiani) is a mallard who is content with never leaving the safety of his pond, until his wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks) convinces him that their children need to see the world. Setting their sights on Jamaica, Mack takes his family on a trip south that quickly goes wrong. As they overcome new challenges and meet new friends, the family discovers they are capable of much more than they thought. As Mack’s attitude towards migrating changes throughout the film, Powell’s theme for the character became grander to match his growth.
Deadline: How does the score change as the ducks travel through New York and on their way to Jamaica?
John Powell...
Deadline: How does the score change as the ducks travel through New York and on their way to Jamaica?
John Powell...
- 11/14/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Billie Eilish and Finneas along with Lenny Kravitz and Diane Warren are among the nominees at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
Eilish and Finneas landed a nomination for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie. The song is one of three from the movie vying for Oscar consideration. Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro were nominated for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” which was just revealed as the official song of the film. Also receiving nominations for their music are Justin Timberlake, Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Metro Boomin and A$AP Rocky.
The composers nominated include Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, Ludwig Göransson, Laura Karpman, Branford Marsalis, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Daniel Pemberton, John Powell, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt and Hans Zimmer, among others.
Robbie Robertson who passed away earlier this year landed a...
Eilish and Finneas landed a nomination for “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie. The song is one of three from the movie vying for Oscar consideration. Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro were nominated for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” which was just revealed as the official song of the film. Also receiving nominations for their music are Justin Timberlake, Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Metro Boomin and A$AP Rocky.
The composers nominated include Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, Ludwig Göransson, Laura Karpman, Branford Marsalis, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Daniel Pemberton, John Powell, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt and Hans Zimmer, among others.
Robbie Robertson who passed away earlier this year landed a...
- 11/2/2023
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
The Hollywood Music in Media Awards (Hmma) today announced the 2023 nominees for scores and songs in film and other visual media categories. The awards will be presented Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 8:00 p.m. (Pst) at The Avalon, 1735 Vine Street, in Hollywood, CA.
Song nominees include Oscar-winners Billie Eilish and Finneas for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie, Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from Hunger Games: The Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes. Justin Timberlake, Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lenny Kravitz, Diane Warren, Metro Boomin, and A$AP Rocky also received nods for their original songs in films.
Composers nominated include Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, Ludwig Göransson, Laura Karpman, Branford Marsalis, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Daniel Pemberton, John Powell, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Robbie Robertson, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, Hans Zimmer (The Creator), among many others.
Films nominated in score, song, onscreen performance, and in...
Song nominees include Oscar-winners Billie Eilish and Finneas for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie, Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro for “Can’t Catch Me Now” from Hunger Games: The Ballard of Songbirds & Snakes. Justin Timberlake, Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lenny Kravitz, Diane Warren, Metro Boomin, and A$AP Rocky also received nods for their original songs in films.
Composers nominated include Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino, Ludwig Göransson, Laura Karpman, Branford Marsalis, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Daniel Pemberton, John Powell, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Robbie Robertson, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, Hans Zimmer (The Creator), among many others.
Films nominated in score, song, onscreen performance, and in...
- 11/2/2023
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“A lot of what we do as directors is just putting out fires,” said “Ted Lasso” director Declan Lowney. Whether those are unavoidable or self-made fires, the directors at Variety’s Creative Collaborations: Directors on Directors panel all agreed that their shows and films faced serious challenges — but that didn’t stop their projects from earning Emmy nominations.
Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton of “Fleishman is in Trouble,” Peter Hoar of “The Last of Us,” Lowney of “Ted Lasso,” Glenn Weiss of “The Oscars” and Davis Guggenheim of “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” joined Variety’s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay for a conversation about their recent projects and the unexpected complications that came with them.
Preparing for a live show as big as the Oscars takes serious planning, starting as early as the day nominations come out and running all the way up to the final week before the show.
Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton of “Fleishman is in Trouble,” Peter Hoar of “The Last of Us,” Lowney of “Ted Lasso,” Glenn Weiss of “The Oscars” and Davis Guggenheim of “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” joined Variety’s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay for a conversation about their recent projects and the unexpected complications that came with them.
Preparing for a live show as big as the Oscars takes serious planning, starting as early as the day nominations come out and running all the way up to the final week before the show.
- 8/9/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re looking for something new to watch on Amazon Prime Video, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up some of the best new movies streaming on Prime Video this month, from fairly new releases that are now available to watch at home to recent classics to older films that actually have a connection to the Barbenheimer craze that’s taken hold. There’s a little something for everyone, including a tremendous family film that kids and parents alike will adore.
Check out our picks for some of the best new movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video in July below.
“Knock at the Cabin” Universal Pictures
After first streaming on Peacock, M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Knock at the Cabin” comes to Prime Video this month. The story follows a married couple (played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and their daughter as they vacation...
Check out our picks for some of the best new movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video in July below.
“Knock at the Cabin” Universal Pictures
After first streaming on Peacock, M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller “Knock at the Cabin” comes to Prime Video this month. The story follows a married couple (played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and their daughter as they vacation...
- 7/30/2023
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Over his career Michael J. Fox has won five Emmys, and now an acclaimed documentary about him could win a bunch more.
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie from Apple TV+ earned seven nominations this morning, the most of any nonfiction film or series. It was recognized in the marquee category of Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, as well as Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction for Davis Guggenheim – the Oscar-winning director of An Inconvenient Truth. The feature doc also scored nominations for cinematography, picture editing, sound editing, sound mixing and music for John Powell’s score.
Michael J. Fox on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’
The documentary examines Fox’s improbable rise from Canada to the heights of Hollywood fame, first on TV in Family Ties and later in films including the immensely successful Back to the Future franchise. And it chronicles his long struggle with debilitating Parkinson’s disease,...
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie from Apple TV+ earned seven nominations this morning, the most of any nonfiction film or series. It was recognized in the marquee category of Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, as well as Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction for Davis Guggenheim – the Oscar-winning director of An Inconvenient Truth. The feature doc also scored nominations for cinematography, picture editing, sound editing, sound mixing and music for John Powell’s score.
Michael J. Fox on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’
The documentary examines Fox’s improbable rise from Canada to the heights of Hollywood fame, first on TV in Family Ties and later in films including the immensely successful Back to the Future franchise. And it chronicles his long struggle with debilitating Parkinson’s disease,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite all the musical superstars who entered this year’s Emmy competition, only one – Ed Sheeran – managed to score when the 75th annual Emmy Award nominations were announced Wednesday.
Sheeran was nominated (along with co-writers Max Martin and Foy Vance) for the song “A Beautiful Game” for the season 3 finale of “Ted Lasso,” one of two songs from the popular Apple TV+ series that made it into the music-and-lyrics category.
Emmy’s 550-member music peer group ignored the original songs entered by Dolly Parton, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Kid Cudi, Donald Glover and Lainey Wilson, as well as those from such Oscar-winning tunesmiths as Alan Menken, Steven Schwartz, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
Among the seven music categories, a surprising number of first-time nominees was recognized, and more than one-fourth of all the nominees in the five composition and songwriting categories are women, another positive sign of change in the Hollywood musical landscape.
Sheeran was nominated (along with co-writers Max Martin and Foy Vance) for the song “A Beautiful Game” for the season 3 finale of “Ted Lasso,” one of two songs from the popular Apple TV+ series that made it into the music-and-lyrics category.
Emmy’s 550-member music peer group ignored the original songs entered by Dolly Parton, David Byrne, Steve Martin, Kid Cudi, Donald Glover and Lainey Wilson, as well as those from such Oscar-winning tunesmiths as Alan Menken, Steven Schwartz, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.
Among the seven music categories, a surprising number of first-time nominees was recognized, and more than one-fourth of all the nominees in the five composition and songwriting categories are women, another positive sign of change in the Hollywood musical landscape.
- 7/12/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Three months from now, the Weeknd might just have an Emmy to place alongside his four Grammys and his Oscar nomination.
That’s because he joins a dozen other music superstars — including Dolly Parton, Common, Ryan Tedder, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Meshell Ndegeocello — who have entered work in this year’s Emmy competition.
Voting began yesterday in the seven music categories. Approximately 550 members of the Academy’s music branch will cast ballots, although viewing the hundreds of entries before voting ends on June 26 is an impossible task, Academy officials privately concede.
The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, is among the 19 entries in the Music Direction category. He submitted “The Weeknd Live at Sofi Stadium,” an HBO special that aired in February. If nominated, he’s likely to be up against such past winners as Adam Blackstone and Rickey Minor (“The Oscars”).
Most of the big-name performers have entered the song category...
That’s because he joins a dozen other music superstars — including Dolly Parton, Common, Ryan Tedder, “Weird Al” Yankovic and Meshell Ndegeocello — who have entered work in this year’s Emmy competition.
Voting began yesterday in the seven music categories. Approximately 550 members of the Academy’s music branch will cast ballots, although viewing the hundreds of entries before voting ends on June 26 is an impossible task, Academy officials privately concede.
The Weeknd, aka Abel Tesfaye, is among the 19 entries in the Music Direction category. He submitted “The Weeknd Live at Sofi Stadium,” an HBO special that aired in February. If nominated, he’s likely to be up against such past winners as Adam Blackstone and Rickey Minor (“The Oscars”).
Most of the big-name performers have entered the song category...
- 6/17/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
This story about “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” first appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s Emmy magazine.
Davis Guggenheim, the Oscar-winning director of “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Waiting for Superman,” has made an intimate chronicle of Michael J. Fox’s meteoric rise to TV and film stardom in the 1980s, followed by his shocking diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. In keeping with Fox’s usual approach, “Still” is light instead of ponderous, even as it delves into the inexorable progression of a disease about which Fox’s doctor told him, “You lose this one.”
How did you get involved with this movie?
It was during Covid. I was in a rut, I hadn’t had a movie that excited me in a while. And I read this interview with Michael in the New York Times. Of course he was funny, but his storytelling was so strong that I said,...
Davis Guggenheim, the Oscar-winning director of “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Waiting for Superman,” has made an intimate chronicle of Michael J. Fox’s meteoric rise to TV and film stardom in the 1980s, followed by his shocking diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease. In keeping with Fox’s usual approach, “Still” is light instead of ponderous, even as it delves into the inexorable progression of a disease about which Fox’s doctor told him, “You lose this one.”
How did you get involved with this movie?
It was during Covid. I was in a rut, I hadn’t had a movie that excited me in a while. And I read this interview with Michael in the New York Times. Of course he was funny, but his storytelling was so strong that I said,...
- 6/1/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
A film or TV series is often most effective and potent as an artform when it makes us feel, so what are the best ways that good scores elicit an emotional response in the audience? Which film or TV scores and composers are you most fond of and why? These were some of the secrets revealed by five top composers when they joined Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2023 Emmy Awards contenders: Bear McCreary (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Tom Howe (“Shrinking” and “Ted Lasso”), Stephen Barton (“Star Trek: Picard”), John Powell (“Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”) and Ingrid Michaelson (“Tiny Beautiful Things”). Watch our fascinating full group roundtable panel above, and click on each name above to view each nominee’s individual interview.
See dozens of interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“There’s only one thing you ever need to ask a filmmaker,...
See dozens of interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“There’s only one thing you ever need to ask a filmmaker,...
- 5/31/2023
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
In Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, the actor lets Davis Guggenheim inside his daily life with Parkinson’s disease. It represents the first time in the documentary space for composer John Powell, who said studying the way Fox moves led him to score the movie like a musical.
“How does he move?” Powell said during a panel at Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Television event. “I often treat action films like dance sequences. I treated every time I saw Michael moving as a dance.”
Fox is frank about how far his Parkinson’s has progressed. Guggenheim captures Fox falling down on camera, and slowing down in on-camera interviews. However, Fox’s message remains hopeful, and that was important to both Guggenheim and Powell.
“I think that’s why Davis wanted me,” Powell said. “He didn’t want it to sound dour. He didn’t want it to sound like Parkinson’s.
“How does he move?” Powell said during a panel at Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Television event. “I often treat action films like dance sequences. I treated every time I saw Michael moving as a dance.”
Fox is frank about how far his Parkinson’s has progressed. Guggenheim captures Fox falling down on camera, and slowing down in on-camera interviews. However, Fox’s message remains hopeful, and that was important to both Guggenheim and Powell.
“I think that’s why Davis wanted me,” Powell said. “He didn’t want it to sound dour. He didn’t want it to sound like Parkinson’s.
- 5/11/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
Awards-contending composers and songwriters were on hand Tuesday in Los Angeles for Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Television event, which showcased the music from buzzy awards-season titles.
The Panelists were Cristobal Tapia de Veer (The White Lotus), Rachael Moore (George & Tammy), Jack Douglas and David Johansen (Personality Crisis: One Night Only), Tim Phillips (Bad Sisters), John Powell(Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie), Tom Howe (Ted Lasso/Shrinking), Stephen Barton (Star Trek: Picard), Breton Vivian and Brian Tyler (Yellowstone/1923), Siddhartha Khosla(Only Murders in the Building), Bear McCreary (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Curtis Moore and Thomas Mizer (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
Click through the gallery to see their portraits, panels and performances.
The Panelists were Cristobal Tapia de Veer (The White Lotus), Rachael Moore (George & Tammy), Jack Douglas and David Johansen (Personality Crisis: One Night Only), Tim Phillips (Bad Sisters), John Powell(Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie), Tom Howe (Ted Lasso/Shrinking), Stephen Barton (Star Trek: Picard), Breton Vivian and Brian Tyler (Yellowstone/1923), Siddhartha Khosla(Only Murders in the Building), Bear McCreary (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Curtis Moore and Thomas Mizer (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
Click through the gallery to see their portraits, panels and performances.
- 5/11/2023
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
Emile Mosseri is slated to score the new Amazon original series “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” created by Donald Glover, Hiro Murai and Francesca Sloane. The new show — which is based on Doug Liman’s 2005 film of the same title (scored by John Powell) — will star Glover himself, opposite Maya Erskine, Parker Posey and Wagner Moura.
Mosseri served as a composer of films such as “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Homecoming,” “When You Finish Saving the World,” and “Minari,” which was nominated for best original score at the Academy Awards in 2021. He was also nominated for a Grammy in the best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella category for the song “Infinite Love” from Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire.”
He’s previously worked alongside artists and composers Angel Olsen, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Dave Longstreth, Julianna Barwick and Terence Nance, among others.
Mosseri has also simultaneously announced his debut album, “Heaven Hunters,...
Mosseri served as a composer of films such as “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Homecoming,” “When You Finish Saving the World,” and “Minari,” which was nominated for best original score at the Academy Awards in 2021. He was also nominated for a Grammy in the best arrangement, instrumental or a cappella category for the song “Infinite Love” from Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire.”
He’s previously worked alongside artists and composers Angel Olsen, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Dave Longstreth, Julianna Barwick and Terence Nance, among others.
Mosseri has also simultaneously announced his debut album, “Heaven Hunters,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Thania Garcia
- Variety Film + TV
The sun never sets in the world of streaming. After a jam-packed March that saw both "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" series going head-to-head with "Ted Lasso" -- not to mention, the much-buzzed-about return of "Yellowjackets" and the final hurrah of the Shakespearean tragedy that is "Succession" — it seems April is angling to keep the party going. Between "Schmigadoon!" and "The Afterparty" coming back, "Barry" setting sail for the Grey Havens with its final season, and whatever the hell Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof have cooked up for us with "Mrs. Davis," next month won't be hurting for appointment TV.
Not about to be left in the dust by its competitors, Netflix has its own plans for April. In addition to its typical monthly smattering of non-exclusive titles, the streamer will be dropping a 30th anniversary "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" reunion special, "Once & Always," just to make all you Millennials...
Not about to be left in the dust by its competitors, Netflix has its own plans for April. In addition to its typical monthly smattering of non-exclusive titles, the streamer will be dropping a 30th anniversary "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" reunion special, "Once & Always," just to make all you Millennials...
- 3/22/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Wednesday night at the 2023 Scl Awards (Society of Composers & Lyricists), Michael Abels won the award for top studio film score for his work on “Nope,” while Ryan Lott and his experimental band Son Lux earned the statuette for Outstanding Independent Film Score for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The 4th annual gala took place at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Read on for all of the 2023 Scl Awards winners.
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was a champion along with Alexandre Desplat and Roeban Katz in the Outstanding Song for a Musical or Comedy category for the tune “Ciao Papa” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.” Also scoring a victory in a song category was the legendary Diane Warren, who became the first songwriter to receive an honorary Oscar in December. She accepted her award in Outstanding Song for a Drama or Documentary for “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman.
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro was a champion along with Alexandre Desplat and Roeban Katz in the Outstanding Song for a Musical or Comedy category for the tune “Ciao Papa” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.” Also scoring a victory in a song category was the legendary Diane Warren, who became the first songwriter to receive an honorary Oscar in December. She accepted her award in Outstanding Song for a Drama or Documentary for “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman.
- 2/16/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Diane Warren and Everything Everywhere All at Once composer Son Lux were among the Oscar nominees who won at the 2023 Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards on Wednesday night.
Warren won best original song for a drama or documentary for “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, which is also nominated for best original song at the 2023 Oscars. Son Lux’s Ryan Lott accepted the award for best score for an independent film for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Son Lux is nominated for the Oscar for best original score and Lott is a nominee for best original song for his work on “This Is a Life,” both from Everything Everywhere All at Once.
In the category of best original score for interactive media, Stephanie Economou won for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, just 10 days after her Grammy win.
Guillermo del Toro and lyricist Roeban Katz won best song...
Warren won best original song for a drama or documentary for “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman, which is also nominated for best original song at the 2023 Oscars. Son Lux’s Ryan Lott accepted the award for best score for an independent film for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Son Lux is nominated for the Oscar for best original score and Lott is a nominee for best original song for his work on “This Is a Life,” both from Everything Everywhere All at Once.
In the category of best original score for interactive media, Stephanie Economou won for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök, just 10 days after her Grammy win.
Guillermo del Toro and lyricist Roeban Katz won best song...
- 2/16/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Society of Composers & Lyricists (Scl) presented the winners of the 4th Annual Scl Awards for score and songs in visual media tonight at the Skirball Cultural Center.
The evening was hosted by Darren Criss, who also gave the audience a musical performance. Awards were presented across seven categories for music in visual media in addition to the Spirit of Collaboration Award and two Jury Awards.
The Spirit of Collaboration Award was presented to Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz and Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle. The composer and filmmaker have collaborated on five films, including Babylon, La La Land, Whiplash, the First Man, and Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. The presentation of the award was accompanied by a musical performance including “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land, the First Man theme for harp and theremin, and a Babylon Medley, including “Voodoo Mama” and “Herman’s Hustle.
The evening was hosted by Darren Criss, who also gave the audience a musical performance. Awards were presented across seven categories for music in visual media in addition to the Spirit of Collaboration Award and two Jury Awards.
The Spirit of Collaboration Award was presented to Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz and Oscar-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle. The composer and filmmaker have collaborated on five films, including Babylon, La La Land, Whiplash, the First Man, and Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench. The presentation of the award was accompanied by a musical performance including “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land, the First Man theme for harp and theremin, and a Babylon Medley, including “Voodoo Mama” and “Herman’s Hustle.
- 2/16/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
When Betty White died in late 2021, I reflected on how our collective affection for her might be the only unifying thing in an increasingly fractured culture.
But we do have Michael J. Fox.
Whether you’re like me and grew up at a time when Fox was simultaneously the biggest star in movies and on television — back when those lines were harder to cross — or you’ve followed his life in the past two decades as a public crusader for Parkinson’s research and awareness, it’s hard not to have personal investment in the Canadian actor and advocate.
Fox gets admirable and intimate documentary treatment in Apple TV+’s Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Director Davis Guggenheim is married to Fox’s ’80s co-star Elisabeth Shue, and whether that gives him a direct connection to Fox or just a direct understanding of...
But we do have Michael J. Fox.
Whether you’re like me and grew up at a time when Fox was simultaneously the biggest star in movies and on television — back when those lines were harder to cross — or you’ve followed his life in the past two decades as a public crusader for Parkinson’s research and awareness, it’s hard not to have personal investment in the Canadian actor and advocate.
Fox gets admirable and intimate documentary treatment in Apple TV+’s Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Director Davis Guggenheim is married to Fox’s ’80s co-star Elisabeth Shue, and whether that gives him a direct connection to Fox or just a direct understanding of...
- 1/20/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Which, of the 15 shortlisted original scores for 2022, will Oscar’s music branch choose as their final five nominees in the category?
It is as diverse a group as the branch has ever considered, both in terms of the composers and the nature of their music. The composers hail from seven different countries; two are women and five are people of color.
Five are past Oscar winners and five others are past Oscar nominees, although it’s the newcomers to the Oscar race who seem to be sparking the most attention in these final days before nomination voting begins Thursday.
Their music ranges from traditional orchestra to elaborate choral work, electronic sounds to experimental compositional techniques. Approximately 390 music-branch voters are eligible to vote.
A guide to the shortlist contenders:
“The Fabelmans”
Topping the list is 90-year-old John Williams, whose 29th film for director Steven Spielberg is the last in an unprecedented collaboration stretching over 50 years.
It is as diverse a group as the branch has ever considered, both in terms of the composers and the nature of their music. The composers hail from seven different countries; two are women and five are people of color.
Five are past Oscar winners and five others are past Oscar nominees, although it’s the newcomers to the Oscar race who seem to be sparking the most attention in these final days before nomination voting begins Thursday.
Their music ranges from traditional orchestra to elaborate choral work, electronic sounds to experimental compositional techniques. Approximately 390 music-branch voters are eligible to vote.
A guide to the shortlist contenders:
“The Fabelmans”
Topping the list is 90-year-old John Williams, whose 29th film for director Steven Spielberg is the last in an unprecedented collaboration stretching over 50 years.
- 1/10/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
The Society of Composers & Lyricists has unveiled its Scl Award nominees for 2023, naming composers Alexandre Desplat (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Carter Burwell (The Banshees of Inisherin), Michael Abels (Nope), Michael Giacchino (The Batman) and John Powell (Don’t Worry Darling) as its contenders for Outstanding Score for a Studio Film.
The Scl’s Musical/Comedy Song nominees are as idiosyncratic as they are starry this time around, with such veteran composers as Desplat and Danny Elfman (White Noise) nominated for Musical/Comedy song alongside Bros‘ Billy Eichner and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story‘s Weird Al Yankovic.
Entrants in the Drama/Documentary Song category include recent Honorary Oscar winner Diane Warren (Tell It Like a Woman), Taylor Swift (Where the Crawdads Sing), Lady Gaga (Top Gun: Maverick), Rihanna (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and the Oscar-winning Nine Inch Nails duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who this year penned a...
The Scl’s Musical/Comedy Song nominees are as idiosyncratic as they are starry this time around, with such veteran composers as Desplat and Danny Elfman (White Noise) nominated for Musical/Comedy song alongside Bros‘ Billy Eichner and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story‘s Weird Al Yankovic.
Entrants in the Drama/Documentary Song category include recent Honorary Oscar winner Diane Warren (Tell It Like a Woman), Taylor Swift (Where the Crawdads Sing), Lady Gaga (Top Gun: Maverick), Rihanna (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and the Oscar-winning Nine Inch Nails duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who this year penned a...
- 12/22/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The Society of Composers & Lyricists has announced the nominations for its fourth annual honors for music in films, TV and video games, with French composer Alexandre Desplat and American composer Bear McCreary each scoring double nominations.
Scl, the primary organization for professional media composers, will present its awards Feb. 15 at the Skirball Cultural Center, with singer-actor-songwriter Darren Criss as host.
Voting ended Wednesday night in seven categories, just hours after the Motion Picture Academy announced its shortlists for song and score for 2022 films. The contrast between the lists is striking, with only five score nominees and six song contenders matching those on the 15-title Oscar shortlists.
The Scl nominees for outstanding score for a studio or independent film that also made Oscar’s shortlist on Wednesday are Alexandre Desplat (“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”), Carter Burwell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Michael Abels (“Nope”), John Powell (“Don’t Worry Darling”) and Son...
Scl, the primary organization for professional media composers, will present its awards Feb. 15 at the Skirball Cultural Center, with singer-actor-songwriter Darren Criss as host.
Voting ended Wednesday night in seven categories, just hours after the Motion Picture Academy announced its shortlists for song and score for 2022 films. The contrast between the lists is striking, with only five score nominees and six song contenders matching those on the 15-title Oscar shortlists.
The Scl nominees for outstanding score for a studio or independent film that also made Oscar’s shortlist on Wednesday are Alexandre Desplat (“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”), Carter Burwell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Michael Abels (“Nope”), John Powell (“Don’t Worry Darling”) and Son...
- 12/22/2022
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Weird Al Yankovic are among the nominees announced Thursday morning for the Fourth Annual Scl Awards from the Society of Composers & Lyricists honoring scores and songs in visual media. Swift, Gaga and Rihanna were all nominated in the Outstanding Song for a Drama/Documentary category, Swift for her tune “Carolina” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Gaga along with Bloodpop for “Hold My Hand from “Top Gun: Maverick,” and Rihanna along with Tems, Ludwig Goransson and Ryan Coogler for “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Also nominated in that same category were Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their song “(You Made it Feel Like) Home” from the film “Bones and All,” and Diane Warren for “Applause” from “Tell It Like a Woman.”
Singled out for honors in the Outstanding Score for a Studio Film category are Alexandre Desplat for “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio,...
Singled out for honors in the Outstanding Score for a Studio Film category are Alexandre Desplat for “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio,...
- 12/22/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
The music from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has been nominated for awards by the Society of Composers and Lyricists, the group announced on Thursday morning.
The 4th annual Scl Awards will take place on Feb. 15, 2023 at the Skirball Cultural Center in West Los Angeles and give out awards in four film categories, as well as one category for TV and another for interactive media.
Alexandre Desplat was nominated for the score to “Pinocchio” and for co-writing the song “Ciao Papa” from that movie, making him the only two-time nominee in the film categories. Bear McCreary also received a pair of nominations, one for the TV series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and one for the interactive “God of War Ragnarok.”
Five of the...
The 4th annual Scl Awards will take place on Feb. 15, 2023 at the Skirball Cultural Center in West Los Angeles and give out awards in four film categories, as well as one category for TV and another for interactive media.
Alexandre Desplat was nominated for the score to “Pinocchio” and for co-writing the song “Ciao Papa” from that movie, making him the only two-time nominee in the film categories. Bear McCreary also received a pair of nominations, one for the TV series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and one for the interactive “God of War Ragnarok.”
Five of the...
- 12/22/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga’s film songs shortlisted for the Oscars will compete at the upcoming Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards.
Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Swift’s “Carolina” from Where The Crawdads Sing and Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick are nominated for outstanding song for a drama/documentary. The Diane Warren-penned “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman and “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” from Bones and All, written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, round out the nominees.
Billy Eichner and “Weird” Al Yankovic earned nominations for outstanding song for a musical/comedy. “Love Is Not Love” from Bros and “Now You Know” from Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will battle “Light the Match” from Central Park (Danny Elfman), “Good Afternoon” from Spirited (Khiyon Hursey, Sukari Jones, Benj Pasek,...
Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga’s film songs shortlisted for the Oscars will compete at the upcoming Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards.
Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Swift’s “Carolina” from Where The Crawdads Sing and Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick are nominated for outstanding song for a drama/documentary. The Diane Warren-penned “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman and “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” from Bones and All, written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, round out the nominees.
Billy Eichner and “Weird” Al Yankovic earned nominations for outstanding song for a musical/comedy. “Love Is Not Love” from Bros and “Now You Know” from Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will battle “Light the Match” from Central Park (Danny Elfman), “Good Afternoon” from Spirited (Khiyon Hursey, Sukari Jones, Benj Pasek,...
- 12/22/2022
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Shortlists have been revealed for the music categories for the 95th Academy Awards, and 15 semifinalists each for the Best Original Score and Best Original Song categories will compete for nominations that will be announced on Jan. 24, 2023.
As expected, the song category shortlist is chock-full of pop superstars such as Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Selena Gomez among the 15; however, last year’s Best Original Song victors Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell did not make the cut for their contribution of “Nobody Like U” to Pixar’s “Turning Red.”
Also Read:
As Holidays Arrive, Oscars Screening Room Fills Up With Everything But ‘Avatar’ and ‘Babylon’
And while she was the recipient of an honorary Oscar just this year after 13 nominations in the Best Original Song category, superstar pop songwriter Diane Warren could sneak in for No. 14 with “Applause,” her shortlisted song from the under-the-radar movie “Tell It Like a Woman.
As expected, the song category shortlist is chock-full of pop superstars such as Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Selena Gomez among the 15; however, last year’s Best Original Song victors Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell did not make the cut for their contribution of “Nobody Like U” to Pixar’s “Turning Red.”
Also Read:
As Holidays Arrive, Oscars Screening Room Fills Up With Everything But ‘Avatar’ and ‘Babylon’
And while she was the recipient of an honorary Oscar just this year after 13 nominations in the Best Original Song category, superstar pop songwriter Diane Warren could sneak in for No. 14 with “Applause,” her shortlisted song from the under-the-radar movie “Tell It Like a Woman.
- 12/21/2022
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
My roundup of the year in cinematic soundtracks is a sonic collage of emotion and sensations, mixed together with both pop and orchestral flourishes.We start off with music from Tár, Todd Field’s return to filmmaking and the story of the renowned conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic (Cate Blanchett). Hildur Guðnadóttir’s concept album features music from within the film and inspired by it, with original pieces alongside beloved works by Elgar and Mahler.Experiencing Memoria at the cinema turned my senses upside down. Here Apichatpong Weerasethakul is in full force, offering a cinematic experience of the sensory. If one were to critique a film based solely on its sonic sensibilities, Memoria achieves the highest embodiment of altered states possible through the marriage of sound and visuals. The realms of human consciousness are Apichatpong's focus and it is through sound design and music that we fall into his world.
- 12/20/2022
- MUBI
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When families settle into their seats to watch DreamWorks Animation’s latest release Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, they’ll be welcomed by a set of new yet familiar faces.
To help trumpet in its latest era, the studio is unveiling a new curtain raiser, which will make its debut nationwide during special Nov. 26 “Caturday” early screenings of the Shrek franchise sequel — ahead of its Dec. 21 theatrical release. The 32-second dream-like sequence spotlights a number of the studio’s most popular and long-running franchises in both film and TV, before settling on its classic moon shot.
“We make dreams come to life on screen, so the idea was basically that you go into the dreams of a new child. They are taking you through this dreamscape and reintroducing you to these iconic figures that we’ve created over all these years,” says production designer Kendal Cronkhite,...
When families settle into their seats to watch DreamWorks Animation’s latest release Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, they’ll be welcomed by a set of new yet familiar faces.
To help trumpet in its latest era, the studio is unveiling a new curtain raiser, which will make its debut nationwide during special Nov. 26 “Caturday” early screenings of the Shrek franchise sequel — ahead of its Dec. 21 theatrical release. The 32-second dream-like sequence spotlights a number of the studio’s most popular and long-running franchises in both film and TV, before settling on its classic moon shot.
“We make dreams come to life on screen, so the idea was basically that you go into the dreams of a new child. They are taking you through this dreamscape and reintroducing you to these iconic figures that we’ve created over all these years,” says production designer Kendal Cronkhite,...
- 11/25/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Music composer John Powell, who is known for scores of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’, some ‘Ice Age’ films and ‘The Road to El Dorado’, has scored the background for the recently released Harry Styles film ‘Don’t Worry Darling’. The composer shared that the film’s director came with a clean slate to him and the two eventually brainstormed and came up with the soundscape of the movie.
John said: “Olivia was actually looking for a brief. When I met her she was kind of looking out for the sonic textures that would make up the soundscape of her film. That was very natural because a lot of directors including Olivia haven’t worked with a music composer as such.”
Opening up on his process of approaching the music, John added: “I had watched the film without music which is my general practice for every project so when I met her,...
John said: “Olivia was actually looking for a brief. When I met her she was kind of looking out for the sonic textures that would make up the soundscape of her film. That was very natural because a lot of directors including Olivia haven’t worked with a music composer as such.”
Opening up on his process of approaching the music, John added: “I had watched the film without music which is my general practice for every project so when I met her,...
- 9/30/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
In Olivia Wilde's sophomore feature "Don't Worry Darling," we become, well, quite worried quite quickly, thanks to an incredible, heart-pumping lead performance by Florence Pugh. The actor is known at this point for her skill in these types of roles — the ones where the leading lady is desperate to escape whatever she fears her fate is — so her turn in the idyllic and uncanny thriller was primed to be excellent, no matter how the rest of the film turned out to be, and it did not disappoint. In fact, Pugh does some of her most effective and terrifying work yet in "Don't Worry Darling," thanks to its harrowing concept.
The film follows Pugh as Alice, a beautiful housewife who spends her days cooking, cleaning, and loving her too-handsome husband, Jack (Harry Styles). Their lives in the utopian 1950s style California desert community as part of a mysterious group called The Victory Project is,...
The film follows Pugh as Alice, a beautiful housewife who spends her days cooking, cleaning, and loving her too-handsome husband, Jack (Harry Styles). Their lives in the utopian 1950s style California desert community as part of a mysterious group called The Victory Project is,...
- 9/26/2022
- by Lex Briscuso
- Slash Film
Following up her 2019 directorial debut, Booksmart, with what ostensibly looks like a remake of The Stepford Wives (1975), would be a huge gamble, were Olivia Wilde not up to the challenge. The result is a moody and frighteningly poignant social commentary titled Don’t Worry Darling that somehow seems like it shouldn’t play as relevant as it unfortunately is.
As the film opens, perfect couple Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles) are introduced living in an idyllic experimental company town housing the workers (men) of a top-secret entity called the Victory Project and their families. The 1950s-era worldview espoused by Victory Project CEO Frank (Chris Pine) seems embedded in every corner of the fabricated community. While the men get down to the important business of working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives are expected to relax and enjoy the perfect life that has been created for them (after...
As the film opens, perfect couple Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles) are introduced living in an idyllic experimental company town housing the workers (men) of a top-secret entity called the Victory Project and their families. The 1950s-era worldview espoused by Victory Project CEO Frank (Chris Pine) seems embedded in every corner of the fabricated community. While the men get down to the important business of working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives are expected to relax and enjoy the perfect life that has been created for them (after...
- 9/23/2022
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
It would be easy to kick off a review of Olivia Wilde’s sophomore feature, “Don’t Worry Darling,” by toe-dipping into the world Wilde created — one that boasts some of the year’s most gorgeous craft work, from Arianne Phillips’ costumes to Katie Bryon’s production design to John Powell’s score — by tossing off something like, “In Olivia Wilde’s glittering ’50s fairy tale, set in the fictional desert idyll of Victory, all is not what it seems,” because that’s the entire point of this transparently designed cinematic nightmare.
It also would be incorrect, because everything actually is what it seems in Victory. “Don’t Worry Darling” is so clearly, so obviously not set in an idyllic ’50s community that to say the film packs a twist is not at twist at all. It’s disingenuous, easy, cheeky — much like the film itself, which starts off strong before crumbling...
It also would be incorrect, because everything actually is what it seems in Victory. “Don’t Worry Darling” is so clearly, so obviously not set in an idyllic ’50s community that to say the film packs a twist is not at twist at all. It’s disingenuous, easy, cheeky — much like the film itself, which starts off strong before crumbling...
- 9/5/2022
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
New Line Cinema’s anticipated psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling was confirmed this morning for an Out of Competition slot at the Venice Film Festival (August 31 – Sep 10) and the studio has confirmed that director Olivia Wilde and stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Gemma Chan and Chris Pine will tread the red carpet.
Wilde’s sophomore feature follows Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) who seem lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950s societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Pine)—equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach—anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia.
While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives—including Frank’s elegant partner, Shelley (Chan)—get to spend their time enjoying the beauty,...
Wilde’s sophomore feature follows Alice (Pugh) and Jack (Styles) who seem lucky to be living in the idealized community of Victory, an experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. The 1950s societal optimism espoused by their CEO, Frank (Pine)—equal parts corporate visionary and motivational life coach—anchors every aspect of daily life in the tight-knit desert utopia.
While the husbands spend every day inside the Victory Project Headquarters, working on the “development of progressive materials,” their wives—including Frank’s elegant partner, Shelley (Chan)—get to spend their time enjoying the beauty,...
- 7/26/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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