The Oscars will go in a new direction musically in 2012, with producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer choosing composer Hans Zimmer and songwriter/producer Pharrell Williams to be music consultants for the 84th Academy Awards.
Neither man has ever worked on the Oscar show before, though Zimmer won an Academy Award for "The Lion King" and has been nominated eight additional times.
The Grammy-winning Williams has written songs for a number of films, including "Bringing Down the House," 50 First Dates," "Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Rush Hour 2" (from the show's former producer, Brett Ratner) and last year's "Despicable Me." He has yet to receive an Oscar nomination.
"Hans is one of the most accomplished and creative film composers of our time, and Pharrell is a phenomenal songwriter with an amazing list of credits," said Grazer and Mischer in an AMPAS statement. "This is an exciting and prestigious collaboration that promises to take the audience on a musical journey."
When he spoke to TheWrap two years ago, Zimmer criticized the Oscar music category for being a few years behind the times. "[T]he Oscars are important to give us artistic courage," he said. "But I also think the Academy has a responsibility to keep relevant."
The 84th Academy Awards will take place on February 26, 2012 at the Kodak Theater at Hollywood & Highland Center.
(Photos courtesy of AMPAS)
