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Today (Dec. 12), Daft Punk’s 2004 anime film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem is screening in more than 800 theaters in 40 countries. While some of these theaters will host additional screenings over the weekend, this cinematic event is largely a one night only affair.
And in the numerology-centric Daft Punk universe — the group announced its breakup on 2/22/21 and livestreamed Interstella 5555 on Twitch exactly a year later, 2/22/22 — this screening happening on 12/12/24 is obviously not accidental.
“I think it’s a just a fun way to find a date to release something,” says Pedro Winter, who managed Daft Punk from 1996 to 2008. “Most of the time we do things for fun.”
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A quarter-century ago, creating an animated companion piece to the duo’s 2001 Discovery seemed like one such fun idea. The project would, however, also become an expensive, multi-year process that was a huge undertaking in an era when animation was still done by hand and resulted in a film that was only seen in full by a select few.
“I let you imagine the face of the accountant when you tell him you want to produce 14 videos that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each,” says Winter.
Animated by legendary Japanese anime artist Leiji Matsumoto in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio and scored by Discovery, Interstella 5555 was created as a series of music videos set to each of the album’s 14 perfect songs. (See an exclusive clip of the remastered film’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” section below.)
Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo conceived of the idea for the project, which tells the story of an evil music industry tycoon who kidnaps and brainwashes an alien rock group, transforms them into cookie cutter pop stars, brings them back to Earth and weasels them to the top of the charts. (The film “was written 25 years ago…. and it’s so relevant in 2025,” says Winter.)
While his memories of the creation process are reasonably hazy 25 years on, Winter says he’s pretty sure Bangalter and de Homem-Christo “produced the music first and then wrote the film around it. They needed the sound as a skeleton.” Once they had the script, they had to get Matsumoto onboard, knowing the artist – whose manga series Space Pirate Captain Harlock had been turned into an animated show the Daft Punk members watched as kids – might get their vision.
“While on a promo trip in Japan they met with Leiji Matsumoto, the legendary creator of the Space Pirate Captain Harlock anime to discuss their project with him,” says Emmanuel de Buretel, the founder of Because Music and former head of Virgin Records who signed Daft Punk to the latter label. “He was excited and quickly agreed to work with them on a manga movie inspired by Discovery.”
Daft Punk – Interstella 5555
Courtesy of Trafalgar Releasing
The project would be expensive, but Bangalter and de Homem-Christo had the will to make it happen and “pitched the concept themselves to Virgin Records,” recalls Winter. “Luckily the head of Virgin at the time was de Buretel, the only major label’s CEO who could understand Daft Punk’s vision… He was the one who fought and managed to get the approval from the whole EMI group.”
Ordering 14 custom-made anime music videos from one of the world’s great masters of the style may have seemed like a flight of fancy to the accounting department — but then again, at one point the idea of two guys playing electronic music while dressed as robots probably did too.
“Great artists are rare,” says de Buretel. “Great, hardworking and humble artists are even rarer. Visionaries like these are few and far between, and you can’t help but be inspired and motivated by their vision and work ethic.”
Bangalter and de Homem-Christo initially planned to finance the film themselves, although Virgin ended up fronting the money for a project that de Buretel says “very quickly became highly complex and costly, since they had to fly to Japan every month to finish editing, while also promoting the project. We, at Virgin, decided to help them finance it to finish quickly — that was a result of really believing in the project and their vision.” (Winter says “Virgin records was putting up the money, but at the end it was Daft Punk who paid the bill.”)
There was also one major benefit to Virgin helping with the financing: “They also made a very nice concession to do another album,” says de Buretel. (2005’s Human After All would complete Daft Punk’s three-album run on Virgin.)
Once financing was sorted, work on Interstella began in Japan, where Matsumoto worked in collaboration with animation studio Toei Animation. “We all went to Tokyo in early 2000,” recalls Winter. “We met Leiji Matsumoto at his place. It was magical, for real. He was a living legend. We grew up with his characters on French TV. He loved the robot characters of Daft Punk. They were speaking the same language; it was just amazing to see the band and Leiji getting along so well.”
A group of creators who may have seemed worlds apart found they actually had a lot in common. De Buretel calls the film “a blend of two cultural movements exploding at the same time, electronic music and anime. The modernity of the concept: using science fiction to explore themes of artists’ exploitation, could only have been done by such powerhouse thinkers as Leiji and Daft Punk.”
Daft Punk – Interstella 5555
Courtesy of Trafalgar Releasing
Daft Punk creative director Cédric Hervet soon joined the team to help develop the screenplay and the characters. While the idea was to launch the film at the same time as the album, that was not to be, with the film ultimately released two years after Discovery came out in February of 2001. (The album spent 30 weeks on the Billboard 200 across spans in 2001 and 2015.)
“Animation is such a long-term process,” says Winter, who recalls “receiving faxes from Toei Animation every week” with updates. “I loved the way the characters evolved, how the whole story took life,” he says.
Clips for the album singles “One More Time,” “Aerodynamic,” “Digital Love,” and “Harder Better Faster Stronger” were released first, and the complete film screened at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, along with a limited run in approximately 30 French theaters. A DVD of the full project them came out in late 2003. (“The animated House Musical,” the DVD’s cover reads.)
Daft Punk – Interstella 5555
Courtesy of Trafalgar Releasing
But until now, Interstella 5555 has never had a wide cinematic release in its full, hour-long form. The screenings are happening in partnership with Trafalgar Releasing, which specializes in special event cinema distribution and also worked on the 2023 cinematic releases of Taylor Swift‘s The Eras Tour concert film and Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.
The remastered version showing globally today has been, de Buretel says, “upgraded to fit current standards and give all fans the opportunity to engage in it.” He adds that this global event is an opportunity for fans to “discover and re-discover the group’s magic artistically and sonically,” to celebrate Matsumoto, who passed away last year at age of 85, and to stir up some fun and celebrate a work that, like so much of Daft Punk’s output, was ahead of its time.
“The project seemed difficult 24 years ago,” says de Buretel. “It probably seems straightforward today, but it was very risky and hard to wrap your head around at the time. I think that’s why it is a cult movie now.”
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Source: Matt Reeves / Twitter/@mattreevesLA
Following the success that The Penguin series experienced on the HBO network, DC seems to be willing to roll the dice on another Batman villain that has yet to make his live-action debut.
According to Deadline, DC Studios has just greenlit a Clayface project as they look to further expand their Batman universe in preparation for the highly anticipated The Batman 2 which is set to release sometime in 2026. The news comes a year after writer Mike Flanagan pitched the idea to DC Studios and it seems like they’ve decided to give it a shot. Known for his work on the reboot to The Exorcist, Flanagan had publicly expressed his interest in creating a movie centered around the shapeshifting Batman villain and it seems like fans are about to get their wish as Flanagan wants to make the film a “horror/thriller/tragedy.”
Per Deadline:
In March 2023, our sources told us that Flanagan’s take on Clayface will not feature the character as a villain, after the writer had a meeting with DC Bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, who took over at DC Studios in 2022.
Although Flanagan wasn’t pitching the character to be part of Matt Reeves’ DC elseworld, other sources have said that Clayface is a big addition to Reeves’ The Batman 2.
Clayface got his DC introduction as part of Detective Comics #40 in June of 1940. While there would eventually be a number of shape-shifting DC antagonists using that alias, the original Clayface was a moderately successful actor who adopted the identity of a character he’d portrayed in a horror pic after turning to crime. He’s a frequent adversary of Batman with a body seemingly made out of clay who has appeared over the years in numerous films, television series, animated works, video games and other forms of media, being portrayed on the series Gotham(The CW) and Pennyworth (Epix/HBO Max) by Brian McManamon and Lorraine Burroughs, respectively. The rationale behind Clayface’s appearance emerged in comics of the 1970s, which evolved the character into a scientist with hormone irregularities.
While previous live-action Batman villains such as The Joker, Penguin and Bane have been more of the grounded variety, Clayface is a bit more sci-fi as the villain is able to literally change his facial and bodily features at a moments notice. That being said, there are rumors that The Batman 2 will also feature Mr. Freeze, so maybe Matt Reeves is ready to take the live-action Batman franchise to a science fiction plane when the highly-anticipated sequel goes into production come 2025.
What do y’all think about Clayface making his cinematic debut? Which actor and director would you like to see take part in the project? Let us know in the comments section below.
Disney Animation’s Tangled is about to get a live-action adaptation, Deadline first reported on Wednesday (Dec. 11). The screenplay is generally expected to follow the one Disney fans already know and love, Deadline says, though plot specifics remain confidential at press time. Casting details also haven’t been shared, but The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey […]
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Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
A$AP Rocky will indeed be taking his main character energy to Hollywood. Spike Lee has confirmed he will have the main role in his new upcoming film.
As reported by Hype Beast the legendary movie marker recently conducted an interview with Deadline. During the Q&A the Brooklyn, NY native discussed reuniting with his longtime collaborator Denzel Washington on his forthcoming film Highest 2 Lowest. The project is inspired by the 1963 crime thriller High and Low. “This is not a remake, this is a reinterpretation of Akira Kurosawa’s great film” Spike says. The original follows a high profile executive who is extorted after his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for payment.
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“In Kurosawa’s film, Toshiro Mifune is a shoemaker,” said Lee. “In our film Denzel Washington is a music mogul with his own label and his reputation as the best ears in the business. So, this is the fifth film with the dynamic duo.” The two have worked on several iconic movies including Malcolm X, Inside Man, He Got Game and Mo’ Better Blues. When asked for further details on the plot Spike Lee didn’t elaborate further but did share that A$AP Rocky has the “the main role” in the film. Fellow rapper Ice Spice also has a part in Highest To Lowest.
You can see Spike Lee discuss the project below.
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Source: Michael Buckner / Getty
It’s official, Captain America is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the Russo brothers Avengers: Doomsday and no, we’re not talking about the Papa Doc version of the character.
According to Deadline, Chris Evans is set to return to the MCU for the highly anticipated fifth installment to the Avengers franchise and though we all know and love him for his iteration of Steve Rogers a.k.a Captain America, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll once again be rocking the Stars and Stripes on his costume. In Deadpool & Wolverine he returned to his original Marvel superhero form of Johnny Storm a.k.a The Human Torch of the Fantastic 4, so don’t be surprised if the Russo brothers have an entirely different character in mind for Evans as the MCU is experiencing a multiverse event in which your favorite movie stars are taking on entirely new roles.
With that being said, there are also rumors that the plot will revolve around Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom recruiting evil versions of the OG Avengers to help him execute his evil plot of creating Battle World where all your favorite multiverse heroes and villains exist in a single reality. So there’s a chance we may get our first live-action look at the Hydra version of Captain America.
Per Deadline:
As Deadline previously reported, expect many MCU OG characters to return in the Russo Brothers’ latest. As unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con back in July, Robert Downey Jr. ne Iron Man will be stepping into the role as the main baddie, Dr. Doom — if that isn’t upside down multi-universe enough.
Evans was always iffy as he would need a strong reason to return. The new Fantastic Four of Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Vanessa Kirby and Ebon Moss-Bachrach are also set to star in Avengers: Doomsday.
While the rumors about Chris Evans return has been circulating for the past year or so, it was believed he’d return as Captain America in a Disney+ series centered around Cap returning the infinity stones to their proper realities. We were all on board for that as we wanted to see Captain America’s interaction with the Red Skull who went on to become the guardian of the Soul Stone. But this is also cool too.
Could Chris Evans return as the OG Captain America? Hydra’s Captain America? The Human Torch? Old Man Cap? With the Russo brothers you never know but what we do know is it won’t be boring. That’s for damn sure.
What do y’all think about Chris Evans returning to the MCU? Who would you like to see him return as? Let us know in the comments section below.
Ariana Grande’s performance as Glinda in Wicked has been generating awards buzz since even before the film’s Nov. 22 release. Now, the Palm Springs International Film Awards has selected Grande as the winner of the Rising Star Award, an honor previously presented to such actors as Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone).
The awards ceremony will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3. The festival will take place from Jan. 2-13.
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“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” Festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. “Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent. This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
Billboard’s Joe Lynch was similarly impressed with Grande’s performance. He allowed that he wasn’t sure she had the acting chops to play the role made famous on Broadway by Kristin Chenoweth. “No one with ears could question Grande’s pipes, but based on her acting credits, we simply didn’t know if she was capable of filling Chenoweth’s small but mighty heels. Well, having seen Wicked: Part 1 in theaters, I can say without exaggeration that Grande isn’t just a good witch – she’s sinceriously astonishing,” playing off Glinda’s penchant for amusing spoonerisms.
Lynch’s bottom-line: “Some pop stars turned actors acquit themselves competently on the big screen, but like Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, this performance signals the arrival of a formidable cinematic talent with a lot more to show us.”
Fans, of course, have also rallied behind the film, which was directed by Jon M. Chu and which also stars Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey. The film has grossed $275.8 million in the U.S. and Canada. Worldwide, it has grossed $372.9 million.
This year’s award winners also include Timothée Chalamet for the chairman’s award for his performance as a young Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown and Emilia Pérez actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez and director Jacques Audiard for the vanguard award.
A new live experience for movie fans, combining cinema with famous film scores and soundtracks, is launching at Hollywood Park near SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Launched by theatrical production group For The Record, CineVita is a first-of-its-kind “Live Cinema” venue, housed in the world’s largest Belgian Spiegeltent tent, measuring in at 15,000-square-feet. The traveling venue features 3,000 hand-beveled mirrors, hand-cut stained glass windows, and ornate wood-carved detailing and built by the Rik Klessens in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning designer Matt Steinbrenner.
CineVita opens Jan. 21, 2025 with debut show, Tarantino | Pulp Rock, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Pulp Fiction and Quentin Tarantino’s cinematic universe with a high-octane 360-degree concert experience. Tarantino | Pulp Rock intertwines iconic scenes and soundtracks from all nine of Tarantino’s films—Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Jackie Brown, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—reimagined and performed by a live band and cast of exceptional artists performing songs including “Stuck in the Middle with You,” “Bang, Bang, My Baby Shot Me Down,” and “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon.”
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“For over a decade, I’ve watched For The Record grow into something truly special—an inventive, nostalgic celebration of cinema and music,” said actress and long-time supporter Demi Moore, noting she learned of CineVita from her oldest daughter.
“When Rumer first joined this talented group of artists, I saw firsthand the sense of community and creativity they fostered,” Moore added. “Now, with CineVita, that vision has reached new heights. The idea of stepping into a beautiful, handcrafted tent and escaping into the golden age of cinema is pure magic. It’s a nostalgic journey through our favorite films, but it’s also about something deeper—bringing people together to share a common experience, much like the movies have always done. I’m so proud to help bring this unique vision to life and service audiences across the country from LA to NY and beyond!”
The CineVita will remain in Los Angeles through mid-summer before embarking on a national tour across the United States. Following Tarantino | Pulp Rock, For The Record will bring to life additional signature productions from its catalog, paying tribute to legendary directors like John Hughes, Baz Luhrmann, the Coen Brothers, Paul Thomas Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Robert Zemeckis, and Garry and Penny Marshall. These shows—each a cornerstone of the For The Record legacy—will deliver unforgettable live cinema experiences to Los Angeles audiences before setting off to captivate the nation.
“Hollywood Park was envisioned as a premier destination for unforgettable events, and we are thrilled to add the world premiere of CineVita to this dynamic space,” said Jen Sandstrom vp of programming and booking, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “This genre-defying experience will transport our community and visitors alike into the golden age of cinema through live performances, celebrating the arts and further establishing Hollywood Park as a vibrant destination.”
“As a theater kid at heart, I immediately saw the incredible potential of CineVita,” said Whitney Kroenke Silverstein, daughter of LA Rams and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment owner Stan Kroenke. “This project brings together so many aspects of my life—from my love for live performance to my commitment to using music as a vehicle for positive impact. Hollywood Park and SoFi Stadium provide the perfect backdrop for CineVita’s world debut. This project reflects KSE’s dedication to making Hollywood Park and Inglewood a vibrant hub for cultural events, and I’m thrilled to help make that vision a reality.”
Tarantino | Pulp Rock is directed and adapted by Anderson Davis, with music supervision and arrangements by Jesse Vargas, choreography by Sumie Maeda, and costume design by Steve Mazurek. CineVita’s design team includes lighting design by Emmy Award-winner Mike Berger, and sound design by Tony Award nominee Joshua Reid.
The Moët & Chandon VIP Experience at the CineVita will feature premier seating, table service, complimentary champagne and European-inspired treats, curated by DLS Events to complete the full sensory journey. With every seat in the house offering an exceptional view, CineVita makes this groundbreaking experience accessible to everyone.
Tickets for this limited engagement go on sale to the public on Friday, December 6 at 10 a.m., with a special pre-sale starting today, December 3. Performances begin on January 21.
Tickets are available at TheCineVita.com. Performances are Tuesday-Sunday at 8PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 3PM. Ticket prices range from $49-$225. VIP packages are also available. CineVita is located at 1248 S. District Drive in Inglewood, CA near The Shops at Hollywood Park.
When Brookfield Asset Management invested $2 billion in Primary Wave roughly two years ago, a representative from the Canadian fund predicted that just as there has been a wave of comic book superhero movies, there would a wave of musician biopics.
“Music is going to be like the Marvel and DC comic catalogs,” Angelo Ruffino, who was then the managing partner at Brookfield behind the Primary Wave investment, said in October 2022. “There are just so many ways to monetize music that I think are in the early innings.”
Hollywood has churned out superhero films, from Batman to Black Panther, but the genre has been drawing smaller audiences of late. With a flurry of music biopics set for release in the next few years — including feature films about Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Queen Latifah, four films about each member of The Beatles, and maybe one about The Bee Gees — have we reached peak biopic?
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The top post on Reddit’s subreddit page about Dylan as of this writing is titled, “On not being interested in A Complete Unknown,” and it is far from the only gripe about dramatizations of currently touring musicians on the Internet.
However many factors are contributing to a packed pipeline of musician biopics, and consumer demand just one. By that measure, many recent music biopics have been hits. About half of the 25 highest grossing music biopics of all time, according to boxofficemojo.com, were released since 2014, with Bohemian Rhapsody about Queen at No. 1 with $216.4 million, Straight Outta Compton about N.W.A. at No. 2 with $161.2 million and Elvis at No. 3 with $151 million all in gross revenue in the United States.
Natalia Nastaskin, chief content officer at Primary Wave, which as involved with the 2022 release “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody”—No. 24 in the top 25 grossing biopics—says demand remains high. But the years it can take to land the starring actors, directors and producers essential to making a hit movie may mean these films continue to trickle out over the coming years.
“I do think we are going to see more of these biopics because we are always fascinated by the stories of our rock stars and the behind-the-scenes story of their lives,” Nastaskin tells Billboard. “How many more biopics will we see? Really hitting that cultural zeitgeist may take several years.”
Primary Wave is currently involved in biopics about Boyz II Men and Boy George—both in production.
Another factor that has the potential to disrupt the normal line between demand and supply are the different ways Hollywood and the music industry make money off these films. Hollywood defines a successful movie by the revenue it grosses; the music industry is more interested in how it drives moviegoers to stream the music, buy merch and the tangential licensing opportunities delivered by the music’s resurging relevance.
By those definitions, Elvis was a smash. All of the activity that the Baz Luhrmann biopic drove for Elvis’s music and brand boosted the Presley estate’s estimated value to around $1 billion 2022 from an estimated $400 million to $600 million in 2020.
It may take years to measure the impact of Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of Bob Dylan on his catalog, at least until 2025, which is when the Michael Jackson biopic is slated for release. With The Beatles films expected in 2027, there seems like no shortage of musician biopics to come.
Sony Music has reached a settlement to end a lawsuit claiming the producers of Whitney Houston’s 2022 biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody never fully paid to use her songs.
The case, filed earlier this year, alleged that the companies behind the movie had signed deals for sync licenses to feature songs like “I Will Always Love You” in the film – but that more than a year after it was released, the label still hadn’t been paid a dime for those rights.
In a motion filed Monday in New York federal court, attorneys for Sony say they will drop the case voluntarily. The motion did not provide any terms of the apparent settlement, and neither side immediately returned requests for comment.
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Riding a wave of enthusiasm for musical biopics – 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody earned more $900 million at the box office and Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 “Elvis” made $288 million – “I Wanna Dance” was released in December 2022 to middling reviews and an underwhelming return of $59.8 million gross.
A little over a year later, Sony added a copyright lawsuit to the movie’s woes – claiming the movie had featured “some of the most iconic and popular sound recordings of all time” without properly paying for them.
The February lawsuit claimed that Anthem Films, Black Label Media and others behind the movie had signed a sync license agreement on Dec. 5, 2022 – less than ten days before the movie’s release – covering the use of Sony’s sound recordings of Houston’s songs, also including “Greatest Love of All,” “I’m Every Woman” and the titular “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
Sony argued that the producers did so because they essentially had to if they wanted to create “a biopic about the life and music of Whitney Houston.”
“Unlike other types of films, musical biopics by their nature require use of the subject musician’s music, as it is nearly impossible to explain the importance of a musician’s creative genius or unique style and talent without the use of the musician’s music,” Sony wrote.
But the label said that by August 2023, it still had not been paid anything under that deal. After notifying Anthem of the problem, the company allegedly told Sony that it was waiting on funds from a tax credit owed by the state of Massachusetts. But such a payment never came, Sony said.
“As a result of Anthem’s failure to pay the fees to SME, it is clear that there was no license or authorization to use the SME Recordings used in the Film,” the company’s attorneys wrote. “Nevertheless, the Film embodying the SME Recordings was, and continues to be, exhibited, distributed, and exploited.”
When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences releases its Academy Award shortlists in 10 categories on Dec. 17, the most immediately obvious change from past years will be that the number of shortlisted scores will jump from 15 to 20. The best song shortlist will remain at 15.
Nominations-round voting runs Jan. 8-12, and nominations will be announced Jan. 17. Final-round voting runs Feb. 11-18, and the 2025 Oscars will be held March 2. Billboard highlights some of the potential nominees in the best original song and best original score categories below.
“Forbidden Road”Sacha Skarbek, Freddy Wexler, Robbie WilliamsBetter Man, Paramount
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Better Man is a biographical film about British pop star Williams, who is portrayed as a chimpanzee through use of motion capture. All three co-writers are past Grammy Award nominees. Skarbek was nominated for song of the year for co-writing James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful”; Wexler for album of the year for his songwriting contributions to the deluxe edition of Justin Bieber’s Justice; and Williams for a pair of music videos.
“Winter Coat”Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, Taura StinsonBlitz, Apple Original Films
Stinson was previously nominated in this category for co-writing “Mighty River” from Mudbound. If she’s nominated again, she’ll tie Siedah Garrett as the Black woman with the most nods in this category. Britell is a three-time nominee for best original score. Blitz director McQueen won a best picture Oscar as a producer on his film 12 Years a Slave in 2013.
“Never Too Late”Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, Bernie TaupinElton John: Never Too Late, Walt Disney Pictures
John is a two-time winner of best original song for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman. Taupin was a co-winner on the latter. Carlile has received four Grammy nods for song of the year, John has received two and Watt one. John’s victory lap also includes an EGOT-clinching Emmy win for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium.
“El Mal”Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais, Jacques AudiardEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Ducol and his personal and professional partner, Dalmais, composed the score and collaborated on the songs for this film. Audiard, the film’s writer, director and co-producer, joined them in writing this song. The film premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where the couple won the soundtrack award. In addition to her film work, Dalmais has recorded five albums in her native France.
“Mi Camino”Clément Ducol, Camille DalmaisEmilia Pérez, Netflix
Emilia Pérez is one of three films with a reasonably good chance of placing two songs on the best original song shortlist. Piece by Piece and Twisters could also do it. Last year, three films had multiple songs on the shortlist: Barbie led with three (two of which went on to be nominated), and The Color Purple and Flora and Son each had two.
“Beautiful That Way”Miley Cyrus, Lykke Li, Andrew WyattThe Last Showgirl, Roadside Attractions
Wyatt won in this category in 2019 for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born. He was nominated at this year’s Oscars for co-writing “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Wyatt has received three Grammy nods for song of the year for co-writing “Shallow,” Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night.” Cyrus was nominated in that category at the 2024 ceremony for “Flowers.” This would be her first Oscar nod.
“Beyond”Abigail Barlow, Emily BearMoana 2, Walt Disney Pictures
Songwriter-composer duo Barlow & Bear won a Grammy in 2021 for best musical theater album for The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. This would be the first song by an all-woman team to be nominated in this category since the Diane Warren-Laura Pausini collaboration “Io sì (Seen)” from The Life Ahead four years ago. Lin-Manuel Miranda was nominated in this category for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from the first Moana, released in 2016.
“I Always Wanted a Brother”Lin-Manuel MirandaMufasa: The Lion King, Walt Disney Pictures
Miranda has been just an Oscar away from an EGOT since 2014, when he won his first Primetime Emmy. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for writing “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana and “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. None of the songs from the 2019 reboot of The Lion King were nominated, but three were from the 1994 original, all written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
“For Real”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Piece by Piece is an animated film co-produced and directed by Morgan Neville, who won an Oscar for best documentary (feature) in 2014 for directing 20 Feet From Stardom. It follows the life and career of Williams, who stars in the film, through the lens of Lego animation. The movie also features the voices of Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg.
“Piece by Piece”Pharrell WilliamsPiece by Piece, Focus Features
Williams was nominated for best original song for “Happy” from 2013’s Despicable Me 2. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks after he performed it at the 2014 Oscars. He received a second Oscar nod three years later as a producer of best picture nominee Hidden Figures. Williams has amassed 39 Grammy nods, including one for song of the year for co-writing Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.”
“The Journey”Diane WarrenThe Six Triple Eight, Netflix
If Warren is nominated, she’ll tie midcentury lyricist Sammy Cahn for the longest streak of consecutive nominations (eight) in the history of the category. (Cahn was a contender every year from 1954 to 1961.) This would be Warren’s 16th overall nod in this category, more than any other woman. Among women, she’s currently tied with the late Marilyn Bergman.
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”Jessi Alexander, Luke Combs, Jonathan SingletonTwisters, Universal
All three co-writers have received Grammy nods for best country song — Alexander for co-writing Blake Shelton’s “Mine Would Be You” and Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck,” Combs for co-writing his own hit “Doin’ This” and Singleton for co-writing Tim McGraw’s “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools.” Twisters: The Album reached No. 3 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
“Out of Oklahoma”Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnallyTwisters, Universal
McAnally is a two-time Grammy winner for best country song for co-writing the Kacey Musgraves hits “Merry Go ’Round” and “Space Cowboy.” Last year, he received a Grammy nod for songwriter of the year, non-classical. Dick was nominated for best country song for co-writing Miranda Lambert’s “Bluebird.” Wilson’s Bell Bottom Country won a Grammy for best country album in February.
“Kiss the Sky”Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali TamposiThe Wild Robot, DreamWorks Animation
Pollack received a Grammy nod for song of the year for co-writing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” The Johnson brothers were nominated in that category for co-writing the Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey smash “The Middle”; Tamposi for co-writing Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Morris has received five Grammy nods for best country song. Singer-songwriter Delacey has written such hits as Halsey’s “Without Me,” which topped the Hot 100 in 2019.
“Harper and Will Go West”Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Josh GreenbaumWill & Harper, Netflix
Wiig was an Oscar nominee for best original screenplay for co-writing the 2011 smash Bridesmaids. She co-wrote four songs for the 2021 film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Douglas received a Grammy nod for best country song for co-writing the Thomas Rhett hit “Die a Happy Man.” Greenbaum directed and co-produced this film, which stars Will Ferrell and Harper Steele.
Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios)Benjamin Wallfisch
This would be Wallfisch’s first Oscar nod. He received Grammy and Golden Globe nods for Hidden Figures and BAFTA and Grammy nods for Blade Runner 2049. Alien: Romulus is part of the Alien franchise, set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). Fun fact: Wallfisch was born less than three months after the release of the first Alien.
Blitz (Apple Original Films)Hans Zimmer
Zimmer has received 12 nominations in this category across five decades. He won for The Lion King (1994) and Dune (2021). Steve McQueen wrote, produced and directed Blitz, a historical war drama. The film stars four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, Harris Dickinson and Elliot Heffernan in his film debut. Following a theatrical run, Blitz is set for a streaming release on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22.
The Brutalist (A24)Daniel Blumberg
This would be the first nomination for Blumberg, an English artist, musician, songwriter and composer. The Brutalist stars Adrien Brody as Hungarian Jewish architect László Tóth, who survives the Holocaust and constructs a new life in America. The film, which also stars Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, is scheduled to be released in the United States on Dec. 20.
Challengers (Amazon MGM)Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Reznor and Ross have received three nominations in this category, winning for The Social Network (2010) and Soul (2020), the latter a collaboration with Jon Batiste. In addition, they have jointly won an Emmy, two Grammys and two Golden Globes for their scoring work. Luca Guadagnino directed Challengers, about the love triangle between a tennis coach (Zendaya), her tennis player ex-boyfriend (Josh O’Connor) and her tennis champion husband (Mike Faist).
Conclave (Focus Features)Volker Bertelmann
Bertelmann won in this category for 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front. He was previously nominated for Lion, on which he collaborated with Dustin O’Halloran. Conclave is a mystery-thriller directed by Edward Berger, who also directed All Quiet on the Western Front. In this film, a cardinal played by Ralph Fiennes organizes a papal conclave to elect the next pope. The film also stars Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)Clément Ducol, Camille Dalmais
Emilia Pérez premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize and its stars (Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Zoe Saldaña) jointly won the best actress award. Pathé released the film theatrically in August. It was selected as the French entry for best international feature film at the upcoming Oscars.
The Fire Inside (Amazon MGM)Tamar-kali
This would be the first nod for Tamar-kali, whose previous scores include Mudbound and the documentaries John Lewis: Good Trouble and Little Richard: I Am Everything. The Fire Inside, which tells the story of professional boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (played by Ryan Destiny) as she trains for the 2012 Summer Olympics, is set for release on Christmas Day. The film marks Rachel Morrison’s feature directorial debut.
Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)Harry Gregson-Williams
This would be Gregson-Williams’ first nod. Hans Zimmer was nominated for scoring the original 2000 film, which won five Oscars including best picture. Ridley Scott directed both the original movie and this long-awaited sequel, which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington — but not Russell Crowe, who won the best actor Oscar for the first film. Gladiator II is scheduled to be released in the United States on Nov. 22.
The Goat Life (Netflix)A.R. Rahman
Rahman won for scoring Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and was nominated again two years later for 127 Hours. The Goat Life was written, directed and co-produced by Blessy. The film is an international co-production involving companies in India and the United States. It’s an adaptation of the 2008 Malayalam novel Aadujeevitham, which is based on the real-life story of Najeeb, a Malayali immigrant laborer in the Gulf.
Here (Sony Pictures)Alan Silvestri
Silvestri was nominated for scoring 1994’s Forrest Gump, that year’s best picture winner. This film reunites the director (Robert Zemeckis), screenwriter (Eric Roth) and stars (Tom Hanks and Robin Wright) of that film. Silvestri was also nominated for best original song for co-writing “Believe” from yet another Hanks film, The Polar Express. Here depicts a single home and its inhabitants over time.
From left: Ryan Reynolds in IF, Inside Out 2, Zendaya in Challengers, Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux and The Wild Robot.
illustrations by Klawe Rzeczy
IF (Paramount Pictures)Michael Giacchino
Giacchino was nominated for scoring Ratatouille (2007) and won two years later for Up. John Krasinski wrote, directed, co-produced and co-starred in IF, which combines live-action and animation. The cast also features Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds and Fiona Shaw. The film’s soundtrack includes a pair of pop classics, Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” and Nat “King” Cole’s “L-O-V-E.”
Inside Out 2 (Pixar)Andrea Datzman
With this release, Datzman became the first woman to score a Pixar feature film. This would be her first Oscar nomination. Datzman previously composed the music for the Pixar short Carl’s Date (2023) and co-scored the studio’s animated-shorts series Dug Days (2021) with Curtis Green. The first Inside Out (scored by Michael Giacchino) received two Oscar nods but was passed over in this category.
Joker: Folie à Deux (Warner Bros.)Hildur Guðnadóttir
Hildur won for scoring the first Joker. This sequel bombed at the box office and critics generally panned it, but the film’s music earned praise. If Hildur’s score is nominated, she would become the third woman to receive two or more nods in scoring categories, following Rachel Portman (who leads with three) and Angela Morley (who had two nods in the defunct original song score or adaptation score category).
Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM/Orion)Alex Somers, Scott Alario
This would be the first nomination for Somers and Alario, who were members of the Icelandic experimental duo Parachutes that recorded two albums and an EP in the 2000s. Nickel Boys is based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Colson Whitehead. RaMell Ross directed and co-wrote the film, which follows two African American boys, Elwood and Turner, who are sent to an abusive reform school in 1960s Florida.
Nosferatu (Focus Features)Robin Carolan
This would be Carolan’s first nod. Nosferatu is a gothic horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers. It’s a remake of a 1922 German film, which was in turn based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula. The film stars Bill Skarsgård, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe. Nosferatu is scheduled for theatrical release in the United States on Christmas Day.
The Piano Lesson (Netflix)Alexandre Desplat
Desplat has amassed 11 nominations in this category, winning for The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The Shape of Water (2017). The Piano Lesson is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1987 play by August Wilson. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Erykah Badu. Washington is the brother of the film’s director, Malcolm Washington (who is making his feature directorial debut). Their father is two-time Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Queer A24Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
If Reznor and Ross are nominated for both Challengers and Queer, it would be the second time they were double-nominated in this category. They were in contention for both Soul and Mank four years ago. Luca Guadagnino directed Queer, which is based on a 1985 novel of the same name by William S. Burroughs. Set in 1950s Mexico City, the film stars Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.
The Room Next Door (Sony Pictures Classics)Alberto Iglesias
Iglesias has garnered four nominations in this category for The Constant Gardener (2005), The Kite Runner (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and Parallel Mothers (2021). The Room Next Door marks his 14th collaboration with director Pedro Almodóvar. This film is Almodóvar’s first full-length feature in the English language and scheduled for a limited release in the United States on Dec. 20.
Saturday Night (Sony Pictures)Jon Batiste
Batiste won in this category for 2020’s Soul, a collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. He was nominated for best original song last year for co-writing “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony. Saturday Night, directed by Jason Reitman, recounts the night of the 1975 premiere of NBC’s Saturday Night (as Saturday Night Live was originally called). In addition to scoring the film, Batiste plays Billy Preston, who performed on that first episode.
The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation)Kris Bowers
Bowers has received two Oscar nominations but not in music categories. He was nominated for best documentary short film for A Concerto Is a Conversation (2020) and won in that category for The Last Repair Shop (2023). Chris Sanders, a three-time Oscar nominee for best animated feature film, wrote and directed The Wild Robot, which features the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara.
Additional reporting by Melinda Newman.
This story appears in the Nov. 16, 2024, issue of Billboard.