Here's what's jumping out at me so far:

01. Dunkirk ---------------------------------------------------------- Hans Zimmer
02. Mute ------------------------------------------------------------- Clint Mansell
03. Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets ------------------ Alexandre Desplat
04. Star Wars: The Last Jedi --------------------------------------- John Williams
05. Blade Runner 2049 --------------------------------------------- J�hann J�hannsson with Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch
05. The Star --------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Newman & Mark Mancina
06. Red Sparrow ---------------------------------------------------- James Newton Howard
07. War For The Planet Of The Apes ------------------------------- Michael Giacchino
08. Transformers: The Last Knight --------------------------------- Steve Jablonsky
09. Wonder Woman ------------------------------------------------- Rupert Gregson-Williams
10. Justice League -------------------------------------------------- Danny Elfman
11. Alien: Covenant ------------------------------------------------- Jed Kurzel
12. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword ----------------------------- Daniel Pemberton
13. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ----------- Geoff Zanelli
14. Darkest Hour ---------------------------------------------------- Dario Marianelli
15. The Book of Henry ---------------------------------------------- Michael Giacchino
16. Detroit ----------------------------------------------------------- James Newton Howard
17. Spider-Man: Homecoming -------------------------------------- Michael Giacchino
18. Granite Mountain Hotshots ------------------------------------- Joseph Trapanese
19. The Dark Tower ------------------------------------------------- Tom Holkenborg
20. The Mummy ----------------------------------------------------- Brian Tyler
21. The Lost City Of Z ---------------------------------------------- Christopher Spelman
22. Karenina & I ----------------------------------------------------- Michael Nyman, Philip Glass

I'm looking forward to hear what musical sorcery will come out of the Marvel-machinery this year.
If I had to rank it by what I'm most anticipated about, it would be like this:

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 by Tyler Bates and Various Artists
2. Spider-Man: Homecoming by Michael Giacchino
3. Thor: Ragnarok by Mark Mothersbaugh

It'll be interesting to see how Tyler Bates will develop the themes he created for the first movie; Michael G. creating a new Spider-Man theme and Mothersbaugh' twisted/playful take on the Thor theme(s).

I didn't realize Mark Mothersbaugh was doing "Thor: Ragnarok" -- THAT IS interesting!

Mothersbaugh's Ragnarok and Williams's Star Wars are all I care about.

I'm curious about how Powell handles Ferdinand. That's about it, I think.

I didn't realize Mark Mothersbaugh was doing "Thor: Ragnarok" -- THAT IS interesting!

Sure is! He's got this playful side to it which you may have heard on "The Lego Movie", so I can only imagine how he's approaching "Thor: Ragnarok".


I'm curious about how Powell handles Ferdinand. That's about it, I think.

I'm a fan of John Powell as well; his work on the "How to Train Your Dragon"-movies are two of my favorite scores, it really makes the movies more amazing than the story itself! It'll be interesting to see if his "Chicken Run"-flair(you know, the montage scenes?) shows up on the Ferdinand movie..

He's best at animated movies where he lets all his creativity go wild. I really wonder how the Ferdinand score will be. I am assuming it will be classical Powell with a dash of themes that will have guitars and proper spanish instruments.

My most anticipated scores of the year are:
- Hans Zimmer's "Dunkirk" (I have some fear for it, though)
- John Williams' "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
- J�hann J�hannsson's "Blade Runner 2019"
- Alexandre Desplat's "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"
- Clint Mansell & Lorne Balfe's "Ghost in the Shell" (I guess I'm the only guy that haven't seen it yet)
- Steve Jablonsky's "Transformers: The Last Knight" (though I have low espectations...)
- Rupert Gregson-Williams' "Wonder Woman"
- Junkie XL's "Justice League"
- Tyler Bates' "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2"
- Geoff Zanelli's "Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" (I'm still burned by Zimmer not scoring this, but still curious)
- Patrick Doyle's "Murder on the Orient Express"
- Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury's "Annihilation"

Maybe (I'm not interested yet, I could grow to be), Jed Kurzel's "Alien Covenant", Michael Giacchino's "Spiderman: Homecoming" and "War for the Planet of the Apes", Henry Jackman & Matthew Margeson's "Kingsman: The Golden Circle", Mark Mothersbaugh's "Thor: Ragnarok", Steven Price's "Baby Driver".

It's not a film, but a tv show, but I'm extremely excited for Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein's music for the second season of "Stranger Things".

- Hans Zimmer's "Dunkirk" (I have some fear for it, though)
No trepidation here, Zimmer has always been his boldest and most innovative for war movies and for Nolan, so I can't imagine "Dunkirk" not being another resonant revelation.


- Geoff Zanelli's "Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" (I'm still burned by Zimmer not scoring this, but still curious)
Zanelli is one of Zimmer's better proteges (miles better than more popular Remote Control alumni like Ramin Dwandji). I do wonder if they even thought to ask Klaus Badelt?



Clint Mansell for Duncan Jones' new sci-fi (blade-runner-esque) futuristic noir "Mute" is far more exciting to me than J�hann J�hannsson's "Blade Runner 2049" (where is VANGELES!!?). But J�hannsson is perhaps more intriguing .

And where is ERIC SERRA for "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"?! -- Desplat is usually so generic and paltry to me.

I am assuming it will be classical Powell with a dash of themes that will have guitars and proper spanish instruments.

Kinda like Henry Jackman's score to "Puss in Boots"?


And where is ERIC SERRA for "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"?! -- Desplat is usually so generic and paltry to me.

Couldn't agree more! Eric Serra complimented the movie with his score. Maybe he is a bit light in the tone of his music compared with Desplat, but I'm as surprised as you, seeing that the director Luc Besson has frequently collaborated with him.

Who knows, maybe Desplat will surprise us all?

No trepidation here, Zimmer has always been his boldest and most innovative for war movies and for Nolan, so I can't imagine "Dunkirk" not being another resonant revelation.


Zanelli is one of Zimmer's better proteges (miles better than more popular Remote Control alumni like Ramin Dwandji). I do wonder if they even thought to ask Klaus Badelt?



Clint Mansell for Duncan Jones' new sci-fi (blade-runner-esque) futuristic noir "Mute" is far more exciting to me than J�hann J�hannsson's "Blade Runner 2049" (where is VANGELES!!?). But J�hannsson is perhaps more intriguing .

And where is ERIC SERRA for "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"?! -- Desplat is usually so generic and paltry to me.

What makes me afraid about "Dunkirk" is that the ticking sound heard in all trailers could actually be Zimmer's score. And that ticking noise doesn't sound very inspiring. I just hope to be proven wrong!

I haven't heard anything solely composed by Geoff Zanelli yet, I know nothing about him (though, I'm positive about his skills). I know he was one of the "composers crew" of the previous films, but I don't like the idea of replacing the extremely talented captain of that crew (Zimmer) along with the entire crew with only one of that crewmembers. It's just that. I liked the idea that a wide group of composers guided by Zimmer were scoring a movie about a pirate captain and his crew :laugh:

I've shamely only heard one score from Mansell, so basically I don't know him that much to be excited for anything he does. Is "Mute" being released this year already?
I know many are angry about J�hann J�hannsson replacing Vangelis. I'm just positive about it, and prefer not to break the composer-director collaboration for any film (except when it's extremely vital to keep just the same composer of the original, see Star Wars). I liked the previous Villeneuve-J�hannsson scores, and I'm excited to hear what sounds he'll craft for this essential movie.

Eric Serra? I never paid attention to his scores (the only film scored by him I saw are the "Arthur and the Invisibles" films).

---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 PM ----------


No trepidation here, Zimmer has always been his boldest and most innovative for war movies and for Nolan, so I can't imagine "Dunkirk" not being another resonant revelation.


Zanelli is one of Zimmer's better proteges (miles better than more popular Remote Control alumni like Ramin Dwandji). I do wonder if they even thought to ask Klaus Badelt?



Clint Mansell for Duncan Jones' new sci-fi (blade-runner-esque) futuristic noir "Mute" is far more exciting to me than J�hann J�hannsson's "Blade Runner 2049" (where is VANGELES!!?). But J�hannsson is perhaps more intriguing .

And where is ERIC SERRA for "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"?! -- Desplat is usually so generic and paltry to me.

What makes me afraid about "Dunkirk" is that the ticking sound heard in all trailers could actually be Zimmer's score. And that ticking noise doesn't sound very inspiring. I just hope to be proven wrong!

I haven't heard anything solely composed by Geoff Zanelli yet, I know nothing about him (though, I'm positive about his skills). I know he was one of the "composers crew" of the previous films, but I don't like the idea of replacing the extremely talented captain of that crew (Zimmer) along with the entire crew with only one of that crewmembers. It's just that. I liked the idea that a wide group of composers guided by Zimmer were scoring a movie about a pirate captain and his crew :laugh:

I've shamely only heard one score from Mansell, so basically I don't know him that much to be excited for anything he does. Is "Mute" being released this year already?
I know many are angry about J�hann J�hannsson replacing Vangelis. I'm just positive about it, and prefer not to break the composer-director collaboration for any film (except when it's extremely vital to keep just the same composer of the original, see Star Wars). I liked the previous Villeneuve-J�hannsson scores, and I'm excited to hear what sounds he'll craft for this essential movie.

Eric Serra? I never paid attention to his scores (the only film scored by him I saw are the "Arthur and the Invisibles" films).

What makes me afraid about "Dunkirk" is that the ticking sound heard in all trailers could actually be Zimmer's score. And that ticking noise doesn't sound very inspiring. I just hope to be proven wrong!
Well Zimmer is obviously a student of people like Ennio Morricone and John Carpenter, starting off with minimalism and then continuing to build and expand into epic relish. His "Thin Red Line" score famously had a ticking element at the center of its most glorious cue ("Journey To The Line").



I haven't heard anything solely composed by Geoff Zanelli yet, I know nothing about him (though, I'm positive about his skills). I know he was one of the "composers crew" of the previous films, but I don't like the idea of replacing the extremely talented captain of that crew (Zimmer) along with the entire crew with only one of that crewmembers. It's just that. I liked the idea that a wide group of composers guided by Zimmer were scoring a movie about a pirate captain and his crew
I'm sure Zimmer is still over-seeing the new Pirates score as music supervising producer, just as he was billed for the first film that was credited to Klaus Badelt despite having its main themes written by the otherwise contractually occupied Hans.
I recommend Geoff Zanelli's score for the viking sci-fi flick "Outlander", TNT's mini-series "Into The West", or his collaborative efforts with Hans and Blake Neely on HBO's "The Pacific".


I've shamely only heard one score from Mansell, so basically I don't know him that much to be excited for anything he does. Is "Mute" being released this year already?
I know many are angry about J�hann J�hannsson replacing Vangelis. I'm just positive about it, and prefer not to break the composer-director collaboration for any film (except when it's extremely vital to keep just the same composer of the original, see Star Wars). I liked the previous Villeneuve-J�hannsson scores, and I'm excited to hear what sounds he'll craft for this essential movie.
Clint Mansell is flatout great. Check his previous effort for Duncan Jones on "Moon", Chan-Wook Park's suspense thriller "Stoker", as well as his great music for Darren Aronofsky -- particularly on "Requiem For A Dream", "The Fountain", and "Noah" -- you'll be glad you did! )
Mansell's music often employs gothic rock elements of industrial electronia, but he certainly does very beautiful orchestral compositions as well. He also did a mighty fine straight up action adventure score for the Matthew McConaughey franchise non-starter "Sahara".


Eric Serra? I never paid attention to his scores (the only film scored by him I saw are the "Arthur and the Invisibles" films).
Go watch "La Femme Nikita", "Leon: The Professional", "The Fifth Element", and "GoldenEye" IMMEDIATELY! )



The internet is your conjurer to many yet undiscovered treasures, and I thoroughly envy your chance to still encounter these wonders anew!

John Williams - Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Alexandre Desplat - Valerian
And pretty much everything James Newton Howard does this year. His score for Fantastic Beasts was my favorite score from 2016, and these days he is my movie composer, so, I'm looking forward to everything he does.

Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken

Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken

Already heard that one back in '91. ;)

I hadn't really given it much thought, but I would have to say Justice League. I thoroughly enjoyed the BvS soundtrack and look forward to seeing what Junkie XL has in store for the rest of the team.

Yesterday I watched Guy Ritchie's King Arthur... Nice movie, and the Daniel Pemberton's score plays incredibly well in it. Not sure if it's as good on a separate listen. But surely it's a pleasant surprise!

Daniel Pemberton has himself been a pleasant surprise.
By beckoning back while forging forward, Pemberton -- along with discoveries like Joe Kraemer and Ludwig Goransson -- have become gleaming beacons amidst a shellacked sea of sameness.
They don't reinvent the wheel, but they do bestow some much appreciated gusto grease to assure the soundness of its spin.

My original #16 most anticipated "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" has been stricken from the list as it has been pushed to 2018, and original planned composer James Newton Howard has fallen off the project that is now being composed by the vastly inferior Henry Jackman. So in that place I've edited to swap in Kathryn Bigelow's "Detroit" which was announced recently to be serving up our 2017 JNH fix. Amen.

My original #16 most anticipated "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" has been stricken from the list as it has been pushed to 2018, and original planned composer James Newton Howard has fallen off the project that is now being composed by the vastly inferior Henry Jackman. So in that place I've edited to swap in Kathryn Bigelow's "Detroit" which was announced recently to be serving up our 2017 JNH fix. Amen.

Actually it has been pushed (as I read on Film Music Reporter) to December 20. This makes me think the film is total junk...

Actually it has been pushed (as I read on Film Music Reporter) to December 20. This makes me think the film is total junk...

Hmm... I see that. The late December release date could actually mean the studio has confidence that it will perform gangbusters to family audiences over the holidays. But at any rate, I don't anticipate Henry Jackman scores at all. He's decent, but I just don't have any enthusiasm for him.

Most intriguingly I noticed "The Star", a Christmas Nativity themed animated feature, has now added Alan Silvestri as a co-composer along with Thomas Newman and Mark Mancina! Wow!

EDIT: Now Alan Silvestri's name has been removed from The Star's IMDB credit listings... curious and curiouser...

Well, having both Thomas Newman and Mark Mancina is already impressive!

Notwithstanding questionable casting of its leads, I'm very much anticipating "Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets". But as curious as I am for what Alexandre Desplat will provide, I've got to admit I'm also leery. I just can't shake this pestering wariness about it. Not because I think Desplat's effort will at all run the risk of anything so dire as ruin, but only that it will be inconsequential -- and in that respect, squander its full potential. Desplat has so rarely impressed me with anything evocative nor provocative. He just composes very safe serviceable music that doesn't particularly add anything more than what you're already seeing on screen. His music is never bad, except in the absence of any boldness. They're perfectly pedestrian, and largely discreet.

Eric Serra always had the nerve to go somewhere unique and weird in Luc Besson's movies, which ultimately lead to some iconic scores. Desplat seems to lack that fundamental audacity to distinguish himself.

If I had been in Besson's position of looking to hire a composing talent to compliment what is musically reported to be a very pop source heavy film, I think I'd have pursued the man who has mastered it with the most panache -- Craig Armstrong. If suddenly the news came down that Desplat's score was rejected and being replaced with an Armstrong, Clint Mansell, John Murphy, Abel Korzeniowski, or Dario Marianelli -- I would certainly not lose any sleep.

For whatever reason, Eric Serra is not on board, yet I understand it's also a nationalistic pride issue with Besson to keep the production as french as possible -- still yet, I would have looked to Bruno Coulais, before Desplat.

But I do hope Desplat can go ahead and really do something special for the movie to make the experience as memorable as Serra did for "The Fifth Element".

As the old adage goes: "no guts, no glory".

Add Joseph Trapanese's score for the real life Arizona wildfire tragedy "Granite Mountain Hotshots" from his "Tron: Legacy" and "Oblivion" director Joseph Kosinski!


If this more dramatic turn comes out well, I suppose it will break Kosinski out of being thought of exclusively as a sleek sci-fi filmmaker. I wonder if his "Oblivion" producer and lead Tom Cruise has already gotten an early look, as it's been reported recently that Kosinski is now the front-runner to helm "Top Gun 2" -- If so, it would seem logical he'd bring Trapenese in as composer. Here's hoping Harold Faltermeyer's original themes will at least hear reprisal.

You know, I wanted with all of my heart the Tron: Legacy sequel. Unfortunately, Disney killed the project a few weeks from filming beginning... What a waste! Though the previous film wasn't that great, the visuals and Daft Punk's score were entirely worth the money. This way, no more Daft Punk score for the film...

From Desplat, I've only heard/watched the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films, Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014's Godzilla, Rise of the Guardians, Unbroken, Argo. Of the latter two I don't really remember something about the music, but the others were quite good. The whole score didn't give me something, but worked very good in the films and had parts of them truly great and memorable (in my opinion). I think that if he's involved in big-budget films, he's got more chance of being more expressive.

I agree, "Tron: Legacy", as a movie, had many weaknesses -- but also an undeniably indelible aura. Especially thanks to the Daft Punk/Joseph Trapanese score.

Desplat is always nice serviceable music, but usually quite restrained. "Wallflower" scores. The times when he has stepped out and allowed his work to take center stage has been most memorably when collaborating with Wes Anderson. Along with Grand Budapest Hotel, his efforts on "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "Moonrise Kingdom" stood out particularly well. He's got fine taste and talent. Just hope he lets it all loose on Valerian!

I agree!

10. Justice League -------------------------------------------------- Tom Holkenborg

You'll have to edit that, there's Danny Elfman instead of Junkie XL.
It was one of my top 3 most anticipated scores of the year... Now I have not only zero expectations for the score, but negative. This replacement also made sank most of my interest in the film itself.

Also, I was disappointed by Geoff Zanelli's score for Pirates 5... there were a couple of new themes (most notably, Salazar's theme) but I didn't like any of the new material... and also the way Zanelli recycled Zimmer's themes was either wrong or definitely a clueless montage of previous themes.

We're in perfect accord Imperivm.

Personally I'd like Steve Jablonsky to have been asked to come in on Justice League.

I really expected better from Geoff Zanelli as I've always felt he had a lot of potential, but his solo Pirates was a tired rehash really.

---------- Post added at 09:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:34 PM ----------

Looks like all my apprehensions about Alexandre Desplat providing a weak generic score for Valerian are unfortunately panning out to be accurate. I cannot fathom why Besson went away from Eric Serra.

Thread 217527

Yeah, I saw that as well from the clips... the music was very "under-volumed" and I fear that he'd not done something unique and great... but who knows, we have to wait for the film to be released. I heard that Desplat might have used for Valerian some the music he'd written for Rogue One before being replaced at the last second. It's impossible to know.

Yeah, I saw that as well from the clips... the music was very "under-volumed" and I fear that he'd not done something unique and great... but who knows, we have to wait for the film to be released. I heard that Desplat might have used for Valerian some the music he'd written for Rogue One before being replaced at the last second. It's impossible to know.

Haha, so he may have reused music ideas so underwhelming that he'd already been reprimanded for in the most emphatic fashion possible -- by being fired, lol. This guy must have one helluva charlatan agent, to be enjoying such an illustrious career based on totally forgettable work.

So... Monday I've watched War for the Planet of the Apes, and I found Giacchino's score truly effective and very fit with the tone of the film. I loved it!

I've listened to Giacchino's Spider-man: Homecoming only once (I haven't yet watched the film, though) and I didn't find it very interesting. I might change my mind after watching the film and re-listened the score.

As for Desplat's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets I think it is very variegated in its use of synth and the different styles he used in it and that he had fun scoring the film. By the OST listen only, I think it is a very enjoyable score, but it doesn't builds as I hoped it would.

Agreed on all counts Imperivm.

War For The Planet Of The Apes currently sits as my favorite movie of the year thus far, and Giacchino's score was a perfect accompaniment. Spider-Man: Homecoming was certainly good, and the music did fit the film nicely, but it hasn't particularly stuck with me.

As for Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets -- I loved the movie actually! It may be purposefully pulp cheese, but it's super tasty at that! Desplat's score has nice moments in the quirky character beats, but I am now certain that he doesn't understand how to score action other than to lather it in generic adventure music. A great score will add some emotional orientation or tension within the journey of the characters or narrative that is otherwise lacking in its absence, but unfortunately Desplat's music provides none of those nuances or drives.

Which brings me to Dunkirk, and Hans Zimmer -- the absolute master of film score virtues in actually helping to shape the correct emotional complexion of the story being told in a very smart and deliberate directionality, lifting subtext to the forefront and engaging with the core sensorial spirit of what these assembled moving pictures want for experiential transcendence. Another brilliant example of score serving as a majorly essential component to the excellence of a film.

Other than Hans, I believe the only other film composer that deeply grasped the exact craft of truly shaping the resonance of a narrative through musical statement, was the late James Horner -- I am convinced either of those two could have successfully made the foray into actually helming films as tasked directors unto themselves, because their capacity for conceptualizing the greater sense of meaning was so astoundingly sound (an astuteness usually far exceeding many of the directors employing them). As great as John Williams is (and for plenty reason often cited as the zenith), he also frequently "mickey-mouses" and overstates what is already abundantly apparent in lieu of him, rather than find the hidden profundity or color that can only be stated through his conduit contribution. Despite criticism for his propensity to repeat motifs, this was James Horner's genius -- and despite criticism for saturated influence and unorthodox methodology, this is Zimmer's genius as well.

I agree! :D

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I'm not sure if it came out this year or last year, but "A Cure for Wellness" has a really good score from Benjamin Wallfish. Now I can say that I'm interested in every work he's doing! That guy has a lot of potential.

Oh yes, Benjamin Wallfish has been the great discovery of this year for me. In fact his score for "Bitter Harvest" is my favorite film score of 2017 so far -- unfortunately the movie itself is quite cheap and schmaltzy, not at all living up to Wallfisch's work or the tragically serious subject matter -- dealing with the man-made genocidal famine which the Soviet government perpetrated upon the peoples of the Ukraine during the 1930's (known as the "Holodomor"). The movie is regrettably a skip, but the score is a must, and unto itself serves as a very fine and moving tribute to that disgracefully under-known period of heinous human tribulation from our previous century.

We were just talking about Benjamin Wallfish... Well, the latest news is that he and Hans Zimmer will write additional music / rescore part of Johann Johannsson's score for Blade Runner 2049!
They're not replacing him entirely, but apparently Johannsson (or maybe the producers) needed someone else to complete this score.

I'm excited and afraid at the same time! But I have total trust in Denis Villeneuve's direction. He's not a fool and he knows what he's doing.

What do you think?

Why'd you be afraid? I'm not fond of Zimmer sometimes but he's a much better pick, for sure.

Well, I like the way Johannsson creates "atmospheric music" and that's something Zimmer doesn't always do. I know you hated Johannsson's Arrival score, but I found it a very unconventional score.
I fear that Zimmer's style and Johannsson's will clash. They're very very different composers. I hope that they will fill each other's flaws and at the same time use properly Vangelis' themes (or at least, his influence).

I mean, I think this score will be either absolutely great or bad. To me it's very improbable that it will fall in the grey area.

I think Johannsson's involvement in the film will be very minimal (if not nonexistent by the time the picture is locked). I suspect studio execs did not like the way the film's music was turning out and hired Zimmer to pound out a couple themes with Wallfisch being responsible for the 'wallpaper cues'.

I genuinely hope it is not like that. But I fear it is.

If we get another GItS with the BR2049 score (as in no release), I'm going to shoot someone.

I genuinely hope it is not like that. But I fear it is.

Why? Why would you care so much? It doesn't affect you, nor the picture. Sometimes, it's for the better. Zimmer and Walfisch will make much better music for the movie than Johanson would have ever done I'm 100% certain. So, stop worrying your socks off. It's not like it matters to your life.. everytime you talk abouto something happening in the score world you make it sound like it's something personal that happened among your family.


If we get another GItS with the BR2049 score (as in no release), I'm going to shoot someone.

Doubt it, it's Hans Zimmer, it's a blockbuster that will make some box office. It's out of the question. So save your gun :P

Composers leaving projects or having their work supplanted by others' (either by choice or by force) is something that has been happening constantly since talkies were invented. Ghost in the Shell was an unusual situation in that the change was so late that it came after Lakeshore had assembled a program for release - plus, a second set of scoring sessions had to be booked, which would shoot OST production costs through the roof. This film is nowhere near that stage. If you want some reassurance, one example of two composers being sandwiched together and the OST came out no problem was Avengers 2.

Right. And filmmusicreporter says they've been working on Blade Runner 2049 already in May. So I highly doubt that an official release won't come. I wonder if only Johannsson will be credited or we will see three names on the official release cover!


Why? Why would you care so much? It doesn't affect you, nor the picture. Sometimes, it's for the better. Zimmer and Walfisch will make much better music for the movie than Johanson would have ever done I'm 100% certain. So, stop worrying your socks off. It's not like it matters to your life.. everytime you talk abouto something happening in the score world you make it sound like it's something personal that happened among your family.

Hey, man, I'm just a kid that cares very much about film scores and fears that his high expectations won't come true. I often overthink or overreact when big things like this (or Danny Elfman replacing Junkie XL) happen. I'm sooo sorry that my attitude bugs you.
BTW, why do you care so much about my reactions? Why? :laugh:

Assuming your an actual human being with the conscious capacity to give and receive abstract expressions of emotive anticipatory passions, longings, or devotions -- then the art you identify with and want for IS very personal. Be glad you possess the sensitivity to indulge this intuitive ability, and haven't been completely absorbed into the cold beastliness of the machine... yet.

For reason's I just specified in my previous post, I'd presume Zimmer and Wallfisch to be an instant upgrade over Johannsson in telling the story of Blade Runner 2049 to its full potential. Furthermore, I'd think Zimmer will be rather faithful to the spirit of Vangelis, as he is certainly one of Zimmer's primary initial influences (along with Ennio Morricone, Harold Faltermeyer, Giorgio Moroder, John Carpernter).

It's possible to be passionate about something while keeping it in perspective. It's just music.


I genuinely hope it is not like that. But I fear it is.

Why is this a scenario a bad thing? I think it's great. The shitty Johannsson sound design is ejected from the film, we get Zimmer (ideally) doing some of what he does best, and a budding composer who may have some talent indeed gets a chance to shine further.

Well hey, I don't mind proselytizing my peculiar philosophy of existential mysticism here to defend the silly intensity of passion we odd creatures project onto inanimate and auxiliary ephemeralities for sanctuary.

To my perspective, music is the art form closest to spirituality. So if you identify toward a particular sonic aura associated with Blade Runner that stirs your spirit, then it makes perfect sense to want the aura you've invested a colored sensation within to be sustained without defiling.

People connect all sorts of deeply affecting sense memories to particular interwoven artifacts that thread through the defining moments of their lives, becoming a kind of essential stitching to a personal tapestry of much deeper sum context than just the mere relics of nostalgia that preciously adorn it.

A disappointment derived from ancillary devices is certainly not worth causing destruction upon more vitally substantive sentience, but those slight souvenirs are nonetheless significant strands of people's lives, even if they maybe oughtn't be. Human's are unique in this fashion; that they can romanticize and obsess and create their own sacred talismans -- to either heinous masochism -- or to forge new realities only dreamt prior. So when science and logic limits you're glimmer on this rock to meat and membrane no different than an any other animal, remember that you have the free will to pine and wish -- and the consciousness to intellectualize the measures of conjuring those yearnings to fruition, which can in turn mark a legacy far brighter than one sole fleeting gleam. That is the soul, and art is the soul's articulation of all that it may ponder -- even by proxy and osmosis -- whether it goes acknowledged or not, no thing can be more personal than one's own very soulfulness.

So care, and care that there is care, even when you don't. Nothing really matters... except everything.

Oh, I won't lie, I'm very passionate myself, too with the things I like, and won't deny in any chance I can react like Imperivm if something similar happens to something I like. :laugh:

Why is this a scenario a bad thing? I think it's great. The shitty Johannsson sound design is ejected from the film, we get Zimmer (ideally) doing some of what he does best, and a budding composer who may have some talent indeed gets a chance to shine further.

I'd agree with you if I didn't like Johannsson. But I actually liked his "sound design music", so that's where my initial worries were born.
But actually, now I feel very good about it. I believe these three composers will do a great work together, filling each other's musical flaws. And with an excellent director like Villeneuve, I think that this score is in safe hands.

I really lke Johannsson too -- he's excellent at ambiance and texture, but not particularly strong at actually composing to convey specific beats of story contextualization, therefor I would surmise employing Zimmer will be a hearty upgrade in that department.



No one can plausibly contend that these examples from J�hann J�hannsson aren't astonishingly beautiful in their atmospheric minimalism, especially from his non-film related solo album work (I'll never understand why Max Richter got needle-dropped to bookend "Arrival", when so much of J�hannsson's own work is every bit as good and far less identifiable in association to prior films):

Fordlandia (2008) - "Fordlandia"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt7pjz3Vr_4

The Miner's Hymns (2011) - "Freedom From Want And Fear"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHfJ5tRDJZs

Prisoners (2013) -- "The Candlelight Vigil"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uEuT9Jx7OI

And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees (2009) -- "City Building"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAzVzCBpb6k

And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees (2009) -- "End Theme"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0HxupG0eIQ

Orph�e (2016) -- "A Song For Europa"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCWbVxfkoKg

IBM 1401, A User's Manual (2006) -- "The Sun's Gone Dim And The Sky's Turned Black"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so3vnL298yc

I'll never understand why Max Richter got needle-dropped to bookend "Arrival", when so much of J�hannsson's own work is every bit as good and far less identifiable in association to prior films

Temp love.

I eagerly await all of the above scores in the hope that there will be something 'classic' released. I get so frustrated with the trend of simulating temp track scores and hearing 'wall paper' music in many modern scores.

I know it's not released until next year, but I'm so happy that John Powell is scoring the Han Solo story. I can't wait to hear what he will do. For the record I hated Giacchino's effort for Rogue One. But I know it is a very popular score here and I guess we should embrace any 'old school' orchestral scoring these days.

Of course my number one anticipated score will always be any new John Williams, and Last Jedi I hope will be another example of the maestros mastery of the medium. I'm sad that he is not scoring Ready Player One, but I think Silvestri is a good choice. And look forward to his score.

Interesting words...
What do you mean by "wall paper" music? Could you make some examples? :)
As for Giacchino I thought he is so loved because for many he sounds "classic" enough to be automatically great, but apparently not everyone is like them :D

I can say that I overall liked Giacchino's Rogue One (and I actually considered it one of his best works in recent years because it sounded different from the usual Star-Trekky-like scores he's been doing so many times now) but its themes and motifs left me disappointed, and there's only one or two highlights within the score.
As for The Force Awakens, I'd say that there's many highlights and great themes and motifs within the score, but unfortunately not every part of the score works well enough (for example the part of The Rathtars and Maz Kanata's cantina) to me "dropped" the score, thing that to me Rogue One managed not to do.

Giacchino is in no way "classic". He just earns some level of respect because he isn't drowning his music with synth sweeteners and drones like so many others.
I liked some of the action music in Rogue One, but some parts of the score were so poorly conceived that they actually made the film worse. Some mediocre scores don't affect the movie at all, so I don't care one way or another, but his theme for main baddie Krennic actually worked against the picture. He also managed to ruin each and every John Williams theme he tried to quote.

Wallpaper music is music that generally isn't meant to jump out or leave any sort of impression on the audience. It doesn't really elevate any emotions in the picture. It's just there to fill in silence. Brian Tyler is really good at writing this sort of music - just pull up any random clip from Iron Man 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlkH8cPz-2s

He also managed to ruin each and every John Williams theme he tried to quote.
100% agree! That's not how you should arrange John Williams' music, especially the Imperial March!
As for that "Krennic theme" you said, I've got no idea what you're talking about. The Imperial Suite?
The only thing that I can say about Giacchino and his themes is that the themes themselves are (most of the time) poorly conceived, weak and generic. But Giacchino does a really good job in using them throughout the score.


Wallpaper music is music that generally isn't meant to jump out or leave any sort of impression on the audience. It doesn't really elevate any emotions in the picture. It's just there to fill in silence. Brian Tyler is really good at writing this sort of music - just pull up any random clip from Iron Man 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlkH8cPz-2s

Got it. I really don't like that kind of scores, especially in blockbusters. But I kinda disagree about Brian Tyler. I once did think he did constantly wallpaper music, but after my MCU rewatch, I can say that I liked his scores and themes. Yeah, they're not great, they're not masterpieces, many moments were wallpaper music (but that's an issue for most of the MCU, actually) but he did do some moments of greatness, like the arrival of the suits in the final battle of Iron Man 3:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n506Yn9aGic
And even a few moments in Thor: The Dark World featured nice music.

To me one of the biggest composers of wallpaper music is Michael Giacchino, except for a few exceptionally good projects in recent years, he's done many scores that tell me nothing.

The saddest part about the Rogue One score is that it tries SO hard to copypaste John Williams that it feels so stale, pale, and dissapointing that it doesn't try to be its own thing. What characterizes Williams music (and Star Wars music) is that it was wholly classical and traditional, symphonic, almost, with gorgeous melodies, leitmotivs all over, etc. And that, really, isn't as hard. Even if you're a composer that is not clasicaly trained, so long as you surround yourself with the right people. It wouldn't be the first time.. Rogue One, as we can see with the Youtube video who praises it for having SOO many "subtle" references to the original movie score, it's just.. like a rehash. It falls. Giacchino just isn't on the range of someone who could write music for Star Wars genuinelly without putting an "autotune"... Giacchino clearly doesn't understand what a Star Wars score should be, even if he's such a geek about it. He limited himself to homaging and copypasting and really doesn't have the talent to write nearly as good music..

I look forward to Powell's Han Solo and wonder what he will do. Something is certain, he is classically trained, for sure, so he can do something that sounds like Star Wars. But it is a spin-off, who knows..? I hope Williams can at least finish Episode 9. I love Episode 7's score, because, it has REALLY good catchy and lovely melodies and great orchestration all over.

I agree on The Force Awakens and Powell. I also see your feelings about Rogue One (and you're probably right).
I just appreciated it because he didn't go in autotune with the generic StarTrek-like music he used even in Dawn for the Planet of the Apes and Doctor Strange! There did were some motifs in Rogue One that I genuinely felt were pretty original considering the nothingness he did in many recent blockbusters. Simply, he didn't do enough "original" to create something good for a Star Wars movie. And the themes themselves were either wrong (The Imperial Suite) or forgettable, though.

There are segments of Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 that I greatly enjoy too. Who couldn't love the jazzy arrangement of his theme for the end credits (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBKy93OGeOg)? Imagine if he were given the freedom like that for the whole film. But 90% of the score does nothing for me, or for the film.

Gia's big blunder for me on Rogue One was Krennic's theme... it sounded stately, but in a positive way, not a menacing. It made him seem like a good guy. His theme was honestly so poorly conceived that it gave me the wrong impression of the character for the entire film. Am I the only one who thought Krennic was going to switch sides by the end just based on Gia's music?

---------- Post added at 01:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:31 PM ----------


And the themes themselves were either wrong (The Imperial Suite)

I don't understand how anyone let him fuck up the Imperial March the way he did.

Of course my number one anticipated score will always be any new John Williams, and Last Jedi I hope will be another example of the maestros mastery of the medium. I'm sad that he is not scoring Ready Player One, but I think Silvestri is a good choice. And look forward to his score.

The novel "Ready Player One" is way too saturated in 1980's and 90's pop nostalgia references (central to its plot) to be the kind of classical score Williams would deliver. Williams would be great in the moments that directly reference him via Spielberg and Star Wars, but his ardent classical and jazz style wouldn't gel with all the other pop culture music, movies, tv, and video game references (specifically the band Rush). "Ready Player One" needs a very agile and eclectic score that can effortlessly transition through genres and styles, running the gambit between John William's "E.T.", Tangerine Dream's "Risky Business", Arthur B. Rubinstein's "WarGames", Thomas Newman's "Real Genius", Ira Newborn's "Sixteen Candles", Harold Faltermeyer's "Running Man", James Horner's "Krull", Jerry Goldsmith's "Explorers", Craig Safan's "Last Starfighter", Basil Poledouris' "RoboCop", and Alan Silvestri's "Back To The Future". As I read it, the score in my head was more synth leaning, along the lines of Silvestri's "Flight Of The Navigator". So I think Alan is actually the right choice.

So... a long time passed since the last post here.
Dunkirk and Blade Runner 2049 have their respective albums... I personally got disappointed by both.

I can see the reasons behind Dunkirk being so soul-less (compared to 2014's Insterstellar) since the film itself is like that.
I haven't seen yet Blade Runner 2049, so I still think the score is like that because maybe the film needed it to be as it is.

What do you think of them?