Junkie XL shares detailed Tomb Raider "Studio Time" episodes

Throughout March and into April, Tomb Raider (2018) composer Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL has released erudite Studio Time episodes detailing the production of cues from his score to the film, as the composer usually does with his current projects. The tracks from the Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featured include "Return To Croft Manor", "Karakuri Wall", "What Lies Underneath Yamatai" & "Becoming The Tomb Raider".

Since the release of Tomb Raider, March 16th, 2018, visitor's to TombRaider.JunkieXL.com have been invited to explore the music from the film. Unlocking all three tombs "containing musical treasures composed by Tom Holkenborg" revealed the Studio Time episodes. Watch all three videos after the jump! A bonus video has Holkenborg demo the custom Tahitian drums crafted for the score.

MoTR recently had the exclusive privilege of interviewing the composer pre-release. Tomb Raider is in theaters now and the Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available via all good music retailers & streaming services - check it out in MoTR's Commercial Discography.

K.Flay releases music video for Tomb Raider's original song

While Tomb Raider (2018)'s music supervision didn't align itself with its predecessors - both Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & The Cradle of Life (2003) producing companion compilation soundtracks - the upcoming film has spawned an original song. The credits-accompanying single by K.Flay, "Run for Your Life", now has a music video featuring footage of Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft from the upcoming film :

Tomb Raider hits cinemas worldwide on March 16th. K.Flay's "Run For Your Life" is available via all good digital music retailers and streaming services. The Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL was released March 9th (the album does not feature the K.Flay track).

MoTR interviews composer Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL on the Tomb Raider (2018): Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

MoTR had the opportunity and privilege to interview Tomb Raider (2018) composer Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL on the eve of the Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack release - March 9th, 2018. Holkenborg's recent blockbuster film works include 300: Rise of an Empire (2014), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) & Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Interestingly, the prolific composer also has a history with video game soundtracks including SSX, Need For Speed & The Sims.

As for prior interviews MoTR has hosted with Tomb Raider franchise composers Bobby Tahouri, Wilbert Roget, II & Jason Graves, the floor was open to Tomb Raider community members to submit questions which were consolidated for the interview, kindly conducted by Crystal Dynamics. Unfortunately we ran a little out of time to ask a couple more of them, but have a read of the full transcript below!

We'd like to thank Tom Holkenborg, Crystal Dynamics & Warner Bros. profusely for their time and efforts. The Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will release to digital retailers March 9th, 2018, with a collectable CD release launching on the same day as the film's debut on March 16th.

.@Junkie_XL aka Tom Holkenborg's new @TombRaiderMovie film score captures the fierceness of Lara Croft that will bring her character and world to life. Available everywhere on 3/16! 🎼 ➡https://t.co/M00eBZJyiv #TombRaider #TombRaiderMovie pic.twitter.com/3bdpkAhBle

— Sony Masterworks (@SonyMasterworks) March 5, 2018

Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL reveals Tomb Raider (2018) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack track-listing & release(s)

Prolific media composer Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL has revealed the album artwork and track-listing for his upcoming Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The official score album for the action-adventure film is to be released by Sony Masterworks digitally on March 9th, 2018, one week ahead of the film's release. A physical audio CD is to be released on March 16th, 2018, and is already available to order via Amazon. Track durations and album run-time are yet to be confirmed:

1. Return to Croft Manor
2. Seeking Endurance
3. The Bag
4. Path of Paternal Secrets
5. The Devil's Sea
6. Let Yamatai Have Her
7. Figure in the Night
8. Remember This
9. Never Give Up
10. Karakuri Wall
11. What Lies Underneath Yamatai
12. There's No Time
13. Becoming the Tomb Raider
14. The Croft Legacy

What remains to be heard is if Tomb Holkenborg has utilised any thematic motifs from the video game franchise - for example, Alan Silvestri incorporated Nathan McCree's original 1996 Tomb Raider theme into 2003's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life. We have requested a community-driven franchise-focused interview with the film-franchise's third composer, as we last facilitated with video game composers Bobby Tahouri, Wilbert Roget II & Jason Graves, but Holkenborg is yet to respond from the film sphere.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and its sequel The Cradle of Life both saw the release of dedicated various artists compilation soundtrack albums, companions to their respective score albums. There is no indication of the same for Tomb Raider (2018). However an original song accompanying the film, "Run For Your Life" by K.Flay, has also been released as a digital single today.

Tomb Raider stars Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft and hits cinemas March 16th, 2018. The Tomb Raider: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack has entered MoTR's Commercial Discography Page.

K.Flay releases original song for Tomb Raider (2018)

Grammy-nominated singer-song-writer K.Flay has debuted a new song to promote the upcoming third entry to the film franchise Tomb Raider (2018), starring Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. The artist elaborates via The Hollywood Reporter:

"I wrote "Run for Your Life" in a hotel room in Johnson City, Tennessee, a few hours before my show that night. I think the frantic energy of touring found its way into the track.

This track was a new challenge for me — writing a song from a perspective outside my own, trying to capture the spirit and energy of a film I hadn’t seen in full yet. (PS I’ve of course seen it now and it’s awesome)," - K.Flay

The song was soon confirmed to appear in the film by director Roar Uthaug, although the likelihood is that it will accompany the end credits. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) both saw the release of dedicated various artists compilation soundtracks but there is no indication of the same for Tomb Raider (2018).

"Run for You Life" is one of three foreseeable additions to the Tomb Raider Franchise Commercial Discography in 2018. The track can be purchased digitally or streamed on several platforms via this handy link from February 16th. Listen to the track on Vevo below now!

Tomb Raider trailer features re-worked Destiny's Child track

The second trailer (and subsequent TV spots) for 2018's Tomb Raider arrived today with a noticeable licensed trailer song - watch the trailer after the jump below. Director Roar Uthaug was quick to highlight the accompanying music used:

For those wondering about the @destinyschild remix for the @TombRaiderMovie trailer, it was done by @2WEIMUSIC and you can find the full song here:https://t.co/ZiWbPqklbK

— Roar Uthaug (@roaruthaug) 21 January 2018

As Uthaug points out, the music is the early-naughties Destiny's Child empowerment pop hit "Survivor" as reworked by 2WEI Music. What's better news is that the track is available to purchase from all good music retailers. Unusually so for a trailer music outfit - 2WEI being a music maker for trailers and commercials.

Tomb Raider is the third film in the Tomb Raider franchise and the first based on the reboot-era of video games developed by Crystal Dynamics. Tomb Raider stars Alicia Vikander in the pop-culturally relevant role of Lara Croft and hits cinemas on March 16th, 2018.

Tom Holkenborg records score to Tomb Raider (2018)

Director Roar Uthaug has shared a social media moment with Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL, composer for the new year's upcoming Tomb Raider, from the recording studio handling production on the film's soundtrack which is presumed to have wrapped in time for its March 16th release date.

Fantastic day recording the score for tombraidermovie with the amazing @junkie_xl #tombraider @… https://t.co/y6uGYxmnIr

— Roar Uthaug (@roaruthaug) 6 January 2018

Holkenborg will be the third film composer for the Tomb Raider franchise on the silver screen, following Graeme Revell and Alan Silvestri's work on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) respectively. It remains unclear if the composer will borrow Nathan McCree's original 1996 video game motif (as did Silvestri), Jason Graves' rebooted motif (from the 2013 video game of the same name and which the film is heavily inspired by), or has written a completely original score.

Tomb Raider debuts worldwide on March 16th, 2018, and stars Alicia Vikander as the iconic Lara Croft.

Tomb Raider (2018) trailer features non-specific music track

The first trailer for 2018's Tomb Raider is here! Fans not only get their first viewing of Alicia Vikander in action as Lara Croft, but are sonically bombarded with the footage's accompanying trailer score - a preliminary presentation that The Music of Tomb Raider is most often interested in investigating.

This one's tricky. The trailer music is modern, minimalistic and well defined by electronic percussion and edgy bass guitar strokes in pronounced double notes. While many viewers have immediately associated the music with already recorded songs, such as "Black Betty" by Ram Jam or "No Wow" by The Kills (even emulating the percussion of the latter), the track is simply too generic to pin down as an unoriginal composition. Thus MoTR is inclined to advise this piece is not a rendition of any one particular song. What we can assume, however, is that it is third-party licensed trailer score regardless - work that has quite possibly sampled and/or been inspired by already established recordings.

Tomb Raider is the franchise's third entry on the big screen - a reboot heavily inspired by the eponymous 2013 video game - due in cinemas March 16th, 2018. Although judging from the trailer, it amalgamates with aspects of the first two films starring Angelina Jolie, sure to tap into the original films' fan-base. This month composer Tom Holkenborg (also known as Junkie XL) has begun working on writing the film's score.

Tom Holkenborg commences work on Tomb Raider (2018)

New: Alicia Vikander in Tomb Raider (2018) via Empire

It was revealed in June that composer Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL was helming the score to the upcoming Tomb Raider film reboot starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, due out March 16th, 2018. The film is heavily inspired by the 2013 video game reboot of the same name, and with filming wrapping up in Cape Town and London earlier this year, the visual tie-in is unmistakable. The question now on the tip of every Tomb Raider fan's tongue - will the film soundtrack utilise the thematic motif from the games?

Circumstantially it appears that Jason Graves, the composer tasked with crafting a new Tomb Raider theme for the rebooted game series in 2013, has already asked Holkenborg the very question via Twitter:

Really? Nice! Can you do your own main theme or are they asking you to use mine? Can't wait to hear!

— Jason Graves (@jgmusic) 8 September 2017

The Tomb Raider franchise's last silver screen adaptions, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) were accompanied by music composed by Graeme Revell and Alan Silvestri respectively. Revell had a very short time to finish the job, and legacy video game composer Nathan McCree's original Tomb Raider motif did not make it into the soundtrack. Silvestri, on the other hand, implemented McCree's motif with significant variation.

Holkenborg may not yet be able to disclose plans for the music of Tomb Raider (2018). A trailer for the upcoming film by director Roar Uthaug is surely imminent, but as goes the film advertising industry, it's unlikely to incorporate any work from Holkenborg and instead be accompanied by third party trailer score.

Tom Holkenborg "Junkie XL" to score Tomb Raider (2018)

Following rumours of James Newton Howard's attachment to Roar Uthaug's upcoming Tomb Raider film reboot, set for release in March 2018, Junkie XL has let slip in an interview regarding his departure from Justice League that Tomb Raider is his next gig. Junkie XL "is now moving on to Tomb Raider", according to sources via The Hollywood Reporter, quoting Holkenborg in regards to losing out to Danny Elfman:

"...you haven't made it in Hollywood as a composer until you get replaced on a project. So I guess [I] finally graduated this week." - Tom Holkenborg/Junkie XL on Justice League

Holkenborg has a diverse background and boasts Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Mad Max: Fury Road & 300: Rise of an Empire as recent high profile film credentials. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) & Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003) were helmed by Graeme Revell and Alan Silvestri.

Uthaug consistently collaborates with Magnus Beite, a partnership that now dissipates with the director's entry to Hollywood, while Tomb Raider game composer Nathan McCree also teased the role. Tomb Raider is based on the 2013 video game reboot of the franchise and stars Alicia Vikander as the titular icon.

Rumour: James Newton Howard attached to Tomb Raider

Vikander as Croft on location in Cape Town

On March 13th Spanish Tomb Raider fansite Tomb Raider Collection reported James Newton Howard to be the composer for the upcoming film reboot of Tomb Raider (2018) starring Alicia Vikander in the title role. Unconfirmed, this speculation follows rumours of involvement of the original video game composer, Nathan McCree. Distributors of the film Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and MGM (in select territories), made a press release today of which MoTR was a recipient of:

"From Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Tomb Raider is the story that will set a young and resolute Lara Croft on a path toward becoming a global hero. The film stars Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) in the lead role, under the direction of Roar Uthaug (The Wave), with Oscar-winner Graham King (The Departed) producing under his GK Films banner. The film’s production begins on the heels of the 20th anniversary of the wildly popular videogame franchise from Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal.

Tomb Raider also stars Dominic West (Money Monster, 300), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained) and Daniel Wu (AMC’s Into the Badlands).

Shooting on location in South Africa and the UK, Uthaug directs from a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet. The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography George Richmond (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation); production designer Gary Freeman (Maleficent); Oscar-nominated editor Stuart Baird (Skyfall, Gorillas in the Mist); and costume designer Tim Wonsik (key costumer, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier)."

The announcement lists production credits but fails to nominate a composer attached to the film. James Newton Howard's involvement is certainly an industry possibility - the prolific composer boasts an impressive body of aesthetically similar work including Salt (2010), The Hunger Games franchise (2012+) & Maleficent (2014). Although director Roar Uthaug consistently collaborates with Magnus Beite, it would not be a surprising push from producers to hire an established Hollywood composer for as high profile a film.

The question on the tip of every Tomb Raider fan's tongue remains - will the new film score utilise the video game theme(s)? Jason Graves constructed a fresh motif for the reboot continuation of the franchise consistent through Tomb Raider (2013) and Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015), despite the music for the latter being helmed by Bobby Tahouri. Alan Silvestri incorporated Nathan McCree's original motif in the soundtrack to the last franchise film entry, 2003's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life, but this is no indication a new composer would be confined to the same approach.

Rumour: Nathan McCree to compose Tomb Raider film reboot

Although little evidence has amounted to the following, original Tomb Raider video game composer Nathan McCree is rumoured to be attached to the upcoming film reboot. Alicia Vikander is set to star as Lara Croft with Norwegian director Roar Uthaug helming the return of the franchise to the silver screen.

The composer has appeared nonchalant when queried via twitter, even entertaining the notion. To boot, the film's IMDB page boasts McCree's involvement, although this can be determined by any public editor. Both GK films and Uthaug are following McCree on Twitter, something in the case of Crystal Dynamics' Karl Stewart and composer Jason Graves, has proved connection before.

Considering Uthaug's repeat collaboration it was originally speculated that Magnus Beite would be involved with the film's music. While it wouldn't be a stretch for a video game composer to transition to film, the possibility seems less likely in the Hollywood sphere, especially with McCree's lack of credentials in film. Roar Uthaug has also recently utilised Alan Silvestri for Allied, the latest production by GK Films.

Despite any indication towards McCree's involvement, the composer of the original Tomb Raider theme would potentially be restricted to utilising the franchise's replacement musical motif (as composed for the 2013 reboot of the series by Jason Graves). Although it is not yet clear musical elements of the latest video games in the series will translate over to the rebooted film.

Graeme Revell composed the score to the first Tomb Raider film, 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, while Alan Silvestri incorporated Nathan McCree's original video game motif for the sequel, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003), both starring Angelina Jolie as the titular icon.

Rumour: Magnus Beite to compose Tomb Raider film reboot

Alicia Vikander will play Lara Croft in the upcoming film reboot, image courtesy of Variety

A third Tomb Raider film hot off the heels of the 2013 video game reboot has been in development for some time - ever since GK Films acquired the rights to another film adaptation of Lara Croft's adventures in 2011. MGM and Warner Bros. have since joined the project to fund and it is moving along admirably with actress Alicia Vikander being cast as the pop-culturally relevant character just last month.

Norwegian director Roar Uthaug was also attached to the title late last year and although often sought into post-production of a film, a composer will be in the pipeline. Magnus Beite (Cold Prey, The Wave) has collaborated with Uthaug for every one of his films and it's likely the director will want to utilise the fellow Norwegian for his latest piece of work. However, it is equally possible producers would see Uthaug pair with a more renowned Hollywood-composer for such a high-profile production and his entry into American film.

BAFTA-winner Jason Graves created a new thematic motif for the Tomb Raider (2013) video game reboot and musical continuity was maintained in last year's Rise of the Tomb Raider despite being helmed by the film-savvy Bobby Tahouri. It is unclear at this stage if this motif will transfer to the new film which will be inspired in some part by the recent video games.

Graeme Revell composed the score to the first Tomb Raider film, 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, while Alan Silvestri incorporated original Tomb Raider video game composer Nathan McCree's motif for the sequel, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life (2003), both starring Angelina Jolie as the titular icon.