The Academy Has Reveales the Best Original Score Contenders Shortlist for the 2026 Oscars

The Academy Awards has announced the films being considered for Best Original Score. This year’s list of twenty films showcases both established composers and exciting new talent, with music ranging from energetic action scores to chilling horror themes. These scores represent the best film music of 2025, as chosen by the Academy’s Music Branch, and are now in the running for the final nominations. The following scores will compete for the top prize in film music.

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ (2025)

As a huge film music fan, I was really excited to hear Simon Franglen’s score for the new Avatar film. He had the incredible task of building on James Horner’s iconic work, and he absolutely delivers. What I loved most was how he created a totally different sound for the Ash People – much more intense and driven by powerful, almost primal rhythms. He contrasts that beautifully with the familiar, otherworldly beauty of Pandora’s forests, using soaring vocals and lush orchestration. It’s not just about big action sequences either; the music really knows when to step back and let the quieter, more emotional moments breathe, adding so much depth to the Sully family’s story. It’s a truly impressive soundtrack that manages to be both epic and deeply personal.

‘Bugonia’ (2025)

For his latest film, Yorgos Lanthimos again collaborated with composer Jerskin Fendrix, and the resulting music is as strange and unnerving as the movie itself. The score uses clashing sounds and unusual instruments to reflect the anxious state of the two characters who kidnap a company leader. Instead of familiar tunes, Fendrix created a score full of sharp, unexpected rhythms that enhance the film’s quirky and surreal humor. The music intentionally creates a feeling of unease, keeping viewers on edge and fitting seamlessly with Lanthimos’s distinctive visual approach.

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ (2025)

Laura Karpman’s score for Sam Wilson’s first film as Captain America is powerful and inspiring, giving the character a fresh musical identity. The music combines dramatic brass fanfares, similar to those found in 1970s political thrillers, with modern electronic sounds, reflecting today’s world. It uses both moving string melodies to explore themes of responsibility and heritage, and energetic music for action scenes. Ultimately, the score connects Captain America’s past with his future, making the film’s exciting moments feel more emotionally resonant.

‘Diane Warren: Relentless’ (2025)

I was really struck by the music in this documentary. It’s not just about the incredible songwriter, it actually feels like her life’s work. The original score isn’t flashy, but it’s beautifully woven with snippets of her biggest songs, creating a really seamless and emotional experience. It perfectly captures her relentless drive and dedication – there’s a constant, pulsing rhythm that mirrors how tirelessly she worked. Honestly, the score does as much to tell her story as the interviews and old footage do; it’s a subtle but powerful way of showing us who she is as an artist and a force in the music industry.

‘F1’ (2025)

Hans Zimmer teamed up with director Joseph Kosinski to create a soundtrack as thrilling as the sound of Formula 1 racing. The music blends the actual sounds of racing engines with powerful orchestral arrangements, putting the audience right inside the driver’s seat. Using fast-paced drumming and electric cello, Zimmer captures the incredible speed and risk of the sport. This intense music makes the race scenes even more exciting and emphasizes how much is on the line.

‘Frankenstein’ (2025)

Alexandre Desplat and Guillermo del Toro have collaborated once again, this time to create a haunting and romantic score for a new version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. The music features sad, old-fashioned waltzes and instruments common to 19th-century Europe. Instead of focusing on the creature’s frightening side, Desplat composed a surprisingly gentle theme that highlights his isolation and sadness. The score builds to dramatic heights during the film’s most intense moments, offering a powerful contrast to the more subdued and melancholic scenes.

‘Hamnet’ (2025)

Chloé Zhao’s film adaptation of the popular novel features a subtle and realistic score designed to express the deep sorrow of Shakespeare’s family. The music uses instruments common to the period, such as the lute and recorder, and combines them with natural sounds to emphasize the story’s countryside location. Rather than being overly dramatic, the score relies on quiet moments and simple melodies to portray the heartbreaking loss of a child. This creates a deeply moving and timeless soundtrack that blends historical detail with genuine human feeling.

‘Hedda’ (2025)

Nia DaCosta’s new take on Hedda Gabler uses music to create a feeling of intense psychological pressure. The score emphasizes Hedda’s feeling of being trapped with repeating, close-sounding string patterns that never quite finish. As she becomes more desperate, unsettling piano chords are added, reflecting her growing mental instability. The music focuses on building tension rather than creating pleasant melodies, transforming the everyday home setting into a frightening soundscape.

‘A House of Dynamite’ (2025)

As a real cinema lover, I was completely gripped by the score in this film. It perfectly mirrored the intense, nail-biting story of a situation about to blow up. The composer did an amazing job creating constant tension – lots of ticking sounds and sudden orchestral hits kept me on the edge of my seat. It really felt like the music was the unstable ‘house’ the film centers around, going from quiet, creepy moments to huge, chaotic outbursts. Honestly, it’s a brilliant example of how music can control how you feel while you’re watching a movie, speeding up and slowing down to mess with your pulse the whole time.

‘Jay Kelly’ (2025)

Noah Baumbach’s newest film is enhanced by a lively jazz score that brilliantly reflects the personalities and humor of the characters. The music is energetic and fast-paced, using instruments like trumpets and piano to match the quick dialogue and city environment. While reminiscent of classic comedies, the arrangements feel fresh and contemporary. The score isn’t just background music; it drives the story forward with a stylish and sophisticated rhythm.

‘Marty Supreme’ (2025)

The score for Josh Safdie’s film about ping pong champion Marty Reisman is a dynamic and vintage-feeling electronic masterpiece. Composer Daniel Lopatin probably used classic synthesizers and sounds of ping pong balls to build a rhythm that matches the sport’s fast pace. The music perfectly captures the energy of New York table tennis in the mid-20th century, turning the matches into intense, dramatic conflicts and highlighting the main character’s drive and focus. It’s a powerful soundtrack that really brings the competition to life.

‘Nuremberg’ (2025)

James Vanderbilt’s historical drama features a score that is serious, impactful, and fitting for the film’s important themes. A full orchestra creates a sense of scale, particularly through the use of powerful brass and lower-register strings. The music emphasizes the moral gray areas and the serious tone of the courtroom, avoiding overly dramatic moments. It subtly enhances the actors’ performances and reinforces the ideas of justice and responsibility without being overly emotional.

‘One Battle after Another’ (2025)

This music powerfully captures the draining and constant nature of war. It uses harsh, mechanical sounds – like metal hitting metal and long, sustained electronic tones – to evoke the imagery of war machines and the weariness of soldiers. Traditional melodies are rare and quickly lost within a dense, overwhelming soundscape that represents the chaos of battle. The result is a deeply unsettling and immersive experience, highlighting the senselessness and never-ending pattern of violence.

‘Sinners’ (2025)

Ludwig Göransson’s music for Ryan Coogler’s vampire horror film, set in the Depression era, is haunting and creates a deeply unsettling mood. He combines the sounds of Southern blues and folk music with classic horror elements, resulting in a distinctive sound. The score uses distorted guitars and eerie vocals to suggest a terrifying, hidden danger, and effectively blends the film’s fantastical story with a realistic, historical setting, building a powerful sense of dread.

‘Sirāt’ (2025)

The film’s music is a beautiful and moving score that combines sounds from the Middle East with modern ambient music. It’s designed to evoke the feeling of a soul’s journey into the afterlife, using haunting vocals and the delicate sound of the ney flute to create a mystical atmosphere. The music is expansive and encourages viewers to contemplate themes of faith, fate, and what lies beyond. Its flowing, unstructured nature reflects the film’s own exploration of these big questions.

‘Train Dreams’ (2025)

The film’s music perfectly complements the story of a worker in the American West. It’s simple, creates a strong mood, and feels deeply sad. Using just acoustic guitar and fiddle, the score brings to life the wide-open, lonely scenery of the early 1900s. Often, the music is quiet, letting the sounds of nature dominate and mirroring the character’s loneliness. It’s a beautifully haunting piece that captures a sense of time passing and a way of life disappearing.

‘Tron: Ares’ (2025)

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, known as Nine Inch Nails, composed the music for the newest film in the series. Their score is a dark and intense electronic soundscape, a shift from the smoother synth sound of the previous movie. It uses harsh, driving beats and distorted sounds to match the film’s story of an invasion, creating a feeling of digital threat. While respecting the music that came before, the score also takes the franchise in a bolder, more experimental direction.

‘Truth & Treason’ (2025)

The music in this historical thriller builds suspense through layers of sound, combining strings and piano to create a tense atmosphere. As the story of espionage and difficult choices develops, the music moves from subtle unease to intense urgency. The composer uses recurring musical themes to represent different groups, skillfully intertwining them as the plot thickens. Overall, it’s a classic thriller score that expertly increases the feeling of danger and the emotional impact of the story.

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2025)

Nathan Johnson’s score beautifully enhances the film with a rich, orchestral sound reminiscent of classic mystery movies. The music is both lively and detailed, using instruments like flutes and quick, precise strings to build a sense of urgency. Johnson skillfully blends humor with suspense, keeping audiences guessing. It’s a refined and graceful composition that perfectly complements the film’s luxurious setting and the detective’s sharp intellect.

‘Wicked: For Good’ (2025)

John Powell’s score beautifully concludes the movie adaptation of the popular musical, building on the musical ideas from the first film. It provides a powerful, orchestral soundscape for the climactic showdown and resolution between Elphaba and Glinda. Powell skillfully weaves familiar songs into the music, adding new depth and drama. The final result is a grand and enchanting listening experience that truly captures the magic and wonder of Oz.

Let us know which scores from this list you like best, and tell us who you think will be nominated in the end!

2025-12-17 22:17