M83 to Score Joseph Kosinski's Upcoming Tom Cruise Film 'Oblivion'

BY Alex HudsonPublished Jun 28, 2012

M83's sweeping, grandiose dream pop tunes can easily be described as "cinematic," so it makes perfect sense that Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez's project has been recruited by Hollywood director Joseph Kosinski to score the upcoming feature Oblivion.

The film, which is slated to arrive in 2013, is a deep-space sci-fi flick about futuristic alien extermination, starring Tom Cruise.

"I've wanted to do soundtracks for so long, and starting with such an ambitious project, especially in the sci-fi category, means a lot to me," the now-L.A.-based Gonzalez told The Playlist.

This isn't the first time Gonzalez's work has graced the silver screen, since he previously scored the French movie Black Heaven, later calling it a "shitty soundtrack" for a "shitty movie." The songwriter is clearly eager to start over and work on a more ambitious, high-profile project.

"I'm not afraid to do my first soundtrack on a big Hollywood movie, with a big budget and a lot of pressure," he continued. "I like challenges and it excites me more than frightens me. I can't wait to hear my music played by amazing musicians, and an orchestra and brass and maybe choirs. It's a chance to create something big and I'm ready for it."

So by the sound of it, this might be even more sweeping and lush than M83's studio albums -- if that's even possible. Gonzalez promised that the score would contain electronic elements and be "very M83," but also pointed out that "this is a new adventure, so I'm going to push myself even harder, and try to surprise people and move people with my music."

The Playlist's report suggests that the Oblivion score will be credited to M83, rather than simply Anthony Gonzalez.

Kosinski reportedly had Gonzalez in mind as a possible composer when he first started working on the soundtrack several years ago. As you may remember, he previously recruited Daft Punk to write an original score for his 2010 feature Tron: Legacy.

Below, you can learn more about Oblivion, which is based on an original story by Kosinski, via the official synopsis.

Tom Cruise stars in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the director of TRON: Legacy and the producer of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man's confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

Jack Harper (Cruise) is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack's mission is nearly complete.

Living and patrolling the breathtaking skies from thousands of feet above, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands.


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