Pixar has worked with a select few composers on its feature films, all of who are incredibly talented. Randy Newman’s Toy Story score is instantly recognizable, Thomas Newman’s WALL-E score soars, and Michael Giacchino‘s work on Up is simply breathtaking. Giacchino, who has also gone on to become a huge talent in the world of live-action films, has also contributed music to Pixar shorts, including La Luna (2011) and Day & Night (2010). We have now learned that he was tapped by the animation studio to pen the score for its first TV special, Toy Story of Terror!
Film Music Reporter (via Pixar Post), a site that covers music news in the film industry, is reporting that Giacchino was hired by Pixar to write the score for the half-hour television special, Toy Story of Terror, which is set to debut in October to tie into Halloween. This marks the first time that the talented composer will be working in the Toy Story universe. Randy Newman previously scored all three feature films, while a collection of musicians contributed the music for the Toy Story Toons, which have been released in theaters over the last three years.
Giacchino has been busy working on the music for live-action films, recently scoring J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness. He is also set to work on the score for Tomorrowland, which will reunite him with director Brad Bird, who Giacchino worked with at Pixar on The Incredibles and Ratatouille. The composer has not worked with Pixar since he collaborated with director Enrico Casarosa on the heart-warming short, La Luna, back in 2011.
Michael Giacchino photographed by Deborah Coleman. ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story of Terror has been described as a send-up of classic horror films by director Angus MacLane. The plot synopsis that executive producer Galyn Susman provided states that:
“Bonnie is on a road trip to go see grandma with her mom and the toys are in the trunk…Mom gets a flat tire and they have to spend the night at a motel and all kinds of chaos ensues.”
It will be interesting to see how Giacchino approaches the music for the half-hour special. There is clearly a theme to the Toy Story films, so the composer has the option to start over or mix some classic music from the trilogy with elements we are used to seeing in the soundtracks of horror films. There is no doubt that he is one of the most creative composers in the film industry, and I am sure he will provide yet another great score. I look forward to seeing what he can do with Toy Story!
Toy Story of Terror does not yet have an air date, but we know it will premiere on ABC near Halloween.
