Christopher Joseph Lennertz (born January 2, 1972) is an American composer of film, television, and video game scores. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Italy.[citation needed] His musical scores have appeared in Alvin and the Chipmunks, Hop, Think Like a Man, and Horrible Bosses, and the video game series Medal of Honor, created by Steven Spielberg. He composed the score for Supernatural, Revolution, and The Boys, all television series created by Eric Kripke. He has collaborated with film directors Tim Hill, Matthew O'Callaghan, Seth Gordon, Tim Story, Tyler Perry, Josh Greenbaum and Kelly Asbury.

Christopher Lennertz
Birth nameChristopher Joseph Lennertz
Born (1972-01-02) January 2, 1972 (age 52)
Methuen, Massachusetts, U.S.
GenresFilm score, video game score, jazz rock, electronic rock
Occupation(s)Composer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion, guitar
Years active1998–present

He also has appeared in Galavant and Sausage Party with Alan Menken and Marvel's Agent Carter including a first ever Marvel musical number co-written with Tony award winning lyricist David Zippel. He wrote the songs for UglyDolls with Glenn Slater. He composed the score for the Netflix series Lost in Space and the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys from Kripke, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Early life and education

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Lennertz was born in Methuen, Massachusetts to a Jewish family. He attended Easton Area High School in Easton, Pennsylvania and then Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he studied with Academy Award-winner Elmer Bernstein.[citation needed]

Career

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Lennertz has written music for a variety of comedies such as Horrible Bosses, Ride Along, as well as Identity Thief, and Think Like a Man. He has also worked on hit family films including Hop, and Alvin and the Chipmunks and critically acclaimed dramas Adam and Thanks For Sharing. His collaboration with Ozomatli on their record Street Signs garnered a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock Album.

Honors and awards

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He was named best new composer in 2002 for his score to Clive Barker's Saint Sinner. He won several awards for his 2003 soundtrack to Medal of Honor: Rising Sun, the first of three Medal of Honor games composed by Lennertz. In 2006 he was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Composition in a Series for his score for the pilot of the television series Supernatural, and he is the first recipient of the Film & TV Music Award for Best Score for an Independent Feature Film for Tortilla Heaven.

Filmography

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Films

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2000s

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Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Tad Stones Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Television Animation
Pixar Animation Studios
Direct-to-video; as orchestrator and additional music only; score by Adam Berry
A Diva's Christmas Carol Richard Schenkman VH1 Television film
2002 Saint Sinner Joshua Butler Syfy Televisìon film
2004 Soul Plane Jessy Terrero Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
2005 Confessions of an Action Star Brad Martin Vivendi Entertainment
Lightyear Entertainment
2006 Dr. Dolittle 3 Rich Thorne 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Direct-to-video film
Shark Bait Howard E. Baker
John Fox
CJ Entertainment
The Weinstein Company
2007 Tortilla Heaven Judy Hecht Dumontet Archangel Releasing
The Comebacks Tom Brady Fox Atomic
The Perfect Holiday Lance Rivera Destination Films
Yari Film Group
Alvin and the Chipmunks Tim Hill 20th Century Fox
2008 Meet the Spartans 20th Century Fox Jason Friedberg
Aaron Seltzer
Disaster Movie Lionsgate Jason Friedberg
Aaron Seltzer
2009 Adam Max Mayer Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Open Road Michael Meredith Anchor Bay Entertainment
La Horde Benjamin Rocher
Yannick Dahan
Canal+

2010s

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Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2010 Marmaduke Tom Dey 20th Century Fox
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Brad Peyton Warner Bros. Pictures
Coyote Falls Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; released with Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Vampires Suck Jason Friedberg
Aaron Seltzer
20th Century Fox
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam Paul Hoen Disney Channel Television film
Fur of Flying Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; released with Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Rabid Rider Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; released with Yogi Bear
2011 Hop Tim Hill Universal Pictures
Illumination Entertainment
Relativity Media
Dentsu
Lemonade Mouth Patricia Riggen Disney Channel Television film
Horrible Bosses Seth Gordon Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; adaptation score only; song by Billy May, Warren Foster and Michael Maltese; released with Happy Feet Two
The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol Troy Quane Sony Pictures Digital Productions
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Imageworks
Duck Studios
Short film; released as part of The Smurfs three-disc holiday gift set[1]
2012 Daffy's Rhapsody Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; adaptation score only; song by Billy May, Warren Foster and Michael Maltese; released with Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Think Like a Man Tim Story Screen Gems
Thanks for Sharing Stuart Blumberg Lionsgate
Girl in Progress Patricia Riggen Pantelion Films
Lionsgate
Item 47 Louis D'Esposito Marvel Studios
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Marvel One-Shot direct-to-video short film; inspired the TV series of the same name
2013 Identity Thief Seth Gordon Universal Pictures
Remember Sunday Jeff Bleckner Hallmark Hall of Fame Television film
As Cool as I Am Max Moyer IFC Films
Agent Carter Louis D'Esposito Marvel Studios Marvel One-Shot direct-to-video short film; inspired the TV series of the same name
The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow Stephen Franck Sony Pictures Digital Productions
Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Imageworks
Duck Studios
Direct-to-video short film
Battle of the Year Benson Lee Screen Gems
Gimme Shelter Patricia Riggen Lionsgate
Pantelion Films
2014 Ride Along Tim Story Universal Pictures
Flash in the Pain Matthew O'Callaghan Warner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Think Like a Man Too Tim Story Screen Gems
Horrible Bosses 2 Sean Anders Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
2015 The Wedding Ringer Jeremy Garelick Screen Gems
Miramax Films
2016 Ride Along 2 Tim Story Universal Pictures Featuring Shelia E & Arturo Sandoval; additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Matt Bowen & Jess Stroup
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Kirk Jones Universal Pictures
The Boss Ben Falcone Universal Pictures
Bad Moms Jon Lucas Scott Moore STX Entertainment Featuring Soloist by KT Tunstall
Sausage Party[2] Greg Tiernan
Conrad Vernon
Columbia Pictures R-rated animated film composed with Alan Menken
2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village[3] Kelly Asbury Columbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Animation
Kerner Entertainment Company
Additional music provided by Philip White
Baywatch Seth Gordon Paramount Pictures Additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Joshua R. Mosley, Nathan Rightour & Zack Ryan
Boo 2! A Madea Halloween Tyler Perry Lionsgate
Tyler Perry Studios
Themes only; score composed by Philip White
A Bad Moms Christmas Jon Lucas Scott Moore STX Entertainment
El Camino Christmas David E. Talbert Netflix
Pitch Perfect 3 Trish Sie Universal Pictures
2018 Acrimony Tyler Perry Lionsgate
Tyler Perry Studios
Uncle Drew Charles Stone III Summit Entertainment
Temple Hill Entertainment
The Happytime Murders Brian Henson STX Entertainment
Nobody's Fool Tyler Perry Paramount Pictures
Tyler Perry Studios
Score producer only; score composed by Phillip White
2019 A Madea Family Funeral Tyler Perry Lionsgate
Tyler Perry Studios
Themes only; score composed by Phillip White
UglyDolls Kelly Asbury STX Entertainment Songs by Glenn Slater and Christopher Lennertz
Shaft Tim Story Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
Additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Dara Taylor & Stu Thomas

2020s

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Year Title Director(s) Studio(s) Notes
2021 Tom & Jerry[4] Tim Story Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Animation Group
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Josh Greenbaum Lionsgate
Gloria Sanchez Productions
Stellie
With Dara Taylor.
The Loud House Movie Dave Needham Netflix
Nickelodeon Movies
Themes only. Score by Philip White.
2022 13: The Musical Tamra Davis Netflix
Zadan/Meron Productions
Song lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
The Curse of Bridge Hollow Jeff Wadlow Netflix
Ugly Baby Productions
2023 Dashing Through the Snow[5] Tim Story Walt Disney Pictures
Will Packer Productions
Smart Entertainment

Television

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Year Title TV Channel Notes
1999 Brimstone Fox
2000 The Strip UPN
2005–2020 Supernatural The WB (2005–2006)
The CW (2006–2020)
Composed with Jay Gruska
2012–2014 Revolution[6] NBC
2015–2016 Galavant ABC Composed with Alan Menken
Song lyrics by Glenn Slater
Agent Carter ABC
2018–2021 Lost in Space Netflix Original Lost in Space Theme by John Williams
2018 Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever. Netflix Composed with Matt Bowen
2019–present The Boys Amazon Prime Video
2022–present Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Apple TV+
2024–present Sausage Party: Foodtopia Amazon Prime Video

Video games

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Year Title Publisher Notes
2003 Medal of Honor: Rising Sun EA Games Original Medal of Honor Theme by Michael Giacchino
2004 Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault EA Games
2005 Medal of Honor: European Assault EA Games
From Russia with Love Electronic Arts
Gun Activision
2007 The Simpsons Game Electronic Arts Additional music composed with Tim Wynn. Score composed by Hans Zimmer and James Dooley
Warhawk Sony Computer Entertainment Composed with Tim Wynn
2008 Quantum of Solace Activision
2009 The Godfather II Electronic Arts
2010 Mass Effect 2: Overlord Electronic Arts Downloadable content for Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker Electronic Arts Downloadable content for Mass Effect 2
2011 The Sims 3: Pets Electronic Arts Expansion pack for The Sims 3
2012 Mass Effect 3 Electronic Arts Composed with Sascha Dikiciyan, Clint Mansell, Cris Velasco, and Sam Hulick
Starhawk Sony Computer Entertainment
2013 Madden NFL 25 EA Sports
Cancelled Scalebound Microsoft Studios Project cancelled in 2017
Composed with Hitomi Kurokawa and Naoto Tanaka

See also

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References

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  1. ^ S. Palmer, Michael (December 1, 2011). "A Sneak Peek at 'The Smurfs' Second Screen and Exclusive Blu-ray Special Features". High-Def Digest. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  2. ^ "Christopher Lennertz Scoring 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'". filmmusicreporter.com. February 15, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  3. ^ "Christopher Lennertz to score Smurfs: The Lost Village". filmmusicreporter.com. October 11, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  4. ^ "Christopher Lennertz to Score Tim Story's 'Tom & Jerry'". filmmusicreporter.com. July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  5. ^ "Christopher Lennertz Scoring Tim Story's Disney+ Movie Dashing Through the Snow". filmmusicreporter.com. June 26, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  6. ^ "Christopher Lennertz to Score Eric Kripke's & J.J. Abrams' 'Revolution'". filmmusicreporter.com. March 14, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
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