An innovator in the use of computer-synthesized soundtracks, world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer pioneered the successful integration of digital synthesizers, advanced computer technology, and electronic keyboards with traditional orchestral music.
The German-born Zimmer began his career writing advertising jingles before teaming up with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes as the Buggles to produce the smash single "Video Killed the Radio Star" and the subsequent album The Age of Plastic. Following a meeting with film composer Stanley Myers, the two set up the Lillie Yard Studio in London and began collaborating on a number of film soundtracks, including Jerzy Skolimowski's Moonlighting (1982), Nicholas Roeg's Insignificance (1985), and Stephen Frears' widely acclaimed My Beautiful Laundrette (1985).
Zimmer's career hit a turning point when, based on the strength of his score for the South African film A World Apart, he was asked to write the score for Rain Man (1988). His work on the film earned him an Academy award nomination, and he subsequently found himself scoring an increasing number of high-profile films, including Driving Miss Daisy (1989), Days of Thunder (1990), Backdraft (1991), and Thelma & Louise (1991). In 1994, Zimmer had his greatest critical success to date with his score for The Lion King, which won both Academy and Golden Globe awards. Two years later, he was again nominated for an Oscar for his work on As Good As It Gets, and in 1998, he was twice nominated for the Academy's Best Original Dramatic Score honor for his work on The Thin Red Line and The Prince of Egypt. Zimmer's Academy run continued in 2000 as he was nominated for Best Original Score for his work on Gladiator.
| Title | Year | Editors' Rating | User Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Composer (Music Score) |
2012 | NOT YET RELEASED | ||
|
The Dark Knight Rises
Composer (Music Score) |
2012 | NOT YET RELEASED | ||
|
Kung Fu Panda 2
Composer (Music Score) |
2011 | |||
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Composer (Music Score) |
2011 | |||
|
Rango
Composer (Music Score) |
2011 | |||
|
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Composer (Music Score), Music Producer |
2011 | |||
|
The Dilemma
Composer (Music Score) |
2011 | |||
|
Despicable Me
Music Producer |
2010 | |||
|
Henri 4
Composer (Music Score) |
2010 | |||
|
How Do You Know
Composer (Music Score) |
2010 | |||
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Inception
Composer (Music Score) |
2010 | |||
|
Megamind
Composer (Music Score) |
2010 | |||
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The Pacific
Composer (Music Score) |
2010 | |||
|
Angels & Demons
Composer (Music Score) |
2009 | |||
|
It's Complicated
Composer (Music Score) |
2009 | |||
|
Pirate Radio
Composer (Music Score) |
2009 | |||
|
Sherlock Holmes
Composer (Music Score), Music Producer |
2009 | |||
|
Casi Divas
Composer (Music Score) |
2008 | |||
|
Frost/Nixon
Composer (Music Score) |
2008 | |||
|
Kung Fu Panda
Composer (Music Score) |
2008 | |||
|
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Composer (Music Score), Songwriter |
2008 | |||
|
The Burning Plain
Composer (Music Score) |
2008 | |||
|
The Dark Knight
Composer (Music Score) |
2008 | |||
|
August Rush
Composer (Music Score) |
2007 | |||
|
Bee Movie
Executive Music Producer |
2007 | |||
|
Impy's Island
Music Producer |
2007 | |||
|
Lisa Gerrard: Sanctuary
Participant |
2007 | |||
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Composer (Music Score) |
2007 | |||
|
Running the Sahara
Music Producer |
2007 | |||
|
The Simpsons Movie
Composer (Music Score) |
2007 | |||
|
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil
Composer (Music Score) |
2006 | |||
|
Curious George
Executive Music Producer |
2006 | |||
|
Over the Hedge
Executive Music Producer |
2006 | |||
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Composer (Music Score) |
2006 | |||
|
The Da Vinci Code
Composer (Music Score) |
2006 | |||
|
The Holiday
Composer (Music Score) |
2006 | |||
|
The Prestige
Executive Music Producer |
2006 | |||
|
365 Boots On Ground
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
Batman Begins
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
Friends of Kim
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
Madagascar
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
The Contender: Season 01
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
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The Island
Music Producer |
2005 | |||
|
The Ring Two
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
The Weather Man
Composer (Music Score) |
2005 | |||
|
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Composer (Music Score), Music Producer |
2005 | |||
|
House of D
Executive Music Producer |
2004 | |||
|
King Arthur
Composer (Music Score) |
2004 | |||
|
Shark Tale
Composer (Music Score) |
2004 | |||
|
Spanglish
Composer (Music Score) |
2004 | |||
|
Thunderbirds
Composer (Music Score) |
2004 | |||
|
Matchstick Men
Composer (Music Score) |
2003 | |||
|
Something's Gotta Give
Composer (Music Score) |
2003 | |||
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Tears of the Sun
Composer (Music Score) |
2003 | |||
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The Last Samurai
Composer (Music Score) |
2003 | |||
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Threat Matrix [TV Series]
Composer (Music Score) |
2003 | |||
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Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Composer (Music Score) |
2002 | |||
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The Ring
Composer (Music Score) |
2002 | |||
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Black Hawk Down
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
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Hannibal
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
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Invincible
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
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Pearl Harbor
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
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Riding in Cars With Boys
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
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The Pledge
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
|
What About Joan [TV Series]
Composer (Music Score) |
2001 | |||
|
An Everlasting Piece
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
Gladiator
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
King of the Jungle
Executive Producer |
2000 | |||
|
Mission: Impossible II
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
The Road to El Dorado
Composer (Music Score) |
2000 | |||
|
Chill Factor
Composer (Music Score) |
1999 | |||
|
The Last Days
Composer (Music Score) |
1998 | |||
|
The Prince of Egypt
Composer (Music Score) |
1998 | |||
|
The Thin Red Line
Composer (Music Score) |
1998 | |||
|
As Good As It Gets
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
|
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
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The Peacemaker
Composer (Music Score) |
1997 | |||
|
Broken Arrow
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
|
Muppet Treasure Island
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
|
The Fan
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
|
The Phantom
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
|
The Preacher's Wife
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
|
The Rock
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
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The Whole Wide World
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
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Two Deaths
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
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White Squall
Composer (Music Score) |
1996 | |||
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Beyond Rangoon
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
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Crimson Tide
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
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Nine Months
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
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Something to Talk About
Composer (Music Score) |
1995 | |||
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Africa: The Serengeti
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
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Drop Zone
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
|
I'll Do Anything
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
|
Renaissance Man
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
|
The Lion King
Composer (Music Score) |
1994 | |||
|
Calendar Girl
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Cool Runnings
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Lifepod
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Point of No Return
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
The House of the Spirits
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
True Romance
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
Younger and Younger
Composer (Music Score) |
1993 | |||
|
A League of Their Own
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
K2
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
Radio Flyer
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
Sniper
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
The Power of One
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
Toys
Composer (Music Score) |
1992 | |||
|
Backdraft
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Regarding Henry
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Thelma & Louise
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Where Sleeping Dogs Lie
Composer (Music Score) |
1991 | |||
|
Bird on a Wire
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Chicago Joe and the Showgirl
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Dark Obsession
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Days of Thunder
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Fools of Fortune
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Green Card
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Pacific Heights
Composer (Music Score) |
1990 | |||
|
Black Rain
Composer (Music Score) |
1989 | |||
|
Driving Miss Daisy
Composer (Music Score) |
1989 | |||
|
Paperhouse
Composer (Music Score) |
1989 | |||
|
Twister
Composer (Music Score) |
1989 | |||
|
A World Apart
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Burning Secret
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Code Name: Chaos
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Nature of the Beast
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Prisoner of Rio
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Rain Man
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Taffin
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
Terminal Exposure
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
The Fruit Machine
Composer (Music Score) |
1988 | |||
|
The Wind
Composer (Music Score) |
1987 | |||
|
You Talkin' to Me?
Composer (Music Score) |
1987 | |||
|
Castaway
Composer (Music Score) |
1986 | |||
|
Separate Vacations
Composer (Music Score) |
1986 | |||
|
The Zero Boys
Composer (Music Score) |
1986 | |||
|
Dreamchild
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
Insignificance
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
My Beautiful Laundrette
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
The Lightship
Composer (Music Score) |
1985 | |||
|
Blind Date
Composer (Music Score) |
1984 | |||
|
Success Is the Best Revenge
Composer (Music Score) |
1984 | |||
|
Wild Horses
Composer (Music Score) |
1984 | |||
|
Moonlighting
Composer (Music Score) |
1982 |






