Michael Giacchino – We Are Movie Geeks

Kevin Feige Makes Surprise Appearance At The Hollywood Bowl and Michael Giacchino Wows Fans With 4 Minutes Of New Score for THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS During Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience

All photographs of Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience at the Hollywood Bowl – Farah Sosa on behalf of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

WAMG was among a crowd of thousands Saturday night at the Hollywood Bowl for the Global premiere of Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience.

Over the Labor Day weekend, new and old fans assembled to relive iconic moments from the MCU, all accompanied by a live orchestra, stunning projection mapping on the Bowl shell, fireworks, surprises… And there were surprises!

Disney Concerts, Marvel Studios and the Los Angeles Philharmonic captivated the audience with the Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert experience. Conducted by LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, this momentous concert was an epic on-screen cinematic journey, covering 23 films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a single unforgettable experience, exclusively at the Hollywood Bowl.

Opening with the recognizable Marvel Studios fanfare, the evening began when president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige walked out on stage to introduce the event to a cheering crowd. As he spoke about the night ahead for fans, Feige concluded his intro by telling the audience, “as with all Marvel movies, be sure to wait for the very end of the concert for a surprise.”

He also presented conductor Gustavo Dudamel, who was wearing his own gauntlet, with his own Vibranium Baton.

The audience revisited the earliest days of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor as they discovered their place in the MCU—each accompanied by their unforgettable heroic music. Captain America, The First Avenger, had a wonderful musical number that replicated the film’s “Buy Bonds” scenes complete with dancers, the vibrant choir and fireworks. The song “Star Spangled Man” from beloved songwriters Alan Menken and David Zippel was a spirited crowd-pleaser.

The LA Philharmonic recaptured the excitement as Earth’s mightiest heroes joined forces for the first time and opened the door to the next wave of Avengers: Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel and more. A poignant emotional moment was hearing the themes from Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man films, complete with a terrific montage of scenes.

Also filling the air with his acoustic flair was Massamba Diop, the Senegalese drummer who played the talking drum in Black Panther. Diop is a world-renowned master of the talking drum, also known as the “tama”. His complex and crisp compositions can be heard throughout the film’s score.

The Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t miss this party, either, dropping in to deliver a taste of their iconic mixtape backed by the LA Phil. In addition, the custom-curated live-to-film experience featured iconic songs from AC/DC (“Back in Black”), Blue Swede and Björn Skifs (“Hooked on a Feeling”) and James Gunn and Tyler Bates (“Guardians Inferno”).

The spectacle culminated in revisiting the ultimate trials of the Infinity Saga. The theatrics of the presentation was true Hollywood – they turned the awe-inspiring shell into part of the multimedia experience. It really became Thanos’ gauntlet filled with all six infinity stones.

Across its nearly two-hour run time, Marvel Studios’ Infinity Saga Concert Experience showcased the scores of acclaimed Marvel composers, including Alan Silvestri, Christophe Beck, Danny Elfman, Henry Jackman, Lorne Balfe, Ludwig Göransson, Mark Mothersbaugh, Patrick Doyle, Pinar Toprak, Ramin Djawadi, Tyler Bates and Michael Giacchino.

Upon the conclusion of the night, Feige made good on his word. Composer Michael Giacchino came on stage wearing a light blue jacket with the Fantastic Four logo on his back. The crowd went wild when he announced he was surprising the night’s attendees with four minutes of his score for the upcoming movie. It was a moment of pandemonium for the fans.

From what was heard of the suite, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has a 1960’s moog vibe! Directed by Matt Shakman and starring Marvel’s first family, Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/The Human Torch) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/Thing) the upcoming feature film sees Galactus and Silver Surfer target Earth for destruction. Marvel Studios’ “Fantastic Four: First Steps” hits theaters on July 25, 2025.

Once the final beat of the music was played, The Hollywood Bowl sent fans off with an amazing fireworks display and reminded all of us why Marvel’s Infinity Saga was a story filled with heart and one of epic proportions.

Contributed by Michelle McCue, Gary Salem, Marc Butterfield, Melissa Thompson

If you’re ever in Hollywood, check out the Bowl’s Movie Nights. https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/concerts-and-events/movie-nights

Watertower Music Releases Michael Giacchino’s Thrilling New Theme From Director Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN

Watertower Music has announced the release of “The Batman”, the compelling new theme from director Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne.

The theme was created by Academy-, Emmy- and Grammy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino (the current “Spider-Man,” “Jurassic World” and “Star Wars” films, “Up”) and is the first music to be made available from Giacchino’s upcoming The Batman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

Here’s what Matt Reeves said over on Twitter about Giacchino’s score. The filmmaker and composer previously worked on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, released on July 11, 2014 and the third film, War for the Planet of the Apes, released on July 14, 2017

My brilliant friend @m_giacchino wrote this theme before I ever shot a frame of @TheBatman. I can still remember listening to it in my car with #DylanClark before we went onto the stage to do #RobertPattinson's screen test. We both had chills. Listen now: https://t.co/1t4ExcwfZd pic.twitter.com/hACMoP9bT0
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) January 21, 2022

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson in the dual role of Gotham City’s vigilante detective and his alter ego, reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne. Two years of stalking the streets as the Batman (Robert Pattinson), striking fear into the hearts of criminals, has led Bruce Wayne deep into the shadows of Gotham City.

With only a few trusted allies—Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright)—amongst the city’s corrupt network of officials and high-profile figures, the lone vigilante has established himself as the sole embodiment of vengeance amongst his fellow citizens.When a killer targets Gotham’s elite with a series of sadistic machinations, a trail of cryptic clues sends the World’s Greatest Detective on an investigation into the underworld, where he encounters such characters as Selina Kyle/aka Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Oswald Cobblepot/aka the Penguin (Colin Farrell), Carmine Falcone (John Turturro), and Edward Nashton/aka the Riddler (Paul Dano). As the evidence begins to lead closer to home and the scale of the perpetrator’s plans becomes clear, Batman must forge new relationships, unmask the culprit, and bring justice to the abuse of power and corruption that has long plagued Gotham City.

Starring alongside Robert Pattinson (“Tenet,” “The Lighthouse”) as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Zoë Kravitz (“Big Little Lies,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”); Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy,” “12 Years a Slave”); Jeffrey Wright (“No Time to Die,” “Westworld”); John Turturro (the “Transformers” films, “The Plot Against America”); Peter Sarsgaard (“The Magnificent Seven,” “Interrogation”) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Jayme Lawson (“Farewell Amor”) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (the “Planet of the Apes” films, “Black Panther”); and Colin Farrell (“The Gentlemen,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”).Reeves (“The Planet of the Apes” franchise) directed from a screenplay by Reeves & Peter Craig, based on characters from DC.

Batman was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger.

Dylan Clark (the “Planet of the Apes” films) and Reeves produced the film, with Michael E. Uslan, Walter Hamada, Chantal Nong Vo and Simon Emanuel serving as executive producers. The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team included Oscar-nominated director of photography Greig Fraser (“Dune,” “Lion”); Reeves’ “Planet of the Apes” production designer, James Chinlund, and editor, William Hoy; editor Tyler Nelson (“Rememory”); and Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“1917,” “Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”). The music is by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino (the current “Spider-Man,” “Jurassic World” and “Star Wars” films, “Up”).Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a 6^th & Idaho/Dylan Clark Productions Production, a Matt Reeves Film, “The Batman.”

The film is set to open in theaters in North America March 4, 2022 and internationally beginning 2 March 2022; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.“The Batman” is rated PG-13 by the MPA for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material.

Michael Giacchino’s WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES Soundtrack Available July 7

Sony Music proudly announces the release of WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with music by Grammy® and Academy Award®-winning composer Michael Giacchino.

The soundtrack will be released on July 7^th and is available for pre-order here.

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES is the third chapter to the 2011 & 2014 movies Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. From acclaimed writer-director Matt Reeves and screenwriter Mark Bomback, War for the Planet of the Apes features Caesar and his apes being forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts andbegins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

Writer-Director Matt Reeves says about the music: “Michael’s music for the Apes films is beautiful, inventive, epic, and above all, profoundly emotional. I know I am biased, but I think his score for War ranks among his absolute best. He is a simply master musical storyteller”.

Composer Michael Giacchino says about the score: Planet of the Apes was one of my first childhood obsessions. As a kid, I used to draw the Apes from the film non-stop, including creating little flip-books about them. In fact, the MEGO Planet of the Apes toys that I played with as a child have a special place on the shelves in the office that I write in today. So if having the opportunity to write the score for the latest installment of one of my favorite film franchises from my childhood isn’t enough, I have had the added pleasure of working on it with the equally Apes-obsessed director Matt Reeves. We both approach our work on these new films with the very same enthusiasm that we had as children, and that makes us one very happy team. Filmmaking is demanding and filled with days of intense work, but it is still FUN for us. I hope you can sense some of that joy and reverence for what came before in this new work for War for the Planet of the Apes.”

Composer Michael Giacchino has credits that feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including Inside Out, Jurassic World, The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, andMission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Giacchino’s 2009 score for the Pixar hitUp earned him an Oscar®, a Golden Globe®, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two Grammy® Awards.

Giacchino began his filmmaking career at the age of 10 in his backyard in Edgewater Park, New Jersey, and eventually went on to study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. After college, he landed a marketing job at Disney and began studies in music composition, first at Juilliard and then at UCLA. From marketing, he became a producer in the fledgling Disney Interactive Division where he had the opportunity to write music for video games.

After moving to a producing job at the newly formed DreamWorks Interactive Division, he was asked to score the temp track for the video game adaptation of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Subsequently, Steven Spielberg hired him as the composer and it became the first PlayStation game to have a live orchestral score. Giacchino continued writing for video games and became well known for his Medal of Honor scores.

Giacchino’s work in video games sparked the interest of J.J. Abrams, and thus began their long-standing relationship that would lead to scores for the hit television series Alias and Lost, and the feature films Mission Impossible III,Star Trek, Super 8 and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Additional projects include collaborations with Disney Imagineering on music for Space Mountain, Star Tours (with John Williams) and the Ratatouille ride in Disneyland Paris. Giacchino also was the musical director of the 81st Annual Academy Awards®. His music can be heard in concert halls internationally withStar Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Ratatouille films being performed live-to-picture with a full orchestra.

Last year, Giacchino’s music could be heard in Zootopia, Star Trek Beyond, Dr. Strange, and Star Wars Rogue One which marked the first score to be composed for a Star Wars film following John Williams. In addition to War of Planet of the Apes, Giacchino’s projects for 2017 include, The Book of Henry and Spider-Man Homecoming.

Giacchino serves as the Governor of the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and sits on the advisory board of “Education Through Music Los Angeles”.

Tracklist:

Apes’ Past Is Prologue
Assault of the Earth
Exodus Wounds
The Posse Polonaise
The Bad Ape Bagatelle
Don’t Luca Now
Koba Dependent
The Ecstasy Of The Bold
Apes Together Strong
A Tide In The Affairs Of Apes
Planet Of The Escapes
The Hating Game
A Man Named Suicide
More Red Than Alive
Migration
Paradise Found
End Credits

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES hits theaters everywhere July 14, 2017

Walt Disney Records Releases ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Today

Walt Disney Records releases today the ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY soundtrack, which features score by Oscar® and Grammy® award-winning composer Michael Giacchino. The original motion picture soundtrack is available at streaming services and wherever music is sold.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY opens in U.S. theaters today, December 16, 2016.

Acclaimed composer Michael Giacchino marks his first-ever feature collaboration with Lucasfilm for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Recorded at Sony Scoring Stage, the score features a 110-piece orchestra and 80-person choir conducted by Tim Simonec.

Check out some of the tracks below – just a sampling of the seamless cues between Williams’ iconic music and Giacchino’s score.

Michael Giacchino said, “It has been a great honor to have been asked to score ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ and I am humbled to have had the opportunity to contribute to the musical universe that inspired me so as a kid. Back in 1977, long before I knew I was going to be a film composer, I spent countless hours listening to the original ‘Star Wars’ double LP on my small RCA Stereo in my bedroom. In a sense, John Williams was my very first music teacher. All these years later, John continues to be an inspiration.”

He continued, “As with all the film scores I compose, my goal is to reflect and serve the story and emotions of the film. I have to admit, the 10-year-old part of my brain had a wonderful time composing for this new and exciting set of ‘Star Wars’ characters and the worlds they inhabit.”

The cue below will have even the most die-hard Star Wars fan weeping.

Giacchino’s credits feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including Marvel Studio’s “Doctor Strange,” Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out,” “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” as well as “Star Trek Beyond,” “Jurassic World,” “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” His score for Disney•Pixar’s 2009 feature “Up” earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe®, the BAFTA®, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two Grammy Awards.

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers.

The story is by John Knoll and Gary Whitta, and the screenplay is by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy.

The ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY original motion picture soundtrack is now available wherever music is sold or streamed.

Purchase here: http://disneymusic.co/RogueOne. Stream here: http://disneymusic.co/RogueOneWS

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyMusicVEVO/videos

Read WAMG’s review here.

Listen To Michael Giacchino’s STAR TREK BEYOND Soundtrack Plus Comic-Con Photos

Check out images and video from the premiere of STAR TREK BEYOND at San Diego Comic-Con.

The premiere featured the first ever outdoor IMAX screening as well as Academy Award®-Winning Composer Michael Giacchino’s thrilling film score performed live-to picture by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 20: (L-R) Actors Chris Pine, John Cho, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Qunito, Justin Lin, Zoe Saldana, Sofia Boutella and J.J. Abrams pose together at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title "Star Trek Beyond" at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Chris Pine; John Cho; Karl Urban; Simon Pegg; Zachary Qunito; Justin Lin; Zoe Saldana; Sofia Boutella; J.J. Abrams — (L-R) Actors Chris Pine, John Cho, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zachary Qunito, Justin Lin, Zoe Saldana, Sofia Boutella and J.J. Abrams pose together at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title “Star Trek Beyond” at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 20: Actor Idris Elba attends the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title Star Trek Beyond at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Idris Elba — Actor Idris Elba attends the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title Star Trek Beyond at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images)

Composer Michael Giacchino speaks onstage at the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title ìStar Trek Beyondî at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images)

A fireworks and laser display is seen during the world premiere of the Paramount Pictures title ìStar Trek Beyondî at Embarcadero Marina Park South on July 20, 2016 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Varèse Sarabande will release the STAR TREK BEYOND – Music From The Motion Picture digitally worldwide on July 22, on CD July 29 (U.S. and Canada) and rest of the world on August 5, 2016. The album features original music by Michael Giacchino (ZOOTOPIA, STAR TREK, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS).

Star Trek Beyond, the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In Beyond, the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

“To me it feels like an episode of the original series, but on a much grander scale. The crew is now on their five-year mission embarking on a completely new emotional journey than we have previously seen, ” said Giacchino. “It’s been a chance to create a new musical landscape for the film that reflects both hope and exploration.”

Composer Michael Giacchino has credits that feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent years including Zootopia, Inside Out, Jurassic World, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Giacchino’s 2009 score for the Pixar hit UP earned him an Oscar^®, a Golden Globe®, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two GRAMMY® Awards.

After moving to a producing job at the newly formed DreamWorks Interactive Division, he was asked to score the temp track for the video game adaptation of The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Subsequently, Steven Spielberg hired him as the composer and it became the first PlayStation game to have a live orchestral score. Giacchino continued writing for video games and became well known for his Medal of Honor scores.

Giacchino’s work in video games sparked the interest of J.J. Abrams, and thus began their long-standing relationship that would lead to scores for the hit television series Alias and Lost, and the feature films Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8 and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Additional projects include collaborations with Disney Imagineering on music for Space Mountain, Star Tours (with John Williams) and the Ratatouille ride in Disneyland Paris. Giacchino also was the musical director of the 81st Annual Academy Awards®. His music can be heard in concert halls internationally with Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Ratatouille films being performed live-to-picture with a full orchestra.

Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin, marks Giacchino’s third film in the franchise, and will be released this summer. Upcoming projects include Colin Trevorrow’s The Book of Henry and his first Marvel film, Dr. Strange, helmed by Scott Derrickson.

Giacchino serves as the Governor of the Music Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and sits on the advisory board of Education Through Music Los Angeles.

Paramount Pictures presents STAR TREK BEYOND in theaters, REAL3D and IMAX 3D on July 22, 2016. Varèse Sarabande will release the STAR TREK BEYOND – Music From The Motion Picture digitally on July 22, on CD July 29 (U.S. and Canada), and August 5, 2016 (rest of the world).

Oscar-Winning Composer Michael Giacchino Providing Score For Disney’s ZOOTOPIA

Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino marks his first-ever feature collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios for next spring’s big-screen adventure ZOOTOPIA.

Featuring an 80-piece orchestra and conductor Tim Simonec, Giacchino’s score is being recorded this week.

So proud to be a part of Zootopia w my friends @DisneyAnimation – @ByronPHoward @_rich_moore pic.twitter.com/8CSQns8tU6

— Michael Giacchino (@m_giacchino) November 16, 2015

“In a world as vast as Zootopia, we needed someone who could deliver a score that can feel exotic and powerful, but also provide that same emotional intimacy,” said director Byron Howard. “We tell stories with images, Michael tells stories with music. ‘Zootopia’ is a massive film with deep emotional themes running throughout the story, and Michael was the perfect choice to bring the music of this extraordinary animal world to life.”

Added director Rich Moore, “Zootopia is a thriving metropolis inhabited by animals from around globe, and Michael’s music has captured a wonderful international spirit that marries perfectly with the visuals. I’m very excited for audiences to experience this incredible new world we’ve created together.”

According to the composer, the score is very diverse instrumentally. “There are flavors of world music sprinkled in everywhere. But at its core, the score always follows the emotional story of Hopps and Nick.”

Giacchino’s credits feature some of the most popular and acclaimed film projects in recent history, including Disney•Pixar’s “Inside Out,” “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille,” as well as “Jurassic World,” “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” and “The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” His score for Disney•Pixar’s 2009 feature “Up” earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Broadcast Film Critics’ Choice Award and two GRAMMY Awards.

“The process of working with Michael is unique in that it doesn’t feel like a process,” said Moore. “It feels more like visiting with a childhood friend. We started by talking about the film—the themes, the tone, the characters, the emotional moments. We talked about what inspired us, and our hopes for the movie. And from those conversations, Michael began building the score. When we listened to his work together, an amazing thing happened. Michael somehow took those conversations and turned them into music. It’s creative collaboration, pure and simple.”

Said Giacchino, “We’ve had a lot of fun working together and the directors have been wonderfully supportive of me throughout the entire process, giving me an incredible amount of freedom to really explore the tone and emotional side of the story.

“I am really proud to be a part of this film,” continued Giacchino. “It’s one of those films with a huge heart and wonderfully realized characters set within a story that’s not only incredibly fun and entertaining but takes an honest look at our own world and the important issues we deal with living in such a diverse society. That’s what really attracted me to the film—the chance to write music that reflects these kind of challenges.”

Added Howard, “Michael approaches composing from an intuitive, emotional place that’s so completely personal to him, but at the same time, his themes and musical storytelling are completely universal. You fall in love with the music the instant you hear it.”

The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together – a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.

Meet all the characters here.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ ZOOTOPIA, a comedy-adventure directed by Byron Howard (“Tangled,” “Bolt”) and Rich Moore (“Wreck-It Ralph,” “The Simpsons”), and produced by Clark Spencer (“Wreck-It Ralph,” “Lilo & Stitch”), opens in theaters on March 4, 2016.

Michael Giacchino’s INSIDE OUT Soundtrack Available June 16

Disney•Pixar’s INSIDE OUT features an original score that captures the emotional spirit of the story by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino.

The soundtrack will be released by Walt Disney Records on June 16, 2015. Directed by Academy Award winner Pete Docter and produced by Jonas Rivera, Disney•Pixar’s INSIDE OUT opens in U.S. theaters on June 19, 2015.

Giacchino worked with director Pete Docter on UP (garnering an Academy Award® for best original score) and also counts Disney•Pixar’s films “Cars 2,” “Ratatouille” and “The Incredibles” among his credits.

But, says the composer, “Inside Out” was different. “Pete [Docter] wanted the music to feel as if it was coming from the inside—from internal thoughts,” says Giacchino. “We were going for something atmospheric. Something that wasn’t traditional film score.”

According to the composer, the goal of the music mirrored the goal of the film. “It had to feel emotional,” says Giacchino. “I wasn’t sure how I wanted it to sound, but I knew how I wanted it to feel. This film is personal.”

The score was recorded with a 70-piece orchestra with an organ and a rhythm section that consisted of guitars and a drummer.

“I had a lot of fun writing the music,” continues Giacchino. “There’s a 1930s jazzy section we wrote for the Forgetters, and we channel classic horror in the Subconscious. The film really goes all over the map musically, but what I love most about it is that we never forgot that it’s an emotional story that’s being told.”

INSIDE OUT is preceded by the short “LAVA” from Pixar Animation Studios, director James Ford Murphy and producer Andrea Warren. Inspired by the isolated beauty of tropical islands and the explosive allure of ocean volcanoes, “LAVA” is a musical love story that takes place over millions of years. The short features the theme performed by Kuana Torres Kahele (Uku & Narrator) and Napua Greig (Lele). The “Lava” score will be available at digital retail on June 16, 2015.

©2014 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This summer, in addition to Pete Docter’s INSIDE OUT from Disney•Pixar, Giacchino has two other major films hitting theaters: TOMORROWLAND, directed by Brad Bird and Universal’s JURASSIC WORLD,” directed by Colin Trevorrow.

The INSIDE OUT original motion picture soundtrack will be available wherever music is sold on June 16, 2015. The album is now available for pre-order at iTunes (http://smarturl.it/iosa1) and Amazon.com (http://smarturl.it/iosama1).

For more information on Walt Disney Records’ releases, like on Facebook.com/ disneymusic or follow at Twitter.com/disneymusic. To purchase Disney music, visit the online store at www.disneymusicstore.com.

©2015 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Do you ever look at someone and wonder what is going on inside their head? Disney•Pixar’s original new film INSIDE OUT ventures inside the mind to find out.

Based in Headquarters, the control center inside 11-year-old Riley’s mind, five Emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), whose mission is to make sure Riley stays happy. Fear (voice of Bill Hader) heads up safety, Anger (voice of Lewis Black) ensures all is fair and Disgust (voice of Mindy Kaling) prevents Riley from getting poisoned—both physically and socially. Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith) isn’t exactly sure what her role is, and frankly, neither is anyone else.

When Riley’s family relocates to a scary new city, the Emotions are on the job, eager to help guide her through the difficult transition. But when Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley’s mind—taking some of her core memories with them—Fear, Anger and Disgust are left reluctantly in charge. Joy and Sadness must venture through unfamiliar places—Long Term Memory, Imagination Land, Abstract Thought and Dream Productions—in a desperate effort to get back to Headquarters, and Riley.

Top 15 Scores/Soundtracks of 2014

Jerry Goldsmith, PLANET OF THE APES (1968) Nominee for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture

By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson

As 2014 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the best movie music from this past year. The backbone of any movie, audiences heard rocket engines roar, traveled through LEGO worlds and made spiritual connections all thanks to the musical vision of the composer.

In a mix that was soulful, haunting and fun, this year’s soundtracks covered a range of emotions, from light to dark, to atmospheric and assaultive.

Our Top 15 scores wouldn’t be complete without an honorable mention…

Michael Giacchino – DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

The story about the birth of a civilization and “restart” for the planet Earth was no more prevalent than with the emotional reality of composer Michael Giacchino’s score. Director Matt Reeves’ sequel to 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes found its musical language through the empathetic sounds of the apes in the environment Caesar has created for them.

1. Hans Zimmer – INTERSTELLAR

Making his fifth collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Nolan, composer Hans Zimmer steered clear of any musical expressions he’d explored in the past with the director, and invented a whole new palette for the film with the earthy yet elevating notes of an organ.

We went for a spectacular adventure on a journey into the universe and Zimmer’s score gave humanity’s mission to the stars a very primeval quality.

2. Alexandre Desplat – THE IMITATION GAME, GODZILLA and THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Three of the best scores this year, six-time Academy Award Nominee Alexandre Desplat’s music was heard by audiences throughout 2014.

Desplat developed one of his most unusual scores for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL – one played entirely without traditional orchestral instruments. Instead, he brought in a host of Central European instruments, including balalaikas and the cimbalom, a type of hammered dulcimer common to Eastern European gypsy music.

With THE IMITATION GAME, the composer took us to the Bletchley Park codebreaking centre and inside the Enigma machine. Desplat may see his first Oscar win with his beautiful score to the Alan Turing biopic.

Listen on SoundCloud HERE.

Lastly with the great force of GODZILLA propelling the action and keeping the tension high, Desplat made a big sonic impact with the music. “I’ve never done a monster movie before, so coming to this with more than a hundred musicians—double brass, double horns—allowed me to open the frame of my imagination to another territory, and that’s very exciting.”

3. Jóhann Jóhannsson – THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

Filled with a charming score, composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s music for director James Marsh’s THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING was a mix of orchestral instruments and synthesized sounds giving the story of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and Jane Wilde an ethereal, lovely sound.

Read our interview with Jóhannsson HERE.

4. Atticus Ross & Trent Reznor – GONE GIRL

David Fincher returned again to work with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (THE SOCIAL NETWORK, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) for the surging undertow to GONE GIRL.

Trent Reznor said, “In terms of the palette of sounds what’s unique on this one is that we used a more organic, less synthetic soundscape. We didn’t want it to feel too slick so we used a lot of interesting homemade equipment. There are moments where the rhythm is just me tapping on a wooden box so it feels repetitive but drifts around a bit like a human heartbeat.”

5. Antonio Sánchez – BIRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance

Drums, cymbals, sticks, mallets and rods were used for the percussion heavy score in director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s BIRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance. Four-time Grammy Award winner and composer Antonio Sanchez effectively sets the pace and rhythm to convey Riggan Thomson’s (Michael Keaton) tonal tightrope between comedy and pathos, illusion and reality.

Read our interview with Sánchez HERE.

6. John Powell – HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

Composer John Powell’s fantastic soundtrack on HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 was filled with emotional triumphant orchestral pieces and a resounding chorus making it one of our favorites scores of the year.

Read our interview with Powell HERE.

Listen on SoundCloud HERE.

7. Henry Jackman – BIG HERO 6, THE INTERVIEW and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER

Jackman had three big scores in 2014.

He composed a grandiose action score for North Korea’s favorite film – THE INTERVIEW. While building on his previous collaboration with Evan Golderberg and Seth Rogen on THIS IS THE END, Jackman scored the film as if it were a classic action-blockbuster to ground the film’s comedic moments. Jackman also created a score that celebrated the comic-book style action of BIG HERO 6, while weaving in the original music from American rock band Fall Out Boy.

But none was more epic than Jackman’s contemporary take on his superhero score for CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. Up next for Jackman is Kingsman: Secret Service and Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.

Read our interview with Jackman HERE.

8. Steven Price – FURY

Just as Price did on his Oscar-winning score for GRAVITY, where the sounds of radio waves were incorporated into the score, the British composer was able to find a distinctive voice for the music of FURY by using unusual and unconventional instruments in a fusion with the orchestral, choral and solo writing featured throughout. The daunting sounds put the audience inside the WWII tanks alongside Brad Pitt and his crew.

Read our interview with Price HERE.

9. Marco Beltrami – THE HOMESMAN

Marco Beltrami’ s created a rustic sounding landscape in director Tommy Lee Jones’ THE HOMESMAN. Alongside his work on SNOWPIERCER, THE GIVER and THE NOVEMBER MAN in 2014, the Oscar-nominated composer’s score for THE HOMESMAN evoked the desolation of the homesteaders by drawing out the essence of the wind with an innovative wind piano that contained 175 feet long wires.

Read our interview with Beltrami HERE.

10. James Newton Howard – MALEFICENT and THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1

The sweeping emotions and volatile moods of THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 and MALEFICENT are evoked not only in the performances and visual designs but in the music, which once again is driven by an original orchestral score from eight time Oscar nominee James Newton Howard. The music for both films cover the whole breadth of experience from scenes of epic action to moments of epic heartache and intimate poignancy.

Howard also composed the score for Dan Gilroy’s NIGHTCRAWLER and Edward Zwick’s PAWN SACRIFICE.

11. Hanan Townshend – THE BETTER ANGELS

Directed by A.J. Edwards, executive produced by Terrence Malick with a beautiful score by Hanan Townshend (TO THE WONDER), THE BETTER ANGELS music took a poetic approach to Abraham Lincoln’s childhood in the harsh wilderness of Indiana.

12. EDGE OF TOMORROW – Christophe Beck

The composer created a score that captured the suspense, the action and the fun of Cage (Tom Cruise) and Rita’s (Emily Blunt) extraordinary journey in director Doug Liman’s awesome EDGE OF TOMORROW.

Read our interview with Beck HERE.

13. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY – Tyler Bates

Combining a rich orchestral score with familiar rock tunes, composer Tyler Bates’ score for director James Gunn’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY was one of the most popular of the year.

The soundtrack featured classic 1970s songs like Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling,” “I’m Not in Love” by 10cc, Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” and The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb.”

Bates also composed the score for the heart-pounding revenge thriller JOHN WICK starring Keanu Reeves.

Read our interview with Bates HERE.

14. A MOST VIOLENT YEAR – Alex Ebert

Another beautiful score from composer Alex Ebert (ALL IS LOST), the haunting music for director J.C. Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR transported audiences into the treacherous yet stunning landscape of NYC, 1981. Ebert’s score uses piano, synth, and percussion to capture the tension and emotional pressure faced by Oscar Isaac’s Abel Morales, as he fights to protect his business and family.

Displaying his versatility, Ebert also recently composed the score for Disney’s animated short FEAST, which is currently being shown in theaters prior to BIG HERO 6.

A Most Violent Year (Original Music From and Inspired By) by Alex Ebert by Nyc1981 on Mixcloud

15. THE LEGO MOVIE – Mark Mothersbaugh

Brick by Brick, composer Mark Mothersbaugh’s fun score for THE LEGO MOVIE

Filmgoers went along for the hilarious ride with Emmet, Wyldstyle, Vitruvius, Lord Business, Unikitty, Batman, Benny the Spaceman and Bad Cop/Good Cop and it truly was the most AWESOME time at a movie theater this year!

Read our interview with Mothersbaugh HERE.

Listen as The Hollywood Reporter discusses with Marco Beltrami (The Homesman), Danny Elfman (Big Eyes), John Powell (How To Train Your Dragon 2), Trent Reznor (Gone Girl) and Hans Zimmer (Interstellar) the process behind scoring the top films of the year.

Apes Together Strong In Final Trailer For Matt Reeves’ DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

On July 11th, DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES at long last hits the big screen.

As director Matt Reeves tweeted out –

Apes Together Strong! http://t.co/yGIWocN6dE

— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) June 19, 2014

The final U.S. and international trailers for 20th Century Fox’s highly anticipated film have arrived and both are loaded with new, emotional scenes of family (both human and ape), epic battles and untold sacrifice. The music clinches it and Reeves appears to have captured the essence of what made the original films one of the best loved franchises in cinematic history.

Here’s a brand new clip from the film.

A decade has passed since apes and man have come face-to-face. Now the two societies face a difficult choice between working together to co-exist or battle to become the dominant species.

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

The film’s screenplay is by Mark Bomback and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. The film’s score is by Michael Giacchino.

The film stars Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Toby Kebbell, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Enrique Murciano, Kirk Acevedo, Karin Konoval, and Judy Greer.

Oscar-winning visual effects house WETA Digital – employing a new generation of the cutting edge performance capture technologies developed for Rise of the Apes and Avatar – will again render photo-realistic, emotionally-engaging apes.

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CARS 2 Teaser Trailer Zooms In!

Mater and Lightning McQueen are back in this new teaser trailer for Disney/Pixar’s CARS 2.

Synopsis:

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in CARS 2 when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning CARS. CARS 2 is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille,” and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”).

CARS 2 hits the track on June 24, 2011 and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX 3D in select theaters.

Visit the film’s official site here, like it on Facebook here and follow it on Twitter here.

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