Sign up
Portrait of James Newton Howard

Sound

James Newton Howard

Career

Active from 1985 to 2027, busiest in 1990 with 9 main titles.

Leading roles
0
top three billing
Average score
GoodWatch score58/100
Highest rated
Poster for LIGHT & MAGIC
LIGHT & MAGIC
GoodWatch score93/100

Awards

Reported results for this person. Coverage is incomplete; these results don't establish award totals.

  • Primetime Emmy Awards · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

    2001 · Won

    Gideon's Crossing

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    2021 · Nominated · 93rd Academy Awards

    News of the World

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    2009 · Nominated · 81st Academy Awards

    Defiance

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    2008 · Nominated · 80th Academy Awards

    Michael Clayton

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    2005 · Nominated · 77th Academy Awards

    The Village

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Best Original Musical or Comedy Score

    1998 · Nominated · 70th Academy Awards

    My Best Friend's Wedding

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Song)

    1997 · Nominated · 69th Academy Awards

    For the First Time

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Song)

    1995 · Nominated · 67th Academy Awards

    Look What Love Has Done

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    1994 · Nominated · 66th Academy Awards

    The Fugitive

    Source: Wikidata

  • Academy Awards · Music (Original Score)

    1992 · Nominated · 64th Academy Awards

    The Prince of Tides

    Source: Wikidata

What stands out

Compared with the average well-known movie, over 147 of their titles. Select a trait to filter titles.

Energy: 4.8 versus catalog average 4.5EnergyHeart: 4.7 versus catalog average 4.2HeartHumor: 2.4 versus catalog average 2.6HumorWorld: 5.5 versus catalog average 5.6WorldCraft: 5.3 versus catalog average 5.3CraftStyle: 6.2 versus catalog average 5.9Style
James Newton Howard Catalog average

Rarely in their work

  • Absurdist Humor
    1.5, average 2.0

Main genres

Select a genre to see those titles.

Recurring tags

  • Character-Driven 16
  • Psychological Thriller 11
  • Moral Dilemma 11
  • Social Commentary 10
  • Magical Realism 7
  • Historical Drama 6
  • Visual Spectacle 6
  • Character Study 6
  • Moral Ambiguity 6
  • Emotional Catharsis 5
  • Bleak Realism 5
  • Fast-Paced 5

Works often with

People in at least two of their main titles.

Movies and TV shows

159
Type
Role
Score
Decade
Genre
Group by

2020s

12 titles · average score 62
Remain
Remain (2027)
GoodWatch score 35

Songs, Original Music Composer

Behemoth!
Behemoth! (2026)
GoodWatch score 60

Original Music Composer

Marty, Life Is Short
Marty, Life Is Short (2026)
GoodWatch score 73

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)

Original Music Composer

The Lost Bus
The Lost Bus (2025)
GoodWatch score 72

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
GoodWatch score 63

Original Music Composer

Pain Hustlers
Pain Hustlers (2023)
GoodWatch score 48

Original Music Composer

Day Twelve
Day Twelve (2023)

Music

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
GoodWatch score 54

Original Music Composer

Raya and the Last Dragon
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
GoodWatch score 78

Original Music Composer

Jungle Cruise
Jungle Cruise (2021)
GoodWatch score 61

Original Music Composer

News of the World
News of the World (2020)
GoodWatch score 75

Original Music Composer

2010s

36 titles · average score 57
Red Sparrow
Red Sparrow (2018)
GoodWatch score 54

Original Music Composer

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
GoodWatch score 51

Music Score Producer, Original Music Composer

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
GoodWatch score 71

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
GoodWatch score 66

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
GoodWatch score 65

Original Music Composer

Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler (2014)
GoodWatch score 77

Original Music Composer

Maleficent
Maleficent (2014)
GoodWatch score 62

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
GoodWatch score 76

Original Music Composer

The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games (2012)
GoodWatch score 70

Original Music Composer

The Bourne Legacy
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
GoodWatch score 61

Original Music Composer

Green Lantern
Green Lantern (2011)
GoodWatch score 39

Original Music Composer

Love & Other Drugs
Love & Other Drugs (2010)
GoodWatch score 60

Original Music Composer

2000s

39 titles · average score 61
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight (2008)
GoodWatch score 89

Original Music Composer

I Am Legend
I Am Legend (2007)
GoodWatch score 68

Original Music Composer

Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond (2006)
GoodWatch score 70

Original Music Composer

Batman Begins
Batman Begins (2005)
GoodWatch score 74

Original Music Composer

King Kong
King Kong (2005)
GoodWatch score 76

Original Music Composer

Collateral
Collateral (2004)
GoodWatch score 73

Original Music Composer

The Village
The Village (2004)
GoodWatch score 53

Original Music Composer

Treasure Planet
Treasure Planet (2002)
GoodWatch score 69

Original Music Composer

Signs
Signs (2002)
GoodWatch score 64

Original Music Composer

Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
GoodWatch score 59

Original Music Composer

Unbreakable
Unbreakable (2000)
GoodWatch score 67

Original Music Composer, Orchestrator

Dinosaur
Dinosaur (2000)
GoodWatch score 60

Original Music Composer

1990s

56 titles · average score 59
The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Sense (1999)
GoodWatch score 72

Original Music Composer

The Devil's Advocate
The Devil's Advocate (1997)
GoodWatch score 67

Original Music Composer

Dante's Peak
Dante's Peak (1997)
GoodWatch score 47

Original Music Composer

My Best Friend's Wedding
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
GoodWatch score 64

Original Music Composer

Primal Fear
Primal Fear (1996)
GoodWatch score 71

Original Music Composer

Space Jam
Space Jam (1996)
GoodWatch score 62

Original Music Composer

Waterworld
Waterworld (1995)
GoodWatch score 58

Original Music Composer

Outbreak
Outbreak (1995)
GoodWatch score 62

Original Music Composer

The Fugitive
The Fugitive (1993)
GoodWatch score 82

Original Music Composer

Falling Down
Falling Down (1993)
GoodWatch score 65

Orchestrator, Original Music Composer

My Girl
My Girl (1991)
GoodWatch score 65

Original Music Composer

Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman (1990)
GoodWatch score 65

Original Music Composer

1980s

16 titles · average score 50
Major League
Major League (1989)
GoodWatch score 73

Original Music Composer

The Package
The Package (1989)
GoodWatch score 60

Original Music Composer

Off Limits
Off Limits (1988)
GoodWatch score 49

Original Music Composer

Some Girls
Some Girls (1988)
GoodWatch score 47

Original Music Composer

Everybody's All-American
Everybody's All-American (1988)
GoodWatch score 50

Original Music Composer

Promised Land
Promised Land (1988)
GoodWatch score 61

Original Music Composer

Five Corners
Five Corners (1987)
GoodWatch score 68

Original Music Composer

Russkies
Russkies (1987)
GoodWatch score 34

Original Music Composer

8 Million Ways to Die
8 Million Ways to Die (1986)
GoodWatch score 35

Original Music Composer

Tough Guys
Tough Guys (1986)
GoodWatch score 49

Original Music Composer

Wildcats
Wildcats (1986)
GoodWatch score 41

Original Music Composer

Head Office
Head Office (1985)
GoodWatch score 27

Original Music Composer