Composer Threads John Powell kicks ass

[Kasey Kockroach 2,747]

2 minutes ago, Rachael Foley said:

 

 

 

Even worse, you are gonna have to draw a Minion on a CD-R!

Nah, I’ll probably draw Cthulhu or something. 

[Luka 307]

4 hours ago, ssMusic said:

Can someone explain to me how Powell was convinced to go from a tragic/bittersweet score like the Wicked film cycle (both Wicked and Wicked: For Good, which is in total about 5 hours of score), to a Minions movie??? Was one of the producers on the new Minion's film a HTTYD fan and said, "Get Powell for this?" 

 

I honestly thought that Powell would get a break between Wicked: For Good and live action HTTYD 2 - he has been through so much over the last year that he probably needed it, but it seems Hollywood won't let him stop. 

 

I really think it would be nice to see another concert work from Powell. If you haven't heard A Prussian Requiem, it is the most deeply moving work that he wrote about 10 years ago. I wish he could do something like that again, because he would at least be writing for himself. But instead of letting him rest, someone announced him for a Minion's movie? 

 

I really don't know what's going on. And we wonder why so many film scores seem bland or uninspired these days. Film composers are never the ones to blame. Producers and directors of films mostly are (as is the film industry as well). 

In 2008 he scored 7 movies… i don’t see why 1 score a year wouldn’t be considered a break 😂

[Richard P 5,318]

9 hours ago, ssMusic said:

I honestly thought that Powell would get a break between Wicked: For Good and live action HTTYD 2 - he has been through so much over the last year that he probably needed it, but it seems Hollywood won't let him stop. 

 

Some people's response to bad events is to keep themselves busy. I'd disagree that Hollywood 'won't let him stop' - he can turn down things he doesn't want to do, and it's possible that he had a schedule gap and wanted to do this, for whatever reason.

 

Let's say this is a 'for the money' assignment where a panicked producer has called him - the score needs to be done two months from now, which means that by June he'll have moved on to his next project.

 

I see similar discussions when JW has composed for a supposedly terrible movie. Thing is, sometimes it's simply their job to try to help a bad movie, and other times, maybe they don't see the project as below them.

 

9 hours ago, ssMusic said:

I really don't know what's going on. And we wonder why so many film scores seem bland or uninspired these days. Film composers are never the ones to blame. Producers and directors of films mostly are (as is the film industry as well). 

 

Well, it's as guaranteed as it reasonably can be that this new Minions movie will have an excellent score at least  

 

I'm with you on producers and directors being to blame however - the things they ask composers to do sometimes is baffling. However, I'm not one to get angry at all the crappy scores being composed - there are only so many hours in the day to listen to new work. I've only found one new score this year that I liked (Hamnet) and that's a lot easier than having a huge folder full of great new scores that I'll never have time to hear.

[ssMusic 50]

@Richard P I know Powell has turned down live action superhero films before because he is not interested in "endless fights" and you are right that the score to this new Minions film might be better than the film itself though I am still trying to understand what possibly could have convinced Powell to do this. Its still hard to believe that he had went from Wicked: For Good to a Minions film. In my opinion, that concert piece that he wrote 10 years ago (A Prussian Requiem) is his best work and I am not sure if many people have heard it but it is a very good piece and I wish that Powell could do something like that again if he had the time. It's probably why the scores for both Wicked and Wicked: For Good turned out to be perfect for them.  ("Into The Closet" from Wicked: For Good is still the most beautiful piece he ever wrote for the films).

 

What do you think would need to happen for him and Stephen Schwartz to have another collaboration together in the near future? 

[Stark 1,029]

Minions will probably be a better movie than Wicked so this might be an upgrade actually

[Edmilson 12,402]

As usual for JWFan, you people are probably being a little too melodramatic... And a little too overprotective of Powell, who I'm sure can take care of himself and his career.

 

It's not like he was forced at gunpoint to accept this gig with the Minions movie. Had he wanted to take a year off after HTTYD Remake and Wicked 2, he surely could have. He has been doing one or, at most, two movies a year for years now, which I'm sure is comfortable enough for him.

 

Why did he accept the Minions movie? I'm sure his agent keeps sending any sort of potential projects to him, but he chose Minions simply because it's the type of animated comedy he is used to doing at this point. And, more than that, he probably saw some material of the movie and thought it'd be a nice opportunity to, as the THR report describes it, pay homage to classic scores of the past, play a little bit with monster music (the movie is called Minions & Monsters) like he did in Ice Age 3.

 

In other words: it's within his comfort zone, but with a plus of playing in this sandbox of classic Hollywood/monster music. Something he's comfortable with, but just challenging enough that it's not routine.

 

It was the same for That Christmas, Thelma and the Unicorn, etc.

 

Which I'm sure will be more "relaxing" after the supposedly "stressful" work on both Wicked flicks and between one HTTYD remake and the other.

 

Plus, he'll surely get paid a handsome amount of money by Universal, which will surely be welcome for the fires that destroyed his studio (though I dunno how he's doing in regards to that these days, over a year after the fire).

 

As to whether Minions will harm his career or not... Eh, this is not how Hollywood sees it. I'm sure he'll keep getting invitations to do anything, but he'll only accept those that make sense to him and to where his career stands.

 

Now, it's perfectly reasonable, as a fan, to be disappointed by him doing a type of music rather than the other that you prefer. And that is okay. I'd be too if, instead of Minions, he was asked to do, I dunno, some grounded spy thriller for Amazon Prime. 

 

Just saying that we shouldn't worry about him, though lol.

[Stark 1,029]

Minions is going to make a trillion dollars so it will certainly not hurt his career

[ssMusic 50]

@Edmilson Sorry if it seemed like I came across as pessimistic. That was not my intention. Having listened to classical music for 12 years, (and my favorite composer being Gustav Mahler, a composer that was the most misunderstood and despised by critics in his time), I tend to get very protective of music that resonates with me. I am still frustrated that Wicked: For Good was snubbed this year (given that the two Wicked films were a breath of fresh air after so many sound-design based scores, it was so good to see a score with real themes and motifs again). Wicked: Part One was also the first score by John Powell that I ever listened to, so you guys clearly have been fans of Powell's music for a longer time than I have. After listening to the score for live action HTTYD, I get why its so special to many people. (Though I realize all of you might prefer the animated trilogy scores, but I actually liked the Homeward Theme that Powell created for the film, and hope it comes back in HTTYD 2).  

 

I really hope that outside of this community, Powell's Wicked scores get more appreciation as I don't think I would have been interested in even the first film at all if it didn't have a symphonic score, along with the songs. 

[Tarci4096 174]

Can we have a thread about Minions & Monsters or is there an existing thread I can go to?

[ssMusic 50]

@Tarci4096 I can start one if you like. As far as I know there isn't an existing thread yet.  

 

Actually nevermind. Someone already started one an hour ago - 

 

[Tom Guernsey 3,867]

I would add that I do not think this will any way negatively impact his career... I guess it just feels a disappointing direction, the second sequel in a relatively insubstantial animated movie series*. It does seem a shame he isn't getting picked for Pixar or other Disney animated movies though. I mean, Mark Mothersbaugh's score to Hoppers is nice enough, but I'm sure JP would have got far more mileage out of it.

 

I would also tend to agree that A Prussian Requiem is one of the best things he's ever written. I was lucky enough to attend the London premier and was blown away by it, and very glad it got an excellent performance. The recording is also blessed by The Prize is Still Mine which I'd love to hear in concert sometime. Again... it does seem a shame he doesn't seem to have the time (or impetus?) to write any more concert music.

 

*I admit I've not seen them and if they are especially good, apologies for being presumptuous... but I'm pretty sure I'm not missing much.

[Richard P 5,318]

9 minutes ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I would add that I do not think this will any way negatively impact his career... I guess it just feels a disappointing direction, the second sequel in a relatively insubstantial animated movie series*

 

This feels the most sensible angle to me - it feels strange, and disappointing given his talents. But perhaps when the score comes out we'll find out why he decided to do this.

 

Unless it's a replacement score and the offer/pay were enticing enough for him to spend a few months on it.

 

However, given we just got the two Wicked scores, it's not like he's depriving us of solid works, and HTTYD proves that he still writes as if doing live action. I would love to hear from him in terms of whether he genuinely prefers doing animation, or whether his dislike of conflict/violence merely makes him stay away from live action more.

 

And I can understand those who are more classically-oriented and wish he would do more mature/concert works, but again, I firmly believe that no composer owes the world anything, and that attaching one's self to the output of one person is not overly healthy.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,747]

Jerry Goldsmith still owes me money for The Haunting.

[Rachael Foley 10,188]

8 hours ago, Tom Guernsey said:

I would add that I do not think this will any way negatively impact his career... I guess it just feels a disappointing direction, the second sequel in a relatively insubstantial animated movie series*. It does seem a shame he isn't getting picked for Pixar or other Disney animated movies though. I mean, Mark Mothersbaugh's score to Hoppers is nice enough, but I'm sure JP would have got far more mileage out of it.

 

I would also tend to agree that A Prussian Requiem is one of the best things he's ever written. I was lucky enough to attend the London premier and was blown away by it, and very glad it got an excellent performance. The recording is also blessed by The Prize is Still Mine which I'd love to hear in concert sometime. Again... it does seem a shame he doesn't seem to have the time (or impetus?) to write any more concert music.

 

*I admit I've not seen them and if they are especially good, apologies for being presumptuous... but I'm pretty sure I'm not missing much.

The first two Despicable Me movies were pretty decent, but everything after that is what you imagine it is.

[Jay 46,377]

On 17/04/2026 at 1:09 AM, Score Follower said:

He’s scoring something coming out in the next few months. Surprised it hasn’t been announced yet. 

 

On 17/04/2026 at 3:33 AM, Score Follower said:

It has to be announced soon I would wager. It doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar that I’ve seen in this thread - that much I can say 

 

On 18/04/2026 at 2:40 AM, Score Follower said:

When you see the film and hear the music, you’ll understand why they hired him. It actually suits him quite well

 

Who are you and how did you know that Powell was scoring Minions & Monsters before it was announced?

[Edmilson 12,402]

29 minutes ago, Rachael Foley said:

The first two Despicable Me movies were pretty decent, but everything after that is what you imagine it is.

You were 6 when you watched them? 

 

11 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

 

 

Who are you and how did you know that Powell was scoring Minions & Monsters before it was announced?

Batu Sener's JWFan profile?

[Rachael Foley 10,188]

8 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

You were 6 when you watched them? 

 

 

Teens. First one came out around the same year I joined JWFan.

20 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

 

 

Who are you and how did you know that Powell was scoring Minions & Monsters before it was announced?

The Score Follower. He follows scores. Others have the less charitable name for him: The Score Stalker.

[Score Follower 3]

56 minutes ago, Jay said:

 

 

 

Who are you and how did you know that Powell was scoring Minions & Monsters before it was announced?

Not sure I should reveal that  A magician never reveals their secrets

 

40 minutes ago, Rachael Foley said:

Teens. First one came out around the same year I joined JWFan.

The Score Follower. He follows scores. Others have the less charitable name for him: The Score Stalker.

Wow, I wish I would've picked THAT name now.

[Edmilson 12,402]

25 minutes ago, Score Follower said:

Wow, I wish I would've picked THAT name now.

You can change your username if you want. The user named "Rachel Foley", for instance, changes his username every two weeks of something (and yeah, he's not a girl )

[Rachael Foley 10,188]

31 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

You can change your username if you want. The user named "Rachel Foley", for instance, changes his username every two weeks of something (and yeah, he's not a girl )

It's 3 months or so that you are allowed to change your forum name.

 

I have changed my screen name here 24 times

 

Drax has changed his name 20 times ()

 

Justin has changed his name 18 times ()

 

It took about 3 years for me to cycle through the Rush albums for my name.

 

There was a short period when there was either no limit, or it was a lot shorter waiting period, and it was hell.

 

(BTW there is a button to show a user's name history.)

[Tom Guernsey 3,867]

On 22/04/2026 at 9:35 AM, Richard P said:

And I can understand those who are more classically-oriented and wish he would do more mature/concert works, but again, I firmly believe that no composer owes the world anything, and that attaching one's self to the output of one person is not overly healthy.

Thanks for your positive comments. I would just add that I thought part of why he was stepping away from doing quite so many films was so that he could write concert music... something like he was going to make time to write one thing for the concert hall per year. I could have sworn he said that in an interview*. That seemed an enticing prospect and I can only assume that life circumstances got in the way or he lost his momentum/inspiration which is sad but understandable.

 

*My only caveat is that my memory might be faulty and that it was Danny Elfman who said it. Then again, Elfman seems to manage juggling a busy scoring schedule with concerts and finding time to write a concert work almost every year. Not to mention he's quite a bit older than JP!

[Anthony 895]

I think it was Elfman who said that he, Powell and Beltrami were working on a concert piece for 3 performers. I didn't get the impression it was anything giant.

[Tom Guernsey 3,867]

57 minutes ago, Anthony said:

I think it was Elfman who said that he, Powell and Beltrami were working on a concert piece for 3 performers. I didn't get the impression it was anything giant.

Maybe but I’m sure it was an interview Powell gave years ago where he said about spending more time on concert works. I’m sure someone will be able to confirm one way or the other. 

[Anthony 895]

He's been talking of doing another opera for a few years now.

[Tarci4096 174]

I'm still waiting for John Powell/Gavin Greenaway's "The Englishman, The Irishman, and The Frenchman" album. It was listed in 5catstudios.com as coming soon back in early 2023 until it was removed some time later. 😢

[Tarci4096 174]

John Powell's Isle of Berk Theme Park Score has a release countdown now.
https://ffm.to/isleofberk (via 5catstudios.com)

 

OFFICIAL ALBUM ART:

[Kasey Kockroach 2,747]

If Pluto Nash and Mars Needs Moms didn’t destroy Powell’s career, nothing can. Unless he decided to score a snuff film.

[Dr. Know 492]

On 24/4/2026 at 8:31 PM, Tarci4096 said:

John Powell's Isle of Berk Theme Park Score has a release countdown now.
https://ffm.to/isleofberk (via 5catstudios.com)

 

OFFICIAL ALBUM ART:

Apparently the vinyl is out already.  Waiting for the digital release.

[Tarci4096 174]

On 18/04/2026 at 10:45 PM, jjstarA113 said:

that shitty-looking Animal Farm adaptation), I could totally see Pereira wanting to take a break.

 

This is just me but RC Productions and Kraft Engel should not let that studio touch their composers again.

[CT-7567 25]

5 hours ago, Tarci4096 said:

 

This is just me but RC Productions and Kraft Engel should not let that studio touch their composers again.

The fact that Animal Farm is probably the worst film Heitor ever scored just makes your statement even more true. That´s quite a big feat lol

 

 

[Richard P 5,318]

On 03/05/2026 at 12:43 AM, Dr. Know said:

Apparently the vinyl is out already.  Waiting for the digital release.

 

Yeap - since Jan apparently, and someone has done a rip from the vinyl, but digital is not available for another two weeks.

 

I don't understand Powell's mindset here - why doesn't he want people listening on digital now?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,747]

Why didn’t he pick Sheep Detectives?

[Rachael Foley 10,188]

5 hours ago, Richard P said:

 

Yeap - since Jan apparently, and someone has done a rip from the vinyl, but digital is not available for another two weeks.

 

I don't understand Powell's mindset here - why doesn't he want people listening on digital now?

So people have to pick it up at the parks?

[ssMusic 50]

 

[ddddeeee 565]

18 hours ago, Richard P said:

 

Yeap - since Jan apparently, and someone has done a rip from the vinyl, but digital is not available for another two weeks.

 

I don't understand Powell's mindset here - why doesn't he want people listening on digital now?

This is what happened with Elfman's music for Dark Universe. The vinyl was available at the park from May; the digital release then came in August.

[Richard P 5,318]

I both sort of agree and disagree at the same time 

 

A nice collectible at the park is nice, but stopping non-visitors from buying/hearing music really lands badly.

[Stark 1,029]

I don't see a problem with keeping it exclusive for a few months first

[Richard P 5,318]

I like the idea of keepsakes that you can only buy at the park - making the visit and the item feel special.

 

Well, we had this little debate back with HTTYD 3 with Varese's exclusivity period. Suffice it to say, I disagree with it.

[ssMusic 50]

 

[jjstarA113 61]

On 08/05/2026 at 9:55 AM, ssMusic said:

 

 

What is he going on about the "cliché" of having a complication in a flight scene? Like does he want the whole test drive to go by without a hitch???

[Tom Guernsey 3,867]

34 minutes ago, jjstarA113 said:

 

What is he going on about the "cliché" of having a complication in a flight scene? Like does he want the whole test drive to go by without a hitch???

I mean it might be a cliche, but that's like saying every heist should go without a hitch or every romcom should just go from meet, dating to marriage without any temporary split or other digression... I mean, that's kinda the point. Most movies and TV series rely on things happening that are genuinely very rare in real life. Lots of test flights of aircraft went absolutely fine, but there's sod all drama in that.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,856]

The How To Train Your Dragon theme park music comes out tomorrow digitally!!

 

It's smaller in scale than the film scores, but it's really charming. I especially love how Powell uses all his different themes in new ways. It brought a smile to my face while listening.

 

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/how-to-train-your-dragon-isle-of-berk/1894018377

 

 

[Jay 46,377]

42 minutes long, nice

[Knight of Ren 1,558]

Gave it a listen and I loved it. It feels very different from the movie scores mainly because of the way the music is structured, as it's for a theme park. But the sound and overall style is really nice, and Powell uses many of the themes from the three films!

[Edmilson 12,402]

Is this something Powell actually "wrote" (as in, doing new things with the themes he wrote for the trilogy), or just something he arranged based on his scores?

 

I guess a better way to ask this question is: how much of a "new score by John Powell" is that?

[Tarci4096 174]

58 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

Is this something Powell actually "wrote" (as in, doing new things with the themes he wrote for the trilogy), or just something he arranged based on his scores?

 

I guess a better way to ask this question is: how much of a "new score by John Powell" is that?

New arrangements of the existing materials.

[Rachael Foley 10,188]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Is this something Powell actually "wrote" (as in, doing new things with the themes he wrote for the trilogy), or just something he arranged based on his scores?

 

I guess a better way to ask this question is: how much of a "new score by John Powell" is that?

A bit of both. It's completely new in the sense that there isn't a 1 to 1 comparison to anything in the scores, but it's also not like an HTTYD4 or HTTYD2 1/2.

[Dr. Know 492]

It’s lovely

[Muad'Dib 2,072]

Absolutely lovely!

 

Courting Valka is my #1 highlight here.

[Richard P 5,318]

Courting Valka dampens the minor disappointment of the second DE not containing an instrumental of the courting song. Very nice! I get particularly drawn to tracks with themes in extremely different orchestration to the scores - Wooing Astrid is really nice in this respect.