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James Newton Howard
James Newton Howard.jpg
Howard at the premiere of The Dark Knight, 2008
Background information
Born (1951-06-09) June 9, 1951 (age 72)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Composer
  • music producer
  • musician
  • arranger
Instruments Keyboards
Years active 1975–present

James Newton Howard (born June 9, 1951) is an American film composer, music producer and keyboardist. He has scored over 100 films and is the recipient of a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and nine nominations for Academy Awards. His film scores include Pretty Woman (1990), The Fugitive (1993), Space Jam (1996), Dinosaur (2000), Peter Pan (2003), King Kong (2005), Batman Begins (2005) and its sequel The Dark Knight (2008) which he composed with Hans Zimmer, The Hunger Games franchise (2012–2023), Fantastic Beasts trilogy (2016–2022), and Jungle Cruise (2021). He has collaborated extensively with directors M. Night Shyamalan and Francis Lawrence, having scored eight of Shyamalan's films since The Sixth Sense (1999) and all of Lawrence's films since I Am Legend (2007). He even worked on other frequent scores for other directors Edward Zwick, Michael Hoffman, P.J. Hogan, Andrew Davis, Lawrence Kasdan, Joe Johnston, Taylor Hackford, Ivan Reitman, Joel Schumacher, and David Yates.

Early life and career

Howard was born in Los Angeles. He is from a musical family; his grandmother was a violinist. His father was Jewish but he did not want his children to know he was, so he changed his last name from Horowitz to Howard.

Howard began studying music as a child, taking classical piano lessons at the age of four. He went on to attend the Thacher School in Ojai, California and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California with Reginald Stewart and Leon Fleischer. He then attended the University of Southern California, studying at the School of Music as a piano performance major, but dropped out after 6 weeks because "He wanted to do other things than practicing the piano."

After Howard left college, he joined a short-lived rock band called Mama Lion. The band was led by Neil Merryweather (bass, backing vocals) and featured lead singer Lynn Carey, Coffi Hall on drums, and Rick Gaxiola on guitar. Mama Lion recorded two full-length albums. Members of Mama Lion also formed the band Heavy Cruiser with Merryweather now on lead vocals, recording two albums whose genre was closer to hard rock but also displayed psychedelic and progressive influences. He then worked for a couple of years as a session musician with artists including Diana Ross, Ringo Starr, and Harry Nilsson. In the early 70s, he described himself as being "dirt poor", until his big break in 1975 when his manager got him an audition with Elton John. He joined John's band and toured with them as keyboardist during the late 70s and early 80s. He was part of the band that played Central Park, New York, on September 13, 1980. Howard also arranged strings for several of John's songs during this period including the hits "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", and played additional keyboards and synthesizers on studio albums including Rock of the Westies (1975), Blue Moves (1976), 21 at 33 (1980), and The Fox (1981).

In 1982, Howard was featured on Toto IV as the strings conductor and orchestrator for "I Won't Hold You Back", "Afraid of Love", and "Lovers in the Night". A year later, he released the live album James Newton Howard and Friends, which featured Toto's David Paich (keyboards), Steve Porcaro (keyboards), Jeff Porcaro (drums), and Joe Porcaro (percussion).

In 1983, Howard was co-producer, musician (keyboards), and orchestrator of Riccardo Cocciante's album Sincerità.

In 1984, Howard composed his first piece of score for a film, receiving a co-writing credit with David Paich for the cue "Trip to Arrakis" in Toto's music for the David Lynch film Dune.

After briefly touring with Crosby, Stills, and Nash, he took an opportunity brought to him by his manager to write a score for a film. This career move would lead to his becoming a successful film music composer. During this early foray into film music, he did not entirely abandon his previous musical path and returned for a brief collaboration with Elton John on his Tour De Force of Australia in the fall of 1986. He conducted both his own and Paul Buckmaster's arrangements during the second half of the set, which focused on orchestrated performances of selected songs from the Elton John catalog.

1990s–2000s

Howard scored the surprise blockbuster romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990) and received his first Academy Award nomination for his score for Barbra Streisand's drama The Prince of Tides (1991). Setting the musical mood for numerous films throughout the decade, Howard's skills encompassed a plethora of genres, including four more best original score Oscar nominations, for the Harrison Ford action feature The Fugitive (1993), the Julia Roberts romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (2004), and Michael Clayton (2007). In addition, Howard scored the Western epic Wyatt Earp (1994), Kevin Costner's Waterworld (1995), and Primal Fear (1996). His collaborations on songs for One Fine Day (1996) and Junior (1994) garnered Oscar nominations for Best Song. Along with scoring small-scaled, independent films such as Five Corners (1988), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), and American Heart (1993), Howard proved equally skilled at composing for big-budget Hollywood spectacles, including Space Jam (1996), Dante's Peak (1997) (theme only – score was composed by John Frizzell), and Collateral (2004). He has also scored four Disney animated feature films: Dinosaur (2000), Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001), Treasure Planet (2002), and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Although he concentrates primarily on films, Howard has also contributed music for TV, earning an Emmy nomination in 1995 for his theme to NBC's ratings smash ER (Howard also scored the two-hour pilot); he also provided the themes for The Sentinel and Gideon's Crossing, winning an Emmy for the latter.

He has scored many of Shyamalan's suspense thrillers, The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000), Signs (2002), The Village (2004), Lady in the Water (2006), The Happening (2008), and The Last Airbender (2010), notably dropping the intense, yet subtle, opening credit music for The Sixth Sense from the corresponding soundtrack album.

On October 14, 2005, Howard replaced Howard Shore as composer for King Kong, due to "differing creative aspirations for the score" between Shore and director Peter Jackson. The resultant score earned Howard his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score. His work on Michael Clayton earned him an Oscar nomination. He followed in 2008 with his eighth Oscar nomination for Edward Zwick's Defiance. He also collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the scores for Batman Begins and its record-breaking sequel The Dark Knight.

Further works were The Happening, his sixth film with M. Night Shyamalan, Blood Diamond, Michael Clayton, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, I Am Legend, Charlie Wilson's War, and Shyamalan's film adaptation of the Nickelodeon series Avatar: the Last Airbender.

Howard debuted his work for symphony orchestra, I Would Plant A Tree, in February 2009 as part of the Pacific Symphony's annual American Composers Festival. The debut took place at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, California, with the Symphony under the direction of Carl St.Clair.

After being replaced in later seasons, his original theme song for the hit TV show ER returned for the final episode of the series.

2010s

In September 2010, he was appointed visiting professor of media composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

From 2012 to 2015, James Newton Howard scored the music for the critically acclaimed Hunger Games franchise.

From 2014 to 2015, Howard saw major success with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 when he composed the score for the movie, which included "The Hanging Tree", featuring vocals from actress Jennifer Lawrence. The song peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the highest-charting single from The Hunger Games movies and both Howard's and Lawrence's first chart single.

In 2014, Howard scored two Academy Award-nominated films, Nightcrawler and Maleficent.

Howard composed the score for the fantasy drama Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a spin-off/prequel of the Harry Potter film series, and for its sequels, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

In 2015, James Newton Howard was named the new artistic director of the Henry Mancini Institute (HMI) at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

On March 23–24, 2019, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra gave the world premiere of Howard's Concerto for Cello & Orchestra with LACO principal cello Andrew Shulman as the soloist. The Los Angeles Times described the work as having "an elegiac tone, along with thematic material from the beginning and closing titles of Red Sparrow" the score of which Howard was working on while first composing the concerto.

Personal life

When delving into his family history, twenty-five years after the death of his father, Howard learned that his father was Jewish (the family's original surname was Horowitz). Although raised Protestant, Howard later became a practicing Reconstructionist Jew after learning that his father was Jewish.

James Newton Howard was married to Rosanna Arquette in 1986, they divorced one year later. From 1989 to 1991, he was in a relationship with Barbra Streisand. In 1992, he married Sophie Howard and they have two children: Jackson and Hayden.

Awards

In May 2008, he was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music.

In 2009, he was awarded a Grammy alongside Hans Zimmer for the score soundtrack album to The Dark Knight.

In October 2015, he was honored with the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award during the annual Hollywood in Vienna concert.

Award Year Project Category Outcome
Academy Awards 1992 The Prince of Tides Best Original Score Nominated
1994 The Fugitive Nominated
1995 Junior (shared with Carole Bayer Sager, James Ingram and Patty Smyth) Best Original Song Nominated
1997 One Fine Day (shared with Jud Friedman and Allan Dennis Rich) Nominated
1998 My Best Friend's Wedding Best Original Score Nominated
2005 The Village Nominated
2008 Michael Clayton Nominated
2009 Defiance Nominated
2021 News of the World Nominated
Annie Awards 2000 Dinosaur Music in a Feature Production Nominated
2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire Nominated
BAFTA Awards 2009 The Dark Knight (shared with Hans Zimmer) Anthony Asquith Award for Best Film Music Nominated
Emmy Awards 1989 Men Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Nominated
1995 ER Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Nominated
2001 Gideon's Crossing Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Won
2016 All the Way Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Nominated
2017 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) Nominated
2023 Light & Magic: Gang of Outsiders Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Pending
Golden Globe Awards 1995 Junior (shared with Carole Bayer Sager, James Ingram and Patty Smyth) Best Original Song Nominated
1997 One Fine Day (shared with Jud Friedman and Allan Dennis Rich) Nominated
2006 King Kong Best Original Score Nominated
2009 Defiance Nominated
2021 News of the World Nominated
Grammy Awards 1998 For The First Time (from One Fine Day) (shared with Jud Friedman and Allan Dennis Rich) Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television Nominated
2003 Signs – Main Titles Best Instrumental Composition Nominated
2001 The Egg Travels Nominated
2008 Blood Diamond Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Media Nominated
2009 The Dark Knight (shared with Hans Zimmer) Won
Satellite Awards 2007 The Lookout Best Original Score Nominated
2010 Salt Nominated
2011 Water for Elephants Nominated
2020 News of the World Nominated
Saturn Awards 2000 Dinosaur Best Music Nominated
2006 Batman Begins (shared with Hans Zimmer) Nominated
2009 The Dark Knight (shared with Hans Zimmer) Won
2017 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Nominated
World Soundtrack Awards 2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire (shared with Diane Warren) Best Original Song Written for a Film Nominated
2005 Batman Begins (shared with Hans Zimmer) Best Original Soundtrack of the Year Nominated
2006 King Kong Nominated
Soundtrack Composer of the Year Nominated
2008 I Am Legend Soundtrack Composer of the Year Won
Michael Clayton Won
Charlie Wilson's War Won
2013 The Bourne Legacy Film Composer of the Year Nominated
After Earth Nominated

Discography

Albums

Year Title Musician Notes
1974 Goodnight Vienna Ringo Starr Synthesizer for "Snookeroo"
Rock 'n' Roll Survivors Fanny Synthesizer and clavinet
James Newton Howard
1975 Playing Possum Carly Simon Electric piano and synthesizer for "Look Me in the Eyes"
He Don't Like You, Like I Love You Tony Orlando and Dawn Keyboards
Melissa Melissa Manchester Electric piano, clavinet, ARP synthesizer, organ, piano, celeste keyboards
It's in Everyone of Us David Pomeranz Electric piano and synthesizer for "The Hit Song of All Time" and "If You Walked Away"
Synthesizer for "Flying" and "Greyhound Mary"
Rock of the Westies Elton John Clavinet, ARP synthesizer, Elka Synthex, harpsichord, Mellotron, electric piano
1976 ...That's the Way It Is Harry Nilsson Keyboards
Blue Moves Elton John Conductor/arrangement for "Tonight", "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word", and "Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)"
Co-writer for "One Horse Town" and "The Wide-Eyed and Laughing"
Synthesizer, electric piano, organ, Mellotron
The Faragher Brothers The Faragher Brothers ARP synthesizer for "Never Get Your Love Behind Me"
Help Is on the Way Melissa Manchester String arrangement for "Be Somebody", "Help Is on the Way", "Dirty Work", and "There's More Where That Came From"
Electric piano for "Be Somebody"
The Movies The Movies Synthesizer on "Satellite Touchdown"
Endless Flight Leo Sayer Synthesizer on "Reflections" and "When I Need You"
Better Days & Happy Endings Melissa Manchester ARP synthesizer
Beautiful Noise Neil Diamond ARP synthesizer on "If You Know What I Mean", "Home Is a Wounded Heart", and "Jungletime"
Something New Barbi Benton Keyboards
1977 Kiki Dee Kiki Dee Piano for all tracks except "Standing Room Only" and "First Thing in the Morning, Last Thing at Night"
Writer for "Sweet Creation"
Arrangement for "Sweet Creation", "Night Hours", and "In Return"
ARP synthesizer for "Sweet Creation" and "Standing Room Only"
Mellotron for "Into Eternity"
Organ for "Standing Room Only", "Keep Right On", and "In Return"
Electric piano and strings for "Night Hours"
1978 Wild Child Valerie Carter Producer, various keyboards,

co-writer (Taking the Long Way Home, Lady In The Dark)

1980 Black Rose Black Rose / Cher Producer of the album, co-writer of the song (and first single) "Never Should've Started".
1982 Toto IV Toto Orchestral arrangements and Conductor on "I Won't Hold You Back", "It's a Feeling", "Afraid of Love" and "Lovers in the Night".
1983 James Newton Howard and Friends James Newton Howard
David Paich (keyboards)
Steve Porcaro (keyboards)
Jeff Porcaro (drums)
Joe Porcaro (percussion)
Recorded live, direct-to-disc
In Your Eyes George Benson Co-producer, co-writer, keyboards, synthesizer and string arrangements on "Lady Love Me (One More Time) with David Paich
Allies Crosby, Stills & Nash keyboards
What A Feelin' Irene Cara Producer and keyboards on "You Were Made For Me"
Stompin' at the Savoy Chaka Khan Additional keyboards and synthesizer on "Ain't Nobody"
1984 I Feel for You Chaka Khan Producer and co-writer with David "Hawk" Wolinski on "Hold Her", keyboards, synthesizer
20/20 George Benson Co-writer of "Please Don't Walk Away" with Steve Lukather, keyboards, synthesizer, string arrangements
Emotion Barbra Streisand keyboards, string arrangements on "Clear Sailing"
Solid Ashford & Simpson Producer, keyboards and drum programming on "Closest to Love"
1100 Bel Air Place Julio Iglesias keyboards
Isolation Toto Orchestral arrangements on "How Does it Feel" and "Change of Heart".
1985 Eaten Alive Diana Ross keyboards
Anywhere You Go David Pack Producer on "Prove Me Wrong", keyboards, synthesizer, string arrangements
The Magazine Rickie Lee Jones Producer, keyboards, synthesizer, string arrangements
Perspective America synthesizer on "(It's Like You) Never Left At All" with Randy Kerber
Behind the Sun Eric Clapton Producer, synthesizer on "Something's Happening"
1986 East of Midnight Gordon Lightfoot keyboards, synthesizer, arrangements
Abstract Emotions Randy Crawford Producer, keyboards, synthesizer on "Don't Wanna Be Normal"
1987 Flash In Japan Eikichi Yazawa Producer, keyboards, synthesizer
Collaboration George Benson & Earl Klugh synthesizer on "Since You're Gone"
1988 The Seventh One Toto String arrangements on "Anna".
The Rumour Olivia Newton-John Producer, keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming on "The Rumour"
Land of Dreams Randy Newman Producer, keyboards, synthesizer
Soul Searchin' Glenn Frey Producer and co-writer of "Two Hearts" with David "Hawk" Wolinski
1989 Somebody Loves You Paul Anka Additional keyboards, synth horns on "A Steel Guitar and A Glass of Wine"
Vonda Shepard Vonda Shepard Producer, keyboards, synthesizer, co-writer of "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow"
Larger than Life Jody Watley Co-writer of "Everything" with Gardner Cole
Can't Escape the Rhythm Gregory Hines Producer and co-writer with Glen Ballard
1990 To Be Continued... Elton John keyboards, synthesizer and string arrangements on "Made for Me"
Simple Mission Glass Tiger string arrangements on "Where Did Our Love Go"
1991 It's Your Life Gardner Cole Producer, keyboards, synthesizer
The Fire Inside Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Synthesizer and strings on "The Real Love"
1992 Start the Car Jude Cole Producer, keyboards, synthesizer
The Radical Light Vonda Shepard Synth string arrangements on "Clean Rain"
1994 Look What Love Has Done Patty Smyth Producer, keyboards, synthesizer
1995 One Clear Voice Peter Cetera Co-writer and keyboards on "The Lucky Ones"
A Spanner in the Works Rod Stewart Producer and keyboards on "Leave Virginia Alone"
Feel The Healing Pamela Thum Co-writer and synth strings on "The Other Side"
1996 If We Fall in Love Tonight Rod Stewart Producer (both tracks) and keyboards on "Sometimes When We Touch", co-writer of "For the First Time" with Allan Rich and Jud Friedman
1997 The Other Side Wynonna Judd Co-writer of "Why Now" with David Pack and Cliff Downs
The Heart of Chicago 1967–1997 Chicago Producer, keyboards, string arrangements and co-writer of "Here in My Heart" with Glen Ballard

Works as composer

Film

1980s

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
1984 Dune David Lynch Dino De Laurentiis Corporation
Universal Pictures
Film scoring debut
Composed with David Paich – Howard co-wrote cue "Trip to Arrakis"
1985 Head Office Ken Finkleman HBO Pictures
TriStar Pictures
Composed with Alan Howarth
1986 Wildcats Michael Ritchie Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records with songs co-written by Howard and one score cue
with Hawk Wolinski
8 Million Ways to Die Hal Ashby Producers Sales Organization
TriStar Pictures
N/A
Tough Guys Jeff Kanew Touchstone Pictures
Silver Screen Partners II
The Bryna Company
N/A
Nobody's Fool Evelyn Purcell Island Pictures N/A
1987 Campus Man Ron Casden RKO Pictures
Paramount Pictures
N/A
Five Corners Tony Bill HandMade Films
Cineplex Odeon Films
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
First score by Howard to have an album release
Russkies Rick Rosenthal New Century Vista Film Company Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Promised Land Michael Hoffman Vestron Pictures Soundtrack released by Private Music
1988 Off Limits Christopher Crowe 20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Some Girls Michael Hoffman United Artists
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
N/A
Everybody's All-American Taylor Hackford Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Capitol Records with one song co-written by Howard; no score included
1989 Tap Nick Castle TriStar Pictures Soundtrack released by Epic Records with one song co-written by Howard; no score included
Major League David S. Ward Morgan Creek Productions
Paramount Pictures
Soundtrack released by Curb Records with two songs co-written by Howard and two score cues
The Package Andrew Davis Orion Pictures Soundtrack released by Prometheus Records

1990s

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
1990 Coupe de Ville Joe Roth Morgan Creek Productions
Universal Pictures
N/A
Pretty Woman Garry Marshall Touchstone Pictures
Silver Screen Partners IV
Cue "She Rescues Him Right Back" written by Thomas Pasatieri
Soundtrack released by EMI America; no score included
Flatliners Joel Schumacher Columbia Pictures N/A
Marked for Death Dwight H. Little Steamroller Productions
20th Century Fox
Soundtrack released by Delicious Vinyl with one score cue
Three Men and a Little Lady Emile Ardolino Touchstone Pictures
Interscope Communications
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records with 20 minutes of score
1991 King Ralph David S. Ward Universal Pictures N/A
Guilty by Suspicion Irwin Winkler Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande with 13 minutes of score
End title song composed with Alan and Marilyn Bergman
One of the few James Newton Howard film scores to be conducted by the composer
Dying Young Joel Schumacher 20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by Arista Records with 28 minutes of score
The Man in the Moon Robert Mulligan Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Soundtrack released by Reprise Records
My Girl Howard Zieff Imagine Entertainment
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Columbia Records with one score cut
Grand Canyon Lawrence Kasdan 20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by Milan
Expanded edition later released by La-La Land Records
The Prince of Tides Barbra Streisand Columbia Pictures Replaced John Barry
Soundtrack released by Columbia Records with 44 minutes of score
Includes song co-written by Howard and performed by Barbra Streisand not used in the film

Nominated:

1992 Diggstown Michael Ritchie Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande; conducted by Howard
Glengarry Glen Ross James Foley New Line Cinema
LIVE Entertainment (US)
Rank Organisation (International)
Soundtrack released by Elektra with just over 16 minutes of score; conducted by Howard
American Heart Martin Bell Triton Pictures Independent film
Night and the City Irwin Winkler 20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records with two songs co-written by Howard and one score cue
1993 Alive Frank Marshall The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Touchstone Pictures (US/Canada)
Paramount Pictures (International)
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records; 2-CD expansion released by Intrada Records
Falling Down Joel Schumacher Le Studio Canal+
Regency Enterprises
Warner Bros.
Replaced Graeme Revell
Soundtrack released by Intrada Records
Dave Ivan Reitman Northern Lights Entertainment
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Big Screen Records – cover erroneously credits Howard as the conductor (score actually conducted by Marty Paich); expanded edition later released by La-La Land
The Fugitive Andrew Davis Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Elektra; complete score later released by La-La Land Records

Nominated:

The Saint of Fort Washington Tim Hunter Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
1994 Intersection Mark Rydell Paramount Pictures Soundtrack released by Milan Records; complete score later released by La-La Land Records
Wyatt Earp Lawrence Kasdan Tig Productions
Kasdan Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records; complete score later released by La-La Land Records
Junior Ivan Reitman Northern Lights Entertainment
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande

Nominated:

  • Academy Award for Best Original Song (for "Look What Love Has Done")
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song (for "Look What Love Has Done")
1995 Just Cause Arne Glimcher Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Outbreak Wolfgang Petersen Warner Bros. Soundtrack and subsequent 2-CD expansion released by Varèse Sarabande
French Kiss Lawrence Kasdan PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Working Title Films
20th Century Fox
Soundtrack released by Mercury Records with one score cue
Waterworld Kevin Reynolds Gordon Company
Davis Entertainment
Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
Universal Pictures
Replaced Mark Isham (who did only demos; his music box melody remains in the movie)
Soundtrack released by MCA; complete score later released by La-La Land Records
Restoration Michael Hoffman Miramax Films Soundtrack released by Milan Records with 44 minutes of score
1996 Eye for an Eye John Schlesinger Paramount Pictures Soundtrack released by La-La Land Records
The Juror Brian Gibson Columbia Pictures Replaced John Barry
Primal Fear Gregory Hoblit Rysher Entertainment
Paramount Pictures
Soundtrack released by Milan Records with 28 and a half minutes of score; complete score later released by La-La Land Records
The Trigger Effect David Koepp Amblin Entertainment
Gramercy Pictures (US/Canada)
Universal Pictures (International)
N/A
The Rich Man's Wife Amy Holden Jones Hollywood Pictures
Caravan Pictures
Theme only; score by John Frizzell
Space Jam Joe Pytka Northern Lights Entertainment
Warner Bros. Feature Animation
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment
Separate score and song albums released by Atlantic Records
Song album includes one track co-written by Howard
One Fine Day Michael Hoffman Lynda Obst Productions
20th Century Fox
Soundtrack released by Columbia Records with a song co-written by Howard and one score suite

Nominated:

1997 Dante's Peak Roger Donaldson Pacific Western Productions
Universal Pictures
Theme and some cues; majority of score by John Frizzell
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Liar Liar Tom Shadyac Imagine Entertainment
Universal Pictures
Theme only; score by John Debney
Soundtrack released by MCA
Fathers' Day Ivan Reitman Silver Pictures
Northern Lights Entertainment
Warner Bros.
N/A
My Best Friend's Wedding P.J. Hogan Zucker Brothers Productions
TriStar Pictures
Soundtrack released by Sony/Work with one score suite
For Your Consideration promo with just over 24 minutes issued

Nominated:

The Devil's Advocate Taylor Hackford Regency Enterprises
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by TVT with just over 39 minutes of score
The Postman Kevin Costner Tig Productions
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records with just under 50 minutes of score
1998 A Perfect Murder Andrew Davis Kopelson Entertainment
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
1999 Runaway Bride Garry Marshall Lakeshore Entertainment
Interscope Communications
Paramount Pictures (US/Canada)
Touchstone Pictures (International)
Soundtrack released by Sony; no score
Stir of Echoes David Koepp Artisan Entertainment (US/Canada)
20th Century Fox (International)
Soundtrack released by Nettwerk with 17-and-a-half minutes of score
The Sixth Sense M. Night Shyamalan The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Barry Mendel Productions
Hollywood Pictures
Spyglass Entertainment
Replaced a yet unknown composer
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Mumford Lawrence Kasdan Touchstone Pictures Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records with just under 25 minutes of score
Snow Falling on Cedars Scott Hicks The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Decca Records

Nominated:

  • Satellite Award for Best Original Score
Wayward Son Randall Harris Avenue Pictures (International; The movie had no distributor in the United States) Composed with Steve Porcaro

2000s

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
2000 Dinosaur Eric Leighton
Ralph Zondag
The Secret Lab
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Pictures
First score for an animated film. Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records

Nominated:

  • Annie Award Nominee for Individual Achievement for Music Score
  • Saturn Award for Best Music
Unbreakable M. Night Shyamalan Barry Mendel Productions
Blinding Edge Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records
Vertical Limit Martin Campbell Columbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire Gary Trousdale
Kirk Wise
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Pictures
Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records
73-minute FYC promo issued

Nominated:

  • Annie Award Nominee for Individual Achievement for Music Score
  • World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Song Written for a Film
America's Sweethearts Joe Roth Revolution Studios
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Atlantic Records with one score suite
2002 Big Trouble Barry Sonnenfeld Touchstone Pictures N/A
Signs M. Night Shyamalan The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Blinding Edge Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records
Unconditional Love P.J. Hogan New Line Cinema N/A
The Emperor's Club Michael Hoffman Beacon Communications
Fine Line Features
Sidney Kimmel Entertainment
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Treasure Planet Ron Clements
John Musker
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Pictures
Replaced Alan Silvestri
Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records with about 47 and a half minutes of score
2003 Dreamcatcher Lawrence Kasdan Castle Rock Entertainment
Village Roadshow Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Peter Pan P.J. Hogan Revolution Studios
Red Wagon Productions
Allied Stars Ltd
Universal Pictures (US/Canada/Australia/UK)
Columbia Pictures (International)
"Flying" later used in commercials for Disneyland Paris
15th Anniversary's Anthem />Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
2004 Hidalgo Joe Johnston Casey Silver Productions
Touchstone Pictures
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records
The Village M. Night Shyamalan Blinding Edge Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records

Nominated:

Collateral Michael Mann DreamWorks Pictures (US/Canada)
Paramount Pictures (International)
Soundtrack released by Hip-O Records with three Howard cues
Composed with Tom Rothrock and Antonio Pinto Complete score issued by Intrada Records
2005 The Interpreter Sydney Pollack Working Title Films
Mirage Enterprises
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Batman Begins Christopher Nolan DC Comics
Syncopy Inc.
Legendary Pictures
Warner Bros.
Composed with Hans Zimmer
Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records

Nominated:

  • Saturn Award for Best Music
  • World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D Mark Cowen Playtone
IMAX
Theme only; score by Blake Neely
King Kong Peter Jackson WingNut Films
Universal Pictures
Replaced Howard Shore
Soundtrack released by Decca Records

Nominated:

  • Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
  • World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
  • World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year
2006 Freedomland Joe Roth Revolution Studios
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Composed with Mel Wesson
RV Barry Sonnenfeld Relativity Media
Red Wagon Entertainment
Intermedia Films
Columbia Pictures
Composed with Stuart Michael Thomas and Blake Neely
Lady in the Water M. Night Shyamalan Legendary Pictures
Blinding Edge Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Decca Records
Blood Diamond Edward Zwick Bedford Falls Productions
Virtual Studios
Initial Entertainment Group
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande with 51-and-a-half minutes of score

Nominated:

  • Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
2007 The Lookout Scott Frank Spyglass Entertainment
Miramax Films
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records as an iTunes exclusive
Composed with Clay Duncan and Stuart Michael Thomas

Nominated:

  • Satellite Award for Best Original Score
Michael Clayton Tony Gilroy Section Eight Productions
Mirage Enterprises
Castle Rock Entertainment
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande

Won:

  • World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year

Nominated:

I Am Legend Francis Lawrence Weed Road Pictures
Overbrook Entertainment
Heyday Films
Original Film
Village Roadshow Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande

Won:

  • World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year

Nominated:

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Jay Russell Revolution Studios
Walden Media
Beacon Communications
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Sony Classical with 46 minutes of score
iTunes release includes 12 more minutes of score
Charlie Wilson's War Mike Nichols Relativity Media
Participant Productions
Playtone
Universal Pictures
Replaced Ry Cooder
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
One track co-written by Gingger Shankar

Won:

  • World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year
The Great Debaters Denzel Washington Harpo Productions
The Weinstein Company
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Composed with Peter Golub
2008 Mad Money Callie Khouri Millennium Films
Overture Films
Composed with Marty Davich
The Happening M. Night Shyamalan Spyglass Entertainment
Blinding Edge Pictures
UTV Motion Pictures
Dune Entertainment
20th Century Fox
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan DC Comics
Syncopy Inc.
Legendary Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records in one-disc and two-disc editions
Composed with Hans Zimmer

Won:

  • Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
  • Saturn Award for Best Music

Nominated:

Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Shadow Distribution (US theatrical)
Oscilloscope Pictures (US home video)
Soundtrack released by Nonesuch with one score track
Composed with Marty Davich
Defiance Edward Zwick Bedford Falls Productions
Paramount Vantage
Soundtrack released by Sony Classical Records

Nominated:

2009 Confessions of a Shopaholic P.J. Hogan Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Touchstone Pictures
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records with one score suite
Duplicity Tony Gilroy Relativity Media
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Wings Over the Rockies Tod Williams Holding Pictures Short film. Music from the film Blood Diamond
It's Complicated Nancy Meyers Relativity Media
Waverly Films
Dentsu
Universal Pictures
Some additional music with Hans Zimmer

2010s

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
2010 Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang Susanna White Relativity Media
Working Title Films
StudioCanal
Universal Pictures
Took over from Thomas Newman (who left and did not do a score)
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande
Salt Phillip Noyce Di Bonaventura Pictures
Rainmaker Digital Effects
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Madison Gate Records

Nominated:

  • Satellite Award for Best Original Score
The Last Airbender M. Night Shyamalan Nickelodeon Movies
The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Blinding Edge Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records
Inhale Baltasar Kormákur IFC Films N/A
Love & Other Drugs Edward Zwick Fox 2000 Pictures
Regency Enterprises
New Regency
Stuber Pictures
20th Century Fox
N/A
The Tourist Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck GK Films
Spyglass Entertainment
StudioCanal
Columbia Pictures
Replaced Gabriel Yared
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande (includes one track retained from Yared's thrown-out score)
2011 Larry Crowne Tom Hanks Playtone
StudioCanal
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Rhino Records with one score track
Water for Elephants Francis Lawrence Fox 2000 Pictures
Dune Entertainment
Ingenious Media
20th Century Fox
Soundtrack released by Sony Classical Records

Nominated:

  • Satellite Award for Best Original Score
The Green Hornet Michel Gondry Original Film
Columbia Pictures
Replaced Danny Elfman due to a scheduling conflict
Gnomeo & Juliet Kelly Asbury Touchstone Pictures
Miramax Films (uncredited)
Rocket Pictures
Arc Productions
Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records and Walt Disney Records
Composed with Chris P. Bacon
Green Lantern Martin Campbell DC Entertainment
De Line Pictures
Warner Bros.
Soundtrack released by WaterTower Music
2012 Darling Companion Lawrence Kasdan Sony Pictures Classics (USA)
Sierra/Affinity (International)
N/A
The Hunger Games Gary Ross Color Force
Lionsgate
Replaced Danny Elfman due to a scheduling conflict
Score album released by Universal Republic
Snow White and the Huntsman Rupert Sanders Roth Films
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Universal Republic
The Bourne Legacy Tony Gilroy Relativity Media
The Kennedy/Marshall Company
Captivate Entertainment
Universal Pictures
Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande/Back Lot Music

Nominated:

  • World Soundtrack Award for Film Composer of the Year

Original Bourne themes by John Powell

2013 After Earth M. Night Shyamalan Overbrook Entertainment
Blinding Edge Pictures
Relativity Media
Columbia Pictures
Soundtrack released by Sony Masterworks

Nominated:

  • World Soundtrack Award for Film Composer of the Year
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Francis Lawrence Color Force
Lionsgate
Score album released by Universal Republic
Parkland Peter Landesman American Film Company
Playtone
Exclusive Media Group
Soundtrack released by Rhino Records as a digital download
Additional music By Sven Faulconer and Sunna Wehrmeijer
2014 Cut Bank Matt Shakman Kilburn Media
A24
N/A
Maleficent Robert Stromberg Roth Films
Walt Disney Pictures
Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records
Nightcrawler Dan Gilroy Bold Films
Open Road Films
Soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records
Additional music By Sven Faulconer and Sunna Wehrmeijer
Pawn Sacrifice Edward Zwick Bleecker Street
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Francis Lawrence Color Force
Lionsgate
Score album released by Universal Republic
2015 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Concussion Peter Landesman Village Roadshow Pictures
Scott Free Productions
Columbia Pictures
Score album released by Sony Classical Records
2016 The Huntsman: Winter's War Cedric Nicolas-Troyan Universal Pictures
Perfect World Pictures
Score album released by Back Lot Music
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them David Yates Warner Bros. Score album released by WaterTower Music

Nominated:

  • Saturn Award for Best Music

Hedwig's Theme by John Williams

2017 Detroit Kathryn Bigelow Annapurna Pictures
First Light Productions
Page 1
"Rescue" and "Alone" are two cues from the soundtrack of Detroit with various artists
Additional music by Karen Han
Roman J. Israel, Esq. Dan Gilroy Macro Media
Cross Creek Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Score album released by Sony Classical Records
2018 Red Sparrow Francis Lawrence 20th Century Fox
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Lasse Hallström
Joe Johnston
Walt Disney Pictures Score conducted by Gustavo Dudamel
Score album released by Walt Disney Records
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald David Yates Warner Bros. Score album released by WaterTower Music

Hedwig's Theme by John Williams

2019 A Hidden Life Terrence Malick Fox Searchlight Pictures Score album released by Sony Classical Records

2020s

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
2020 News of the World Paul Greengrass Universal Pictures Score album released by Back Lot Music, a division of Universal Studios Music LLLP

Nominated:

2021 Raya and the Last Dragon Don Hall
Carlos López Estrada
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
N/A
Jungle Cruise Jaume Collet-Serra Walt Disney Pictures N/A
2022 Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore David Yates Warner Bros. Hedwig's Theme by John Williams
2023 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Francis Lawrence Lionsgate Score album released by Sony Classical Records

Television

Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes
1988 Go Toward the Light Mike Robe RHI Entertainment Television film
1989 Men Various ABC TV series pilot and theme

Nominated:

  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music
1990 The Image Peter Werner Home Box Office Television film
Somebody Has to Shoot the Picture Frank Pierson Home Box Office
MCA Television Entertainment
Television film
Descending Angel Jeremy Kagan Home Box Office Television film
1992 A Private Matter Joan Micklin Silver Mirage Enterprises
Home Box Office
Television film
2000 Malibu Road Various Spelling Television TV series theme
1994 ER Various Amblin Television
Warner Bros. Television
TV series theme and pilot score
Soundtrack released by Atlantic Records with Howard's theme in TV and complete versions

Nominated:

  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music
1996 The Sentinel Various Paramount Network Television TV series theme only; scores by Steve Porcaro and John M. Keane
Soundtrack released by Sonic Images with Howard's theme in main and end title versions
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Various Home Box Office Score for part 6: "Mare Tranquilitatis"
Soundtrack released by Epic Soundtrax with period pop songs and Michael Kamen's opening and closing theme music; no episode scores
2000 Gideon's Crossing Various Heel and Toe Films
Touchstone Television
TV series theme

Won:

  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music
2016 All the Way Jay Roach Amblin Entertainment
HBO Films
Nominated:
  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)
2017 A Series of Unfortunate Events Barry Sonnenfeld and Mark Palansky Netflix
Paramount Television
What is the Question?
Sonnenfeld Productions, Inc.
TV series
Scored 5 episodes

Nominated:

  • Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) (for "A Bad Beginning")
2020 Emily in Paris Various Netflix
MTV Entertainment Studios
Jax Media
Darren Star Productions
TV series theme
2022 Light & Magic Lawrence Kasdan Disney+
Lucasfilm
Imagine Documentaries
Kasdan Pictures
Documentary miniseries
Willow Various Disney+
Lucasfilm
Imagine Television
MGM Television
Composed with Xander Rodzinski
Original "Willow" Themes by James Horner
2023 All the Light We Cannot See Shawn Levy Netflix
21 Laps Entertainment
TV mini-series
Scored all 4 episodes

Other work

Year Title Notes
1996 Imagine Entertainment ID Logo theme
2006 Sony Pictures Animation ID Logo theme

2010 Legendary Pictures ID Logo theme 2011 FilmDistrict ID Logo theme

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: James Newton Howard para niños

  • List of film director and composer collaborations
kids search engine
James Newton Howard Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.