Hop

Christopher Lennertz scores new Easter Bunny adventure

Award-winning composer Christopher Lennertz puts the “hop” in the Easter Bunny’s step this spring. Universal Pictures’ HOP, starring Russell Brand and James Marsden, is the latest adventure of the candy-bearing rabbit, in theaters April 1st. Lennertz reunites with director Tim Hill in this combination of state-of-the-art animation and live action. Hop tells the tale of Fred, an out-of-work slacker, who injures the Easter Bunny and must take him in while he recovers. The score album is released on Varèse Sarabande Records.

Composer Christopher Lennertz collaborated with Tim Hill on his last project, Alvin and the Chipmunks. Hill describes Lennertz’s score for Hop as “lush, diverse, vivid, magical, playful and yet unified.” He went on to say, “I really love what Chris did with his themes and how he kept percussion alive in the orchestration throughout. He found places to elevate scenes with colors and punctuation where I hadn’t thought it possible. The score has so many great touches, ranging from a classic animation style to blues-based and percussion driven pieces, all of which add up to a thrilling listening experience.”

Hop producer Chris Meledandri (Despicable Me, Ice Age) was also impressed with Lennertz’s score for the movie: 'Chris has written beautiful music for our film. As a storyteller, the music has unquestionably added another dimension to the film weaving narrative, evoking emotion, building suspense and supporting humor,” he explains. “When you take the film away, these compositions stand on their own; in fact, they soar.'

Lennertz’s film credits span from major family films Alvin and the Chipmunks, Marmaduke, and Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, to political thriller The Deal, starring Christian Slater and Selma Blair, to Soul Plane, a collaboration with RZA of Wu-Tang Clan. His successes in television include the CW’s Supernatural. Additionally, Lennertz’s powerful, full orchestral score for the Stephen Spielberg-created videogame Medal of Honor: Rising Sun led him to score more Medal of Honor games as well as the popular James Bond videogame.

Awards and nominations include an Emmy nod, three Film & TV Music Awards, a BMI Film Music Award, and the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Award. Christopher Lennertz’s current project is The Concert for Haiti, an orchestral concert piece combining his original music with many other leading film composers.