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The John Wickfranchise is known for its eccentric soundtrack that elevates the movies’ action sequences, and one rock legend almost contributed to it before they passed away. The late guitarist Eddie Van Halen had plenty of incredible credits to his name and, at one point, looked set to work with music composer Tyler Bates on the score.

In a recent conversation with ScreenRant, Bates pulled back the curtain on the what-ifs of the John Wick soundtrack, of which he’s composed every movie’s score. While Van Halen’s contribution would have been exciting, the iconic guitarist dealt with health issues since the 1990s and died at age 65 in 2020. Read Bates' full comments below.

Tyler Bates:

So, at one point we almost had Eddie Van Halen play on the John Wick theme, toward the end of his life. [It was on John Wick 2 or 3.] He came over to my place. It was really...

John Wickstar and musician Keanu Reeves purposely bowed out of appearing on the movie's soundtrack for incredibly humble reasons. As an actor known for major roles in everything from Bill & Ted to The Matrix, many might be aware that Reeves has also been the bassist for the alternative rock band Dogstar since 1994.

In a recent conversation with ScreenRant, John Wick score composer Tyler Bates spoke candidly about his work on the franchise and explained the respectful reason that Reeves never got involved in the music side of the production. Despite clearly having the musical chops required, Bates explained that Reeves wasn’t the type of guy to steal another artist's glory.

ScreenRant: Have you ever worked with Keanu? I know he's a bassist, [with] a band and everything.

Tyler Bates: I love the guy. Now I've done, I don’t know, seven movies he's been in, and I've encountered him on every film.

Stars: Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick | Written by Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad | Directed by Len Wiseman*

Taking place between the events of John Wick 3: Parabellum and John Wick 4, this spin-off action thriller is nominally directed by Len Wiseman, although it’s worth noting that John Wick director / fight co-ordinator Chad Stahelski reportedly reshot the majority of the movie over three months of reshoots. Suffice it to say that the film’s action sequences have a very Stahelski-esque feel to them, either way.

The film begins with a prologue sequence, in which a young girl named Eve (Victoria Comte) witnesses her father being murdered by a squad of goons under the command of The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Eve is subsequently taken in by Continental Hotel owner Winston Scott (Ian McShane), who takes her to a ballet school run by the...

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, aka RZA, musician, composer, actor, filmmaker, record producer and mastermind of hip hop’s Wu-Tang Clan, has a rich career but says film ties it all together as his latest is set to world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on Sunday.

He wrote and directed the action thriller One Spoon Of Chocolate starring Shameik Moore, Rj Cyler (The Harder They Fall), Harry Goodwins (The Gentlemen), Johnell Young, Michael Harney (The Iron Claw), Rockmond Dunbar, E’myri Crutchfield, Blair Underwood (Origin) and Grammy winning country star Jason Isbell (Killers Of The Flower Moon).

Moore’s former military convict Unique arrives in a seemingly quiet Midwestern town (shot in Atlanta as a stand-in for Ohio) after serving his country and his prison sentence for an assault he never committed to restart his life with his only surviving relative,...

After four successful John Wick movies under the direction of Chad Stahelski, a change of director seems like a logical move to potentially give the film franchise a fresh perspective. But attaching Len Wiseman onboard for Ballerina – officially titled From the World of John Wick: Ballerina – doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Although he did well in the first two stylish B-movie action horror in Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, his subsequent transition to big-budget studio pictures including Live Free or Die Hard a.k.a. Die Hard 4.0 and Total Recall reboot were basically all style but little substance.

It didn’t help either when Ballerina was plagued by reshoots and a delay on its release, originally due last June but pushed back for a full year. Still, whatever that’s been going on behind the scenes, I remain hopeful for Ballerina to emerge as a worthy addition to the John Wick franchise.

Plot: Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), an assassin who’s part of the notorious Ruska Roma, seeks vengeance on the network of killers who murdered her parents.

Review: Ballerina is one of the more satisfying franchise spin-offs in recent memory. In this era of IP, every studio is desperate to max out the potential sequels and spinoffs their key franchises can handle, and Lionsgate has a whole slew planned around the John Wick franchise. Yet, what makes Ballerina different is that this doesn’t feel like much of a derivative of the franchise, given that Keanu Reeves was coaxed back to reprise his role. While his contribution to the film is mainly limited to the last act, his involvement is far more than a cameo, with him having a legitimate supporting role, giving the movie a welcome sense of legitimacy.

The movie takes place between the third and fourth John Wick movies.

Now that tickets are on sale, Lionsgate has released a new trailer for the Ballerina movie. Opening in theaters on June 6, the film has not yet been rated by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

Directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten, the cast of the Ballerina movie includes Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves.

The movie is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski. It is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad. Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard will compose the score for the film.

Principal photography for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina began on November 7, 2022, in Prague,...

The John Wick franchise has redefined modern action cinema — blending balletic fight choreography, criminal mythmaking, and a Keanu Reeves performance that turned a grieving assassin into a cinematic icon. Now, as part of Collider’s Exclusive Preview event, we’re unveiling two new images of Ana de Armas in From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the first spin-off film in the ever-expanding Wick universe. We also have exclusive quotes from director Len Wiseman previewing exactly what we can expect from the action film.

Set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (de Armas), a lethal young woman beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. In the film, she's expected to set out on a brutal mission of revenge — navigating the same shadowy world that John Wick once tore apart. But while it exists in the same universe,...

Lionsgate has released the new trailer for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, which will open in theaters on June 6, 2025. The film has not yet been rated by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

Directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten, the cast of the film includes Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves.

The movie is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski. It is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad. Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard will compose the score for the film.

Principal photography for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina began on November 7, 2022, in Prague,...

When we discuss Hollywood flops, it's important to stress that the term "flop" has nothing to do with the quality of the film. It's strictly about the movie's extreme financial failure. Francis Ford Coppola's "One from the Heart" was a massive flop, but, over 40 years later, it's now considered by many to be an artistic triumph (something to keep in mind as we move further away from the wipeout of 2024's "Megalopolis"). Brian De Palma's "Casualties of War" was a costly bomb for the legendary filmmaker, but the movie received rave reviews at the time and still stands as one of the greatest Vietnam War films ever made. And while Michael Lehmann's "Hudson Hawk" might've thrown a dent into Bruce Willis' commercial reputation, people with exquisite taste have come to recognize its anarchic genius.

When a non-franchise movie flops, my initial instinct is to find a way to stick up for it,...

Composer Tyler Bates has been sued for allegedly pilfering a singer and former collaborator’s voice on productions he scored.

Azam Ali, in a lawsuit filed on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges Bates created a “digital replica” of her voice, which was used on new projects, including Cartoon Network’s animated series Primal, without consent or compensation to the singer.

Ali’s voice has appeared on scores for major studios films, including Thor: The Dark World, The Matrix: Revolutions and Fight Club. She met Bates in 2001, when he was looking for a vocalist to assist him on scoring the soundtrack to Night at the Golden Eagle. The pair went on to collaborate on Dawn of the Dead, 300 and Doomsday.

Last year, Ali claims she was contacted by a fan congratulating her for appearing on a soundtrack to an unnamed production scored by Bates. When she reached out to the composer,...

Lionsgate has brought online the extended look for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina that was shown at Ccxp in São Paulo, Brazil over the weekend.

Stars Ana de Armas, Ian McShane, Norman Reedus and director Len Wiseman took on the iconic Thunder Stage on Sunday for an electric finale panel at Ccxp.

The action-packed panel kicked off with a spectacular dance and stunt performance by local artists followed by a special conversation with the cast and director. Ana, Ian, Norman and Len were welcomed by a wildly enthusiastic crowd, with cheering fans holding up signs for the cast, and thunderous applause for the new footage.

Ian shared a moving tribute to his former co-star, Lance Reddick, who played Charon in the John Wick franchise. The crowd was also treated to a surprise pre-recorded greeting from Keanu Reeves and producer Chad Stahelski.

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,...

Lionsgate has revealed a new poster and photo featuring Ana de Armas in Ballerina, which will have a Ccxp panel with the cast and director on Sunday, December 8 in Brazil.

The film’s stars, Ana de Armas, Ian McShane and Norman Reedus, along with director Len Wiseman will travel to São Paulo for a special conversation which will also feature never-before-seen footage from the upcoming film.

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the film follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

The panel, which closes the convention, will be livestreamed. Tune-in to the live panel this Sunday, December 8th at 2:00 p.m. Pst / 5:00 p.m. Est / 7:00 p.m. BST via Lionsgate’s YouTube channel.

Directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten, the film will open in theaters...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Maxxxine.MaXXXine is the perfect entry in Ti West's X trilogy to include several popular songs, and the film makes great use of music throughout. Ti West is the hands-on creative behind the X movie trilogy, which began with X in 2022, followed by Pearl later that year, and 2024's MaXXXine. Each film features Mia Goth as the protagonist, and she occasionally appears as multiple characters. Meanwhile, Ti West has taken on the role of director, writer, producer and editor, while bringing in Tyler Bates as the composer for each entry, along with some additional help along the way.

Considering the fairly tight-knit production, the films rely on every element performing at its best in order to deliver a satisfying final product. Fortunately, the music team has proven their capability and created critically acclaimed entries throughout the X series. MaXXXine also features some of...

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, or simply Ballerina, is an upcoming neo-noir action film directed by Len Wiseman and starring Ana de Armas. It is the first spin-off film in the critically acclaimed action franchise starring Keanu Reeves and revolves around the concept of ballerina assassins first introduced in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

John Wick spin-off Ballerina stars Ana de Armas (Credit: Lonsgate).

The spin-off film takes place between the third and fourth installments of the main-line movies focusing on Reeves’ John Wick. It is set to revolve around ballerina-assassin Eve Macarro, played by Ana de Armas, who is seeking revenge for her family’s murder. Here is everything you need to know about the movie, including its trailer, release date, plot, cast, and other details.

Ballerina Trailer

Ballerina stars Ana de Armas in the titular role and was first announced in 2017 after Lionsgate acquired a spec script from writer Shay Hatten.

Lionsgate has revealed the official trailer for From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the upcoming action film that takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

Directed by Len Wiseman from a script by Shay Hatten, the film will open in theaters on June 6, 2025.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas), who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma. The movie is a Thunder Road Films and 87eleven production.

The cast includes Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves. This marks Reddick’s final screen role.

The movie is produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Chad Stahelski. It is based on characters created by Derek Kolstad. Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard will compose the score for the film.

Principal...

Mastodon and Lamb of God have dropped a new collaborative song, “Floods of Triton.”

The release of the single caps the bands’ co-headlining tour together. The recently completed outing saw Mastodon and Lamb of God celebrating the 20th anniversary of their respective breakthrough albums, Leviathan and Ashes of the Wake.

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Each album was played in its entirety on the tour, so it’s not surprising that “Floods of Triton” sounds like a merging of the two.

Musically, the track leans on a Leviathan-esque style of sludge-thrash — it sounds like Mastodon handled most of the composition — whereas the vocals are dominantly by Randy Blythe, especially in the verses. Likewise, his commanding gutturals and thrash/hardcore spat in the chorus (backed by vocals from the Mastodon camp) are very much in the vein of Ashes of the Wake and classic Lamb of God.

The song — available digitally and...

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...

Check out our other MaXXXine review here!

Plot: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Review: I think I was one of only a handful of people left unimpressed by Ti West‘s double feature of X and Pearl. I was impressed by the scheduling and secrecy elements of production but I just couldn’t connect to the story itself. Each felt like a shallow experience, lacking in any true direction, and devoid of interesting characters. I consider myself a fair man, so when the trilogy capper was announced, I knew I’d be giving it a shot. So when I tell you that not only did I enjoy this film, I absolutely loved it: there’s a lot of baggage attached to that statement.

Ti West's pulpy 1980s sequel Maxxxine lets Mia Goth be a fucking star. The third film in West’s X trilogy is a sinful sendup to Regan-era Satanic Panic protests against Hollywood, aligning Maxine Minx’s Tinsletown escapades with the Night Stalker’s crime spree. Influences from Italian giallos to Jack Shoulder’s Los Angeles setups create an A+ aesthetic, the same as VHS-era “Video Nasties” paranoia, but adversely, certain themes are never fully incorporated. Maxxxine strikes its poses, cracks some skulls, and gets unexpectedly goofy, yet its pastiche sometimes feels skin-deep. West tries to have it all between Maxine’s crescendo, knife-to-throat depravity, and filmmaking commentaries, only to undersell competing features due to overstuffed ambitions.

The year is 1985. Women are being slaughtered in Los Angeles by a serial killer at large, and Maxine Minx couldn’t care less. She’s focused on one goal: graduate from adult pictures to Hollywood stardom.

The John Wick: Chapter 4 soundtrack is a mix of Edm, classical music, and rock n' roll covers that perfectly compliment the action. The soundtrack to John Wick 4 is available on all reputable streaming platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Music. John Wick 4 star Rina Sawayama created an exclusive track for the film.

The John Wick: Chapter 4 soundtrack is full of great songs, scoring the visceral, trigger-happy action with thumping Edm tracks and instantly recognizable rock ‘n’ roll covers. With a blood-drenched, globetrotting adventure involving exploding bullets, dueling pistols, and lots and lots of stairs, John Wick: Chapter 4 is even bigger, bolder, and more brutal than any of its predecessors. Putting together the John Wick 4 soundtrack is a unique musical challenge, because the music has to match the intensity of the action on-screen.

Intense beats have always been crucial to bringing the John Wick franchise...

A24 has dropped the brand new trailer for writer-director Ti West’s, MaXXXine, the third installment of the X film series.

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

Starring Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, with Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon, check out the first look now.

The X series includes an original film, its prequel, and now its star-filled sequel.

Writer-director Ti West (The House of the Devil) followed-up to his hit slasher movie X, with Pearl in 2022. Revisiting the unforgettable character Pearl, the film was about the obsessive old voyeur who relentlessly stalked Mia Goth’s Maxine Minx character across the Texas farm that Pearl never managed to escape. Played in the...

“No ma’am, we don’t need Hollywood,” would-be movie producer Wayne tells his crew at the start of the horror film X. “These types of pictures turn regular folks into stars.”

The type of pictures in question are pornographic films, for which Wayne (Martin Henderson) has assembled a small cast and crew and brought them to a secluded Texas farmhouse. Set in 1979, the slasher X not only pays homage to the decade’s grisly and low-budget horror movies but it also captures a moment in which loosening obscenity laws and increased home viewing options make pornography a profitable business.

A few months after X hit theaters, director Ti West released the prequel film Pearl, which he co-wrote with star Mia Goth. Pearl takes place in 1918, long before changing mores made pornography prevalent. In fact, pornography appears only briefly in Pearl, when projectionist (future Superman David Cornswet) tries to impress...

Copland was supposed to be Sylvester Stallone’s comeback movie. Despite earning decent box office and generating Sly’s best reviews in decades, it seemed to be the final nail in his coffin as a leading man, and I don’t understand why. Before Copland, Stallone was headlining huge action movies like Daylight and Judge Dredd, and while they underperformed domestically and overseas, they were still big. One would think that Stallone would have been given an old-school action film to revive his career, but all of a sudden, he was slotted into cheap movies, such as the slasher thriller D-tox, which is also called Eye See You. That movie was so bad that it went direct-to-video, which pretty much meant the end of Stallone’s career for half a dozen years until he managed a major comeback with Rocky Balboa. It would get pretty dire for Sly, but Warner Bros...

The John Wick franchise continues to raise the bar, with Chapter 4 receiving critical acclaim and commercial success. The original motion picture soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 4 is being released on vinyl, featuring a stunning "Transparent Orange" coloring and artwork from the film. The vinyl collection includes 35 tracks, composed by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard, and also features guest artists such as Rina Sawayama, Lola Colette, and White Reaper.

By most accounts, John Wick: Chapter 4 was a new high for the franchise that began nearly a decade ago. Since the first film's release, the John Wick franchise has always competed with itself, with each new film working to raise the high bar set by its predecessor. John Wick: Chapter 4 upped the ante yet again, landing in the 90% range for both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as outperforming its predecessors at the box office by a wide margin.

The John Wick franchise continues to raise the bar, with Chapter 4 receiving critical acclaim and commercial success. The original motion picture soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 4 is being released on vinyl, featuring a stunning "Transparent Orange" coloring and artwork from the film. The vinyl collection includes 35 tracks, composed by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard, and also features guest artists such as Rina Sawayama, Lola Colette, and White Reaper.

By most accounts, John Wick: Chapter 4 was a new high for the franchise that began nearly a decade ago. Since the first film's release, the John Wick franchise has always competed with itself, with each new film working to raise the high bar set by its predecessor. John Wick: Chapter 4 upped the ante yet again, landing in the 90% range for both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as outperforming its predecessors at the box office by a wide margin.

Multimedia Music has closed a deal to acquire the music publishing rights from the film music library of Millennium Media, which includes titles such as “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” “London Has Fallen,” “Angel Has Fallen,” “Hitman Wife’s Bodyguard,” “Hellboy,” “The Outpost,” “Mechanic: Resurrection,” “Rambo: Last Blood,” “Blackbird,” “Acts of Vengeance” and “The Expendables 4.”

The deal follows Multimedia Music’s recent music partnership with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, and its acquisition of STX Entertainment’s music library.

The Millennium Media library includes music from leading composers including Brian Tyler, Atli Orvarsson, Mark Isham, Trevor Morris, David Buckley and Benjamin Wallfisch.

Multimedia Music will co-publish the catalog with current co-owner and administrator Kobalt Music.

James Gibb, who founded Multimedia Music with colleague Phil Hope, said: “Millennium Media consistently produces high caliber, commercial films made for the big screen that have earned over $2 billion at the box office. We are thrilled to have secured this catalog,...

In This Moment have unveiled “Godmode” — the title track from the Los Angeles alt-metal band’s forthcoming album arriving October 27th.

The song is one of the most diverse musical offerings from Itm to date. Opening with an electronic pulse, the band go full on electro-industrial for the first half of the track, with the chorus taking a more metal-based direction. Maria Brink’s vocals follow suit, shedding a mask of glitchy distortion before cutting clean through the mix.

“The lyrics came from feeling powerful and tribal and entrancing,” Brink commented in a press statement. “The fact that [guitarist] Chris [Howorth] gets me so much that I can literally send him a voicemail and he sends it back to me in music form shows how in tune we are. It’s been a long time since I screamed on an entire verse for a song. I wanted to release a bunch of stuff and it felt visceral.

In This Moment have announced a new album, Godmode, arriving October 27th. The band has also mapped out a Fall 2023 US co-headlining tour with Ice Nine Kills, and has shared the single “The Purge.”

Dates kick off November 3rd in Gary, Indiana, and run through December 2nd in Wheeling, West Virginia. Avatar and New Years Day will provide support.

A Live Nation ticket pre-sale begins Wednesday (July 19th) at 10 a.m. local time Ticketmaster using the code Legend. General ticket sales begin Friday (July 21st) at 10 a.m. local time. Alternatively you can look for deals or pick up tickets to sold-out dates via StubHub, where your purchase is 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s Fan Protect program.

Godmode will mark Itm’s first new album since 2020’s Mother. The first tease of the LP, “The Purge,” showcases the varied styles of heavy metal present in Itm’s music, from pulsing industrial textures to unabashed nu-metal tropes.

Musician Tim Cappello has a pretty fantastic bio on Wikipedia, the website describing that he’s “notable for his muscular physique, his sexually provocative movements during his performances and for his tendency to perform shirtless, with his skin oiled and hair in a ponytail.” Of course, Cappello is most known for his sexy sax solo in Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys back in 1987, which has gone on to become one of the most iconic aspects of the movie.

Here in 2023, Tim Cappello is back at it with a brand new sexy sax solo in the just-released music video for “Monster in Paradise,” the latest single from synthwave band Gunship!

Directed by Elliott Gonzo, the cyberpunk video “Monster in Paradise” can be watched down below, and you can jump to 4-minutes in to see Tim Cappello doing what he does best!

Warning: This video contains bright, flashing lights and/or...

The exciting Deadpool 3 updates just keep coming, with an announcement that makes Ryan Reynolds' MCU debut even more exciting. Hot on the tail of the reveal of Hugh Jackman's yellow Wolverine costume, a more understated behind-the-scenes update to the talent working on Deadpool 3 should allay any fears that the sequel will follow the McU's unfortunate musical trend.

While Tyler Bates isn't returning for Wade Wilson's third movie, Stranger Things' Rob Simonsen has been tapped for the gig. Shawn Levy is currently directing Deadpool 3, taking over from David Leitch, who helmed Deadpool 2. Just like with the first two movies, Deadpool's latest film is getting a third new composer as Levy revealed who is taking over for Bates.

The amazing @robsimonsen is scoring our movie ⚔️ — Shawn Levy (@ShawnLevyDirect) July 10, 2023

A fan had speculated that Christophe Beck was going to be tapped to compose Deadpool 3, but Levy debunked the theory and,...

Adult Swim revealed details today for their annual Adult Swim Festival featuring an exciting schedule headlined by Eric Andre, comedian and host of “The Eric Andre Show,” and producer, rapper and filmmaker Flying Lotus. Taking place outside the San Diego Convention Center (5th Avenue Landing and Convention Way) on Thursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 22, the Adult Swim Festival on the Green in San Diego will also include performances by comedian Sarah Sherman, Hemlocke Springs, Ginger Root, DeathbyRomy, and producer and DJ Akira Akira. All activities are free to attend, with advance reservations now available for the most popular moments at AdultSwimFestival.com.

“Adult Swim has always been more than its shows,” said Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen. “It’s also about music, comedy, art, and, as often as possible, getting out there with the actual fans in real life and celebrating the stuff we love together. So that’s what this is about.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's success can be attributed to many different factors, from terrific actors to visionary directors that make each film and Disney+ series come alive. However, one factor that is all too often overlooked is the franchise's musical scores, which are nothing short of terrific. Like Star Wars or Indiana Jones, the MCU has its own unique sound.

A score can help to make or break a movie. Scores inspire deep emotions that sit with audiences long after the film ends. The McU's sweeping musical themes help make each film distinct and unique in the growing franchise, playing a pivotal role in each project's success. As such, certain composers within the MCU stand out as some of the best in the business.

Related: 10 Superhero Movies That Ruined Their Franchise

Henry Jackman

Henry Jackman has had limited collaborations with the Marvel Cinematic Universe but has proven his scores to...

Adult Swim’s huge plans for the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con include meet and greets, lots of music, and other fun activities – all taking place during their Adult Swim Festival outside the San Diego Convention Center. The Eric Andre Show‘s Eric Andre and Flying Lotus are headlining the event which will include performances by Saturday Night Live‘s Sarah Sherman and producer/DJ Akira Akira.

The Adult Swim Festival will run Thursday, July 20 through Saturday, July 22. Additional performers include Hemlocke Springs, Ginger Root, and DeathbyRomy.

“Adult Swim has always been more than its shows,” said Adult Swim President Michael Ouweleen. “It’s also about music, comedy, art, and, as often as possible, getting out there with the actual fans in real life and celebrating the stuff we love together. So that’s what this is about. And it’s free. But you have to promise us you’ll wear sunscreen and stay hydrated.

Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners has sold a 50% stake in its catalog of music publishing and music master rights from the film music library to Multimedia Music, including marquee and award-winning films 1917, Green Book, The Bfg, Bridge of Spies, The Post, Office Christmas Party, Thank You For Your Service and The Girl on the Train and others. The catalog features iconic music from several of the most renowned and celebrated composers in the world including John Williams, Thomas Newman, Danny Elfman, Alexandre Desplat, Rachel Portman, Mark Isham and Rob Simonsen.

The music partnership will also see Mmm and Amblin pursue new initiatives to increase value by maximizing income collections and sourcing new uses for the catalog in commercials, trailers and television shows.

“We are proud to partner with Mmm and look forward to exploring new avenues to maximize the value of our extensive music catalogue alongside their fantastic team,...

Deadpool 3 cannot see Ryan Reynolds improv during production, but the character's comic book creator has one suggestion to solve that issue. Deadpool 3 is a major endeavor, with the movie being the first set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the Fox X-Men hero. Reynolds leads Deadpool 3's cast, which includes Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine, past characters from the last two Deadpool movies, and more. Deadpool 3's story could be in danger due to the movie hitting a roadblock in production, but there is a way to circumvent the problem.

On Twitter, Deadpool comic book co-creator Rob Liefeld addressed Reynolds not being able to improv during Deadpool 3's filming, suggesting a solution.

I keep reading all this “Oh no, Ryan Reynolds can’t improvise on DP3 stuff…” you know that he’s wearing a mask and that in post-production he can ad lib like crazy.

To say that 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy" was an unlikely success is an understatement. Sure, by that point the Marvel Cinematic Universe had established itself as the dominant force in popular culture, but taking a team of C-list superheroes that includes a talking tree and giving them the blockbuster treatment? Until the moment James Gunn's movie actually hit theaters, it seemed like a fool's errand. But Gunn proved all of us wrong in a big, bad way. A major part of the movie's success? The brilliant stroke of a soundtrack, dubbed "Awesome Mix Vol. 1."

Gunn did indeed use a musical score, composed by Tyler Bates, in the film. But pop songs that Peter Quill would have heard on Earth as a kid were woven into the fabric of "Guardians of the Galaxy" as well, with the sounds included on Star-Lord's mixtape anchoring the soundtrack. And that soundtrack holds...

"Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn is a music connoisseur and personally selects the film's soundtracks. These needle drops blur the line of diegesis; Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) owns a Walkman (and later a Zune) and the songs in the first two movies are all from mixtapes gifted to him by his mother. "Guardians of the Galaxy" introduced us to the adult Quill by having him dance around the barren planet Morag, listening to "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone — perfectly capturing both Star-Lord's space cowboy persona and the film's retro musical taste.

Speaking to Absolute Radio, Gunn said he picks songs not because they're his personal favorites but because they fit the movie. "Vol. 2" features "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac, and the song's refrain of "keep us togethe," reflects the struggles of the Guardians to stay together despite their own flaws pushing them apart.

Thanks to Peter's new Zune,...

Right from the get-go, composers Tyler Bates and Timothy Williams both knew that they wanted to be a part of the Netflix show, “Agent Elvis.” In addition to the concept of the show itself, Williams found several other reasons to be involved. “The whole concept of it was really interesting. Plus the era that it’s set in is late ‘60s, early ‘70s, which is one of my favorite periods of music. Just so much incredible stuff came out of that period of time,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video interview above). Bates adds that they had a green light to basically do whatever they wanted. “Everyone involved really prompted Tim and I to enjoy being quite zany with our approach.”

“Agent Elvis,” which can currently be streamed on Netflix, is an animated show that imagines an alternate version of Elvis Presley that moonlights...

One of the many pleasures of “John Wick: Chapter Four” is how it seamlessly integrates camera movement, editing, and action choreography with music — no surprise given that director Chad Stahelski has acknowledged “Singin’ in the Rain” and Bob Fosse as influences. The propulsive score by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard weaves in and out of needle drops by Le Castle Vania, Manon Hollander, and Lola Colette, whose cover of Martha and the Vandellas’ “Nowhere to Run” ties “John Wick: Chapter 4” to one of its primary sources of inspiration, Walter Hill’s “The Warriors.” The balance between score and source music mirrors and enhances the careful rhythms established by Stahelski’s staging and structuring of the set pieces, and it was one of the most enjoyable aspects of editor Nathan Orloff’s job.

“I had a lot of fun putting music to this,” Orloff told IndieWire, noting that the...

Rina Sawayama makes her acting debut in the brand-new John Wick: Chapter 4, and it sure would’ve been a waste if she hadn’t contributed to the soundtrack as well. Ahead of the film’s theatrical premiere this Friday, March 24th, the Japanese-British pop experimentalist has shared the anthem “Eye for an Eye.”

“Eye for an Eye” was produced and co-written by Tyler Bates, who’s also composed the futuristic-sounding scores for all four John Wick films. It begins with a funky, heavy-hitting synth riff that definitely feels a little reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer,” and the ’90s industrial vibes only get stronger from there as the instrumentals layer more and more, culminating in a pretty explosive chorus.

Lyrically, Sawayama’s narrator is on the prowl for revenge: “An eye for an eye, a life for a life/ I’ll see you in hell on the other side,...

Rina Sawayama makes her acting debut in the brand-new John Wick: Chapter 4, and it sure would’ve been a waste if she hadn’t contributed to the soundtrack as well. Ahead of the film’s theatrical premiere this Friday, March 24th, the Japanese-British pop experimentalist has shared the anthem “Eye for an Eye.”

“Eye for an Eye” was produced and co-written by Tyler Bates, who’s also composed the futuristic-sounding scores for all four John Wick films. It begins with a funky, heavy-hitting synth riff that definitely feels a little reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer,” and the ’90s industrial vibes only get stronger from there as the instrumentals layer more and more, culminating in a pretty explosive chorus.

Lyrically, Sawayama’s narrator is on the prowl for revenge: “An eye for an eye, a life for a life/ I’ll see you in hell on the other side,...

Out for blood doesn’t even begin to cover Rina Sawayama’s revenge plot on the new single “Eye for an Eye.” The song will appear on the upcoming motion picture soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 4, out March 24, which finds the singer making her big screen debut as Akira alongside the film’s leading man Keanu Reeves.

“You’ve taken everything I love from me/Now, it’s time I pay the price,” Sawayama warns on the opening verse, delivered like a true loner with nothing left to lose.

There are plenty of movies that you might expect to influence the "John Wick" franchise, but the George Roy Hill-helmed western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" probably isn't one of them. The 1969 film stars Paul Newman as outlaw Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford as his buddy the Sundance Kid, and while there are a ton of outlaws in "John Wick," that's where the similarities end. The "Wick" flicks are action-packed, with more gunfights, martial arts, and explosions than you can shake a stick at, but "Butch Cassidy" is a bit more laid-back. Sure, Newman and Redford rob trains and escape the law (most of the time), but they aren't engaging in high-speed shootouts in city traffic or engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat on the regular. Despite the surprising differences between them, "John Wick: Chapter 4" director Chad Stahelski told /Film's Vanessa Armstrong that the classic western had a...

Faced with the biggest, craziest Keanu Reeves kill-fest yet in “John Wick 4,” composer Tyler Bates upped the musical ante the only way possible: He added an orchestra to the essential “John Wick” palette of raw, headbanging guitars, drums and synths.

Bates – also known for his “Guardian of the Galaxy” scores – has collaborated with fellow composer Joel J. Richard on all of the “John Wick” music since the first film opened in 2014. “We share some very similar taste, and as friends, we’re just already on a subconscious wavelength,” says Bates.

“If you listen to the four scores, they’ve definitely grown as the scope of the films has. Not in the way that it’s now an orchestra and it’s larger; it’s just that the color palette has continued to develop throughout, still maintaining the fun, hybrid-rock foundation to the score.”

Director Chad Stahelski is “a rocker,...

The best thing about Netflix’s Agent Elvis, which posits Elvis Presley as a spy within a covert government program, isn’t Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey voicing the rock ‘n’ roll icon. He just sounds like himself, which is funny enough and saves him the trouble of Austin Butler-esque permanent burn-in.

The highlight isn’t the animation, though the Sony Pictures Animation and Titmouse team deliver ample comic book-flavored pizzazz.

It will surprise regular readers that my favorite thing in Agent Elvis isn’t even that Elvis is accompanied by a debauched, sociopathic chimpanzee sidekick — not that I’m complaining that a debauched, sociopathic chimpanzee plays a major role in Agent Elvis.

No, the best thing about Netflix’s Agent Elvis is that no matter how outlandish and ridiculous it is, it’s all true. Ok, fine. It isn’t All true. Probably most of it isn’t true,...

Netflix’s new series “Agent Elvis” arrives March 17 and sees the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll pulling double duty as a singer by day and a secret government battling dark forces by night. And this time, it’s Matthew McConaughey voicing the King.

Accompanying the animated series is a musical soundtrack composed by Tyler Bates and Timothy Williams, who recently scored “Pearl.”

Intertwining iconic Elvis Presley syncs such as “Viva Las Vegas” and “If I Can Dream” is a score with a rock-tinged surfer vibe and plenty of guitar to underscore the action.

Says Bates, “‘Agent Elvis’ is such an amazingly hilarious show that Tim and I had to tamp down our laughter in order to work on the score, which is a musical odyssey unlike any I have previously encountered.”

Bates praises the creatives, which include co-creators Priscilla Presley and John Eddie, for encouraging the composers to be “as musically bold,...

Ti West’s X, released last year, was a Seventies-set slasher about pornographers working on the sly in a remote Texan farmhouse. It was a pleasingly nasty work, if limited by its questionable reliance on treating the ageing body as a source of repulsion. Pearl is its (far superior) prequel, a film written in two weeks by director Ti West and his star Mia Goth, shot in total secrecy and scrawled in bloodied guts and impotent rage. It is a wholly different beast – a tragicomic portrait of a woman so unable to process the falsity of her daydreams that it drives her to murder and mayhem.

In X, Goth played a wannabe pornstar named Maxine and, under layers of prosthetics, an elderly woman named Pearl who craved and resented Maxine’s youth. This film, set in 1918, sees the young Pearl living on the same farmstead featured in X. She is the daughter of immigrant parents,...

Plot: The price on John Wick’s head has gone way up. Mr. Wick, however, has a plan to finally free himself from the High Table. Will he succeed with hired guns waiting around every corner?

Review: John Wick has been going through some things. After Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the hitman had a price on his head. That’s what happens when you kill High Table crime lord Santino D’Antonio. If that wasn’t enough, his old friend Winstone (Ian McShane) shot him at the end of the previous film. The price has increased as we enter the thrilling new ground explored in John Wick: Chapter 4. Keanu Reeves and franchise regulars Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, and Ian McShane are back. The fourth installment is directed by Chad Stahelski once again. And this wild chapter is written by Shay Hatten (who also co-wrote Parabellum) and Michael Finch. And...

"John Wick: Chapter 4" is still a few weeks away, but critics (including myself) are calling it the best "Wick" film yet. That's no small praise for a fourth movie in a popular franchise, but director Chad Stahelski and his team have pulled it off, largely because they wouldn't have made the movie if they didn't think they could top themselves.

"You can't just go bigger," Stahelski explained to me in my conversation with him about the film. "You can't just go more explosions. You have this circumference of excellence that if everybody does their one inch of growth, you get a bigger circumference. And that's what I think we keep doing in the 'Wicks' is, if we all trust each other to get a little bit better at what we do, the synergistic effect is much greater than any one person trying to do a bigger explosion."

That's not...