Pixar’s Next Film ‘Brave’ Will Be Scored By A ‘Harry Potter’ Series Alum

Film composers for the Pixar films have been a pretty exclusive club up to this point. It began with Randy Newman, then stayed in the family when Thomas Newman came over to work with Andrew Stanton,. Finally Michael Giacchino came aboard with Incredibles and that was basically it. Randy Newman and Giacchino both won Oscars for their Pixar works and Thomas Newman has been nominated for three of his own. So when a new composer is signed to join those storied ranks it is exciting news.

The Scotsman is reporting that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire composer Patrick Doyle has been hired to write the music for the next Pixar film Brave. The new film centers on a Scottish princess and boasts many other departures from the normal Pixar mold.

It features, for the first time,  a female protagonist and is the first attempt at a princess movie by Pixar. Doyle, who is scottish himself, has had an impressive career, his work on the fourth Harry Potter movie lived up to the hefty expectations left by the maestro John Williams, and in this summer’s Thor he made a superhero score that was every bit as classy as his typical Kenneth Branagh collaborations.

While I lament the loss of a Giacchino scottish influenced score, the choice of Doyle is inspired. It will provide Pixar with another musical heavyweight and will give Brave a more authentic sound. Pixar might just have another winner on their hands.