Rock star composer Danny Elfman, the musical genius behind scores for many of Time Burton‘s films, has decided to bow out of The Hunger Games film due to scheduling conflicts and his prior engagements to Dark Shadows and Men in Black III.
People (you know, legit people) are saying that the leave was smooth and the transition to find a new composer was effortless, but I always wonder in moments like this if there’s more to it than what the media is telling us. When artists get together, especially artists in the film industry, there are bound to be creative differences. Wonder if there was a lil’ artistic brawl? Sources say there wasn’t, so I guess we’ll take their word for it.
The film has apparently wrangled up James Newton Howard, a film composer who’s just as qualified for the job, having scored Defiance, Michael Clayton and The Village.
I was sad to hear that Elfman would be leaving the project, simply because he has a way of bringing fantasy worlds to life with his unusual sounds. I truly believe he would’ve been able to effectively capture the grittiness, darkness, and macabre nature of Suzanne Collin‘s dystopian world, but I also have full confidence in Howard.
Elfman was originally supposed to collaborate with T-bone Burnett, the songwriter who won an Oscar for his work on Crazy Heart. Despite Elfman’s leave, Burnett will still remain on the production team as the film’s executive music producer. Burnett was super excited to work with Elfman, having said this about him to MTV News awhile back:
“He’s got an incredible space he’s put together. It’s the most incredible studio I’ve ever seen and he’s got drums and marimbas and a cimbalom — just crazy instruments everywhere. We’re just going to go over there and rock out. I think we’re just going to play together. We’re going to do it together.”
That’s so sad, huh? I wonder if Burnett feels like a little boy who’s just gotten his lollipop stolen? It’ll all work out for the best, Burnett! The film is going to be fantastic. The Hunger Games is set for release on March 23, 2012.
Image Credit to: Famepictures
