Geoffrey Zanelli (born September 28, 1974) is an American composer working primarily in the medium of film, television, and video game scores. His early career was notable for scoring additional music on roughly 30 film scores written by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, and Steve Jablonsky including several blockbuster films. He has since moved on to more solo work, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special for his score to the miniseries Into the West.
Aside from film and television scores, Zanelli also works with recording artists, writing arrangements for Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, Robbie Williams, The Webb Sisters, Mest and Story of the Year. He is credited as a guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist on the song "I'm Not Dead" from recording artist Pink.
Early life and education Zanelli was born on September 28, 1974, in Westminster, California. He graduated in 1996 from Berklee College of Music.
Career In 1994, at 19 years old, Zanelli met Hans Zimmer, believing him to be a promising young talent, Zimmer invited him to Los Angeles to join his group of film composers. Zanelli worked as an engineer on the debut album from Goldfinger as well as Zimmer's score for The Preacher's Wife.
Zanelli's experience and desire to collaborate led him to work with British composer John Powell on his first Hollywood feature, Face/Off. Throughout the following years he built the foundation for his scoring career, composing with Powell, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, and Steve Jablonsky on many feature films, including: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Rango and the Golden Globe-nominated scores for The Last Samurai and Pearl Harbor.
One of his earliest solo works, Steven Spielberg's miniseries Into the West, earned him an Emmy. In approximately one year, Zanelli scored the films Disturbia, Hitman, Outlander, Delgo, Ghost Town and Gamer.
In early 2013, film blog Ain't It Cool News called his score for The Odd Life of Timothy Green the best score of 2012. In 2017, he composed the score to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, picking up the mantle from long-time series composer Hans Zimmer. In June 2018, he composed the score for Disney's Christopher Robin with Jon Brion.
Filmography
Film
As primary score composer Year Title Director Studio / Publisher Notes2004House of DDavid DuchovnyBob Yari ProductionsLionsgate FilmsSecret WindowDavid KoeppColumbia PicturesSony Pictures ReleasingComposed with Philip Glass2007HitmanXavier GensDune EntertainmentEuropaCorp20th Century FoxDisturbiaD. J. CarusoDreamWorks PicturesThe Montecito Picture CompanyParamount Pictures2008DelgoMarc F. AdlerJason MaurerFathom StudiosFreestyle ReleasingFirst score for an animated filmOutlanderHoward McCainThe Weinstein CompanyVirtual StudiosGhost TownDavid KoeppSpyglass EntertainmentDreamWorks PicturesParamount Pictures2009GamerMark NeveldineBrian TaylorLakeshore EntertainmentLionsgate FilmsComposed with Robert Williamson2011You May Not Kiss the BrideRob HeddenShowcase EntertainmentFreestyle ReleasingBeneath the DarknessMartin GuiguiSunset PicturesImage Entertainment2012The Odd Life of Timothy GreenPeter HedgesScott Sanders ProductionsWalt Disney Pictures2013Once Upon a Time in QueensDavid RodriguezGrindstone EntertainmentLionsgate FilmsLouder Than WordsAnthony FabianIdentity FilmsARC Entertainment2014School DanceNick CannonN'Credible EntertainmentLionsgate Films2015The Scorpion King 4:Quest for PowerMike ElliottUniversal 1440 EntertainmentUniversal PicturesMortdecaiDavid KoeppOdd Lot EntertainmentInfinitum NihilLionsgate FilmsComposed with Mark RonsonNo Stranger Than LoveNick WernhamInnis Lake EntertainmentOrion PicturesMomentum Pictures2016BlingKyung Ho LeeWonjae LeeDigiart ProductionsDigital IdeaMomentum PicturesMastermindsJared HessMichaels-GoldwynRelativity Media2017The Ottoman LieutenantJoseph RubenEastern Sunrise FilmsPaladinPirates of the Caribbean:Dead Men Tell No TalesJoachim RønningEspen SandbergJerry Bruckheimer FilmsWalt Disney PicturesThemes by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer2018TraffikDeon TaylorCodeblack FilmsSummit EntertainmentChristopher RobinMarc Forster2DUX²Walt Disney PicturesReplaced Jóhann Jóhannsson; composed with Jon Brion2019The IntruderDeon TaylorScreen GemsPrimary Wave EntertainmentSony Pictures ReleasingRed Shoes and the Seven DwarfsSung-ho HongMoo-Hyun JangYoung Sik UhmLocus Creative StudiosNext Entertainment WorldBlack and BlueDeon TaylorHidden Empire Film GroupScreen GemsMaleficent: Mistress of EvilJoachim RønningRoth FilmsWalt Disney PicturesReplaced James Newton Howard2020You Should Have LeftDavid KoeppBlumhouse ProductionsUniversal PicturesFataleDeon TaylorHidden Empire Film GroupSummit Entertainment2021The House Next Door:Meet the Blacks 2Hidden Empire Film Group2023FearThe Hill Jeff CelentanoRainmaker FilmsBriarcliff Entertainment FreelancePierre MorelAGC StudiosEndurance MediaRelativity MediaThemes only; score by Elliot LeungLeo Robert MarianettiRobert SmigelDavid Wachtenheim Happy Madison ProductionsNetflix Original songs by Robert Smigel202410 LivesChris JenkinsGFM AnimationAlignCaramel FilmsL'Atelier AnimationComposed with Tom Howe2025Bad HaircutKyle MisakThrowback PicturesInnovative Media GroupGood Luck, Have Fun, Don't DieGore VerbinskiBriarcliff Entertainment3 Arts EntertainmentBlind Wink ProductionsConstantin FilmRobert Kulzer ProductionsWAM Films
As composer of additional music
Year Title Director Composer Notes1997Face/OffJohn WooJohn Powell1998AntzEric DarnellTim JohnsonJohn PowellHarry Gregson-WilliamsAlso orchestrator1999EnduranceLeslie WoodheadBud GreenspanJohn PowellChill FactorHugh JohnsonHans ZimmerJohn Powell2000The Road to El DoradoDon PaulBibo BergeronJeffrey KatzenbergAlso technical advisorChicken RunPeter LordNick ParkJohn PowellHarry Gregson-WilliamsHannibalRidley ScottHans Zimmer2001Just VisitingJean-Marie PoiréJohn PowellPearl HarborMichael BayHans Zimmer2002Eye See YouJames GillespieJohn PowellThe Time MachineSimon WellsKlaus BadeltPassionadaDan IrelandHarry Gregson-WilliamsK-19: The WidowmakerKathryn BigelowKlaus BadeltEquilibriumKurt Wimmer2003Ned KellyGregor JordanKlaus BadeltBernard FanningPirates of the Caribbean:The Curse of the Black PearlGore VerbinskiKlaus BadeltVeronica GuerinJoel SchumacherHarry Gregson-WilliamsUncreditedMatchstick MenRidley ScottHans ZimmerThe Last SamuraiEdward Zwick2004CatwomanPitofKlaus BadeltShark TaleVicky JensonBibo BergesonRob LettermanHans Zimmer2006Pirates of the Caribbean:Dead Man's ChestGore Verbinski2007Pirates of the Caribbean:At World's End2008Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaEric DarnellTom McGrathWill.i.amHans Zimmer2009Angels & DemonsRon HowardHans Zimmer2010Clash of the TitansLouis LeterrierRamin Djawadi2011RangoGore VerbinskiHans ZimmerPirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger TidesRob Marshall2013The Lone RangerGore Verbinski2017Justice LeagueZack SnyderDanny Elfman
Television
Year Title Network(s) Notes2000Die Motorrad-CopsRTLEpisode: "Am Abgrund"FearMTV3 episodes2000-03SportsCenturyESPN8 episodes2002National Geographic ExplorerNational GeographicEpisode: "Lost Subs: Disaster at Sea"Composer of additional musicComposed by Steve JablonskyLive from BaghdadHBOTelevision filmComposer of additional musicComposed by Steve Jablonsky2003Threat MatrixABCEpisode: "Pilot"Composer of additional musicComposed by Steve Jablonsky2005Into the WestTNTMiniseries; 6 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)2010The PacificHBOMiniseries; 10 episodesComposed with Blake NeelyTheme music by Hans ZimmerNominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)2013Killing KennedyNational GeographicTelevision filmChristmas in ConwayABC2022The First LadyShowtime
Video games Year Title Publisher Notes2004Champions of NorrathSony Online EntertainmentComposer of additional musicComposed by Inon Zur2007Shrek the ThirdActivisionComposer of additional musicComposed by Winifred Phillips2009 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized2010 Call of Duty: Black OpsNintendo DS version2011 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – DefianceTBA Star Citizen: Squadron_42Cloud Imperium Games
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2006Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)Into the WestInternational Film Music Critics AwardsBest Original Score for a Television SeriesInto the West2008ASCAP Film and Television Music AwardsTop Box Office FilmsDisturbia2010Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score)The Pacific: Part 10 (shared with Blake Neely and Hans Zimmer)2019International Film Music Critics AwardsBest Original Score for a Comedy FilmChristopher RobinHollywood Music in Media AwardsBest Original Score in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror FilmMaleficent: Mistress of Evil
References
External links Official Website