Thomas Newman is an American composer, conductor and orchestrator known for his many film scores. Most notably The Player (1992); The Shawshank Redemption (1994); American Beauty and The Green Mile (both 1999); In the Bedroom (2001); Finding Nemo (2003); Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004); Cinderella Man (2005); WALL-E (2008); the James Bond films Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), 1917 (2019), and Elemental (2023).
As a composer Feature films 1980s Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 1984 Reckless James Foley Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Revenge of the Nerds Jeff Kanew Interscope Communications20th Century Fox Grandview, U.S.A. Randal Kleiser CBS Entertainment ProductionWarner Bros. (theatrical)CBS/Fox Video (VHS release)Paramount Home Entertainment (DVD release) 1985Desperately Seeking Susan Susan Seidelman Orion Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande. Album shared with Making Mr. Right Girls Just Want to Have Fun Alan Metter New World Pictures The Man with One Red Shoe Stan Dragoti 20th Century Fox An album of Newman's score released by La-La Land Records in 2018. Real Genius Martha Coolidge TriStar Pictures 1986 Gung Ho Ron Howard Paramount Pictures One track released by Milan on the compilation album Ron Howard – Passions & Achievements Jumpin' Jack Flash Penny Marshall Largo EntertainmentSilver Pictures20th Century Fox Song album with two Newman tracks 1987 Light of Day Paul Schrader TriStar Pictures Song album with one Newman track The Lost Boys Joel Schumacher Warner Bros. Less than Zero Marek Kanievska 20th Century Fox Song album; no Newman score; score album released by La-La Land Records in September 2016. 1988 The Great Outdoors Howard Deutch Hughes EntertainmentUniversal Pictures Song album with one Newman track The Prince of Pennsylvania Ron Nyswaner Fine Line FeaturesNew Line Cinema 1989 Cookie Susan Seidelman Lorimar Film EntertainmentWarner Bros.
1990s Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 1990 Men Don't Leave Paul Brickman Geffen PicturesWarner Bros. Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael Jim Abrahams Paramount Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande 1991 Career Opportunities Bryan Gordon Hughes EntertainmentUniversal Pictures Song album with three Newman tracks released by Curb The Linguini Incident Richard Shepard Academy Entertainment Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Naked Tango Leonard Schrader New Line Cinema The Rapture Michael Tolkin Fine Line FeaturesNew Line Cinema Song album with ten Newman tracks Deceived Damian Harris Touchstone Pictures Fried Green Tomatoes Jon Avnet Act III CommunicationsUniversal Pictures Song album with three Newman tracks and separate score album, both released by MCA 1992 The Player Robert Altman Avenue PicturesSpelling FilmsFine Line Features (US)Pathé (International) Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Whispers in the Dark Christopher Crowe Paramount Pictures Varèse Sarabande album release cancelled; released by Intrada in 2012 Scent of a Woman Martin Brest City Light FilmsUniversal Pictures Soundtrack released by MCA 1993 Flesh and Bone Steve Kloves Paramount Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Josh and S.A.M. Billy Weber Castle Rock EntertainmentNew Line CinemaColumbia Pictures 1994 Threesome Andrew Fleming Motion Picture Corporation of AmericaTriStar Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande. Twinned with American Buffalo The Favor Donald Petrie Orion Pictures The Shawshank Redemption Frank Darabont Castle Rock EntertainmentColumbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Epic Soundtrax The War Jon Avnet Universal Pictures Song album with 12 Newman tracks released by MCA Little Women Gillian Armstrong Columbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Sony Classical 1995 Unstrung Heroes Diane Keaton Hollywood Pictures Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records How to Make an American Quilt Jocelyn Moorhouse Amblin EntertainmentUniversal Pictures Soundtrack released by MCA 1996 Up Close & Personal Jon Avnet Cinergi PicturesTouchstone Pictures Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records Phenomenon Jon Turteltaub Touchstone Pictures Song album with one Newman track released by Reprise American Buffalo Michael Corrente Capitol FilmsChannel Four FilmsThe Samuel Goldwyn Company Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande. Twinned with Threesome The People vs. Larry Flynt Miloš Forman Phoenix PicturesColumbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Angel Records 1997 Red Corner Jon Avnet Avnet-Kerner ProductionsMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Soundtrack released by EAR Mad City Costa Gavras Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Oscar and Lucinda Gillian Armstrong Australian Film Finance CorporationFox Searchlight Pictures Soundtrack released by Sony Classical 1998 The Horse Whisperer Robert Redford Touchstone Pictures Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records Meet Joe Black Martin Brest City Light FilmsUniversal Pictures Soundtrack released by Universal Records 1999 American Beauty Sam Mendes DreamWorks Pictures Soundtrack released by DreamWorks Records The Green Mile Frank Darabont Castle Rock EntertainmentWarner Bros. Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records.
2000s Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 2000 Erin Brockovich Steven Soderbergh Jersey FilmsUniversal Pictures (US)Columbia Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by Sony Classical Pay It Forward Mimi Leder Bel Air EntertainmentTapestry FilmsPathéWarner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande 2001 In the Bedroom Todd Field Good MachineMiramax Films 2002 The Salton Sea D. J. Caruso Castle Rock EntertainmentWarner Bros. Road to Perdition Sam Mendes The Zanuck CompanyDreamWorks Pictures (US)20th Century Fox (International) Soundtrack released by Decca Records White Oleander Peter Kosminsky Warner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande 2003 Finding Nemo Andrew Stanton Pixar Animation StudiosWalt Disney Pictures Newman's first score for an animated filmSoundtrack released by Walt Disney Records 2004 Lemony Snicket's A Seriesof Unfortunate Events Brad Silberling Nickelodeon MoviesParamount Pictures (US)DreamWorks Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by Sony Classical 2005 Cinderella Man Ron Howard Imagine EntertainmentMiramax FilmsUniversal Pictures (North America)Buena Vista Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by Decca Records Jarhead Sam Mendes Universal Pictures 2006 Little Children Todd Field New Line Cinema Soundtrack released by Silva Screen Records The Good German Steven Soderbergh Virtual StudiosSection Eight ProductionsWarner Bros. Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande 2007 Towelhead Alan Ball Scott Rudin ProductionsThis is that CorporationWarner Independent Pictures Soundtrack released by Lakeshore Records 2008 WALL-E Andrew Stanton Pixar Animation StudiosWalt Disney Pictures Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records Revolutionary Road Sam Mendes BBC FilmsDreamWorks PicturesParamount Vantage (US)United International Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by Nonesuch 2009 Brothers Jim Sheridan Relativity MediaLionsgate Soundtrack released by Relativity Music Group
2010s Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 2011 The Adjustment Bureau George Nolfi Media Rights CapitalUniversal Pictures Soundtrack released by Relativity Music Group The Help Tate Taylor Reliance EntertainmentParticipant MediaImage Nation1492 PicturesTouchstone PicturesDreamWorks Pictures Score album released by Varèse Sarabande The Debt John Madden Marv FilmsMiramax FilmsFocus Features (US)Universal Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by Relativity Music Group, Silva Screen Music The Iron Lady Phyllida Lloyd PathéFilm4UK Film CouncilCanal+Goldcrest FilmsThe Weinstein Company (US)20th Century Fox (UK) Soundtrack released by Sony Classical 2012 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel John Madden Participant MediaBlueprint PicturesFox Searchlight Pictures Skyfall Sam Mendes Eon ProductionsMetro-Goldwyn-MayerColumbia Pictures 2013 Side Effects Steven Soderbergh FilmNation EntertainmentOpen Road Films Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Saving Mr. Banks John Lee Hancock Walt Disney PicturesBBC FilmsEssential Media Entertainment Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records 2014 Get On Up Tate Taylor Imagine EntertainmentUniversal Pictures The Judge David Dobkin Village Roadshow PicturesWarner Bros. Soundtrack released by WaterTower Music 2015 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel John Madden Participant MediaBlueprint PicturesFox Searchlight Pictures He Named Me Malala Davis Guggenheim Image Nation Abu Dhabi FZParticipant Media Soundtrack released by Sony Classical Bridge of Spies Steven Spielberg Touchstone PicturesDreamWorks Pictures20th Century Fox Replaced John WilliamsFirst Steven Spielberg theatrical film without his long-time composer John Williams since The Color Purple (1985) Spectre Sam Mendes Metro-Goldwyn-MayerColumbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Decca Records 2016 Finding Dory Andrew Stanton Walt Disney PicturesPixar Animation Studios Passengers Morten Tyldum Columbia PicturesVillage Roadshow Pictures 2017 Victoria & Abdul Stephen Frears Focus FeaturesWorking Title Films Thank You for Your Service Jason Hall Universal PicturesDreamWorks Pictures 2019 The Highwaymen John Lee Hancock Casey Silver ProductionsNetflix Tolkien Dome Karukoski Chernin EntertainmentFox Searchlight Pictures 1917 Sam Mendes Amblin PartnersUniversal Pictures
2020s Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes 2020 Let Them All Talk Steven Soderbergh HBO Max 2021 The Little Things John Lee Hancock Warner Bros. Pictures Operation Mincemeat John Madden FilmNation Entertainment Netflix 2022 Dog Channing TatumReid Carolin FilmNation EntertainmentMetro-Goldwyn-MayerUnited Artists Releasing A Man Called Otto Marc Forster Columbia PicturesStage 6 FilmsSF StudiosPlaytoneArtistic Films 2023 Elemental Peter Sohn Walt Disney PicturesPixar Animation Studios 2024 White Bird Marc Forster LionsgateMandeville FilmsParticipant Media 2025 The Thursday Murder Club Chris Columbus Amblin EntertainmentJennifer Todd PicturesMaiden Voyage PicturesNetflix 2026 In the Blink of an Eye Andrew Stanton Searchlight PicturesMighty Engine
Television Year Title Notes 1979 The Paper Chase "A Case Of Detente" (season 1, episode 21) 1987 Amazing Stories Episode "Santa '85." Soundtrack released by Intrada 1989 Rhythm Nation 1814 Incidental score 1990 Heat Wave 1992 Those Secrets Soundtrack released by Masters Film Music Citizen Cohn 2000 Boston Public Main title theme 2001 Six Feet Under 2003 Angels in America Soundtrack released by Nonesuch 2012 The Newsroom Main theme and pilot 2017 Five Came Back Main theme 2018 Castle Rock Main theme and six episodes2024Feud: Capote vs. The SwansMain Title ThemeMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Co-composed with Julia Newman
Additional soundtracks and music 2001: Hearts in Atlantis (Trailer) (from How to Make an American Quilt) 2003: Finding Nemo (Teaser Trailer) (from Scent of a Woman) 2005: Brokeback Mountain (Trailer) (from The Shawshank Redemption) 2005: Corpse Bride (Trailer) (from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) 2005: Madagascar (from American Beauty) 2005: Fun with Dick and Jane (from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events) 2006: Eight Below (Trailer) (from Finding Nemo) 2007: Sicko (from Little Children, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and In the Bedroom) 2007: No Reservations (Trailer) (from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and American Beauty) 2009: Bigfoot (Trailer) (from WALL-E) 2010: Alice in Wonderland (Teaser Trailer) (from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Newman has also composed music for television, including theme music for the series Boston Public and the miniseries Angels in America. His theme music for the television show Six Feet Under won two Grammy Awards in 2003, for Best Instrumental Composition as well as Best Instrumental Arrangement. He also wrote the theme for the HBO series Newsroom.