Christopher Lennertz

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Christopher Lennertz
Mosma 2024 - Matt Bowen & Christopher Lennertz (cropped).jpg
Lennertz in 2024
Background information
Birth nameChristopher Joseph Lennertz
Born Methuen, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
OccupationComposer
Instruments
Years active1998–present
Website christopherlennertz.com
Signature
Christopher Lennertz signature.svg

Christopher Joseph Lennertz is an American composer of film, television, and video game scores. A dual citizen of the United States and Italy,[ citation needed ] he has composed the scores for films such as Alvin and the Chipmunks , Hop , Horrible Bosses , Think Like a Man and Smurfs: The Lost Village , and the Medal of Honor video game series created by Steven Spielberg. He additionally composed the scores for Supernatural , Revolution , The Boys and Gen V , all created by Eric Kripke.

Contents

He composed the score for Sausage Party and Galavant with Alan Menken, and the television series Agent Carter , which included a first-ever Marvel musical number co-written by him and Glenn Slater. He later composed the scores for Lost in Space and Sausage Party: Foodtopia .

Early life and education

Lennertz 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 ] He was mentored as an assistant, arranger, and orchestrator to legendary composers Basil Poledouris and Michael Kamen.

Career

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. He also co-wrote a documentary score with Academy Award winner Dave Grusin.

Honors and awards

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 . In 2025, Lennertz won a BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Award in the "Streaming Series" category for his music for The Boys . [1]

Filmography

Films

2000s

YearTitleDirector(s)Studio(s)Notes
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Tad Stones Walt Disney Television Animation
Pixar Animation Studios
Direct-to-video; as orchestrator and additional music only; score by Piotr Olszewski
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 Lightyear Entertainment
Three Wise Guys Robert Iscove USA Network Television film
2006 Dr. Dolittle 3 Rich Thorne 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Direct-to-video film
Shark Bait Howard E. Baker
John Fox
The Weinstein Company
2007 Tortilla Heaven Judy Hecht DumontetArchangel 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 First collaboration with Tim Hill
2008 Meet the Spartans Jason Friedberg
Aaron Seltzer
First collaboration with Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Disaster Movie Lionsgate Films Second collaboration with Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
2009 Adam Max Mayer Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Open Road Michael Meredith Anchor Bay Entertainment
The Horde Benjamin Rocher
Yannick Dahan
Canal+

2010s

YearTitleDirector(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 FoxThird collaboration with Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam Paul Hoen Disney Channel Television film
Fur of Flying Matthew O'CallaghanWarner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Short film; released with Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Rabid Rider Short film; released with Yogi Bear
2011 Hop Tim Hill Illumination Entertainment Second collaboration with Tim Hill
Lemonade Mouth Patricia Riggen Disney ChannelTelevision film
Horrible Bosses Seth Gordon Warner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
First collaboration with Seth Gordon
I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat Matthew O'CallaghanWarner 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 Animation Short film; released as part of The Smurfs three-disc holiday gift set [2]
2012 Daffy's Rhapsody Matthew O'CallaghanWarner 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 First collaboration with Tim Story
Thanks for Sharing Stuart BlumbergLionsgate
Girl in Progress Patricia Riggen Pantelion Films
Lionsgate
Item 47 Louis D'Esposito Marvel Studios Marvel One-Shot direct-to-video short film; inspired the TV series of the same name
2013 Identity Thief Seth Gordon Universal Pictures Second collaboration with Seth Gordon
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 StudiosMarvel One-Shot direct-to-video short film; inspired the TV series of the same name
The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow Stephen FranckSony Pictures AnimationDirect-to-video short film
Battle of the Year Benson Lee Screen Gems
Gimme Shelter Patricia Riggen Lionsgate
Pantelion Films
2014 Ride Along Tim StoryUniversal PicturesSecond collaboration with Tim Story
Flash in the PainMatthew O'CallaghanWarner Bros. Animation
Reel FX Creative Studios
Think Like a Man Too Tim StoryScreen GemsThird collaboration with Tim Story
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 StoryUniversal PicturesFeaturing Shelia E & Arturo Sandoval; additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Matt Bowen & Jess Stroup
Fourth collaboration with Tim Story
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Kirk Jones
The Boss Ben Falcone
Bad Moms Jon Lucas
Scott Moore
STX Entertainment Featuring Soloist by KT Tunstall
Sausage Party [3] Greg Tiernan
Conrad Vernon
Columbia Pictures
Nitrogen Studios
R-rated animated film; composed with Alan Menken
Kevin Hart: What Now? Leslie Small
Tim Story
Universal PicturesFifth collaboration with Tim Story
2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village [4] Kelly Asbury Sony Pictures AnimationAdditional music provided by Philip White
First collaboration with Kelly Asbury
Baywatch Seth Gordon Paramount Pictures Additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Joshua R. Mosley, Nathan Rightour & Zack Ryan
Third collaboration with Seth Gordon
Boo 2! A Madea Halloween Tyler Perry 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 PerryTyler Perry Studios
Uncle Drew Charles Stone III Summit Entertainment
Temple Hill Entertainment
The Happytime Murders Brian Henson STX Entertainment
Nobody's Fool Tyler PerryTyler Perry StudiosScore producer only; score composed by Phillip White
2019 A Madea Family Funeral Tyler Perry Studios Themes only; score composed by Phillip White
UglyDolls Kelly Asbury STX EntertainmentAlso wrote songs with Glenn Slater
Second collaboration with Kelly Asbury
Shaft Tim StoryWarner Bros. Pictures
New Line Cinema
Additional music provided by Alexander Bornstein, Dara Taylor & Stu Thomas
Sixth collaboration with Tim Story
Jexi Jon Lucas
Scott Moore
LionsgateComposed with Philip White

2020s

YearTitleDirector(s)Studio(s)Notes
2021 Tom & Jerry [5] Tim Story Warner Animation Group Seventh collaboration with Tim Story
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Josh Greenbaum Gloria Sanchez Productions Composed with Dara Taylor
The Loud House Movie Dave Needham Nickelodeon Movies Composed with Philip White
2022 13: The Musical Tamra Davis Zadan/Meron ProductionsSong lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
The Curse of Bridge Hollow Jeff Wadlow Ugly Baby Productions
2023 Dashing Through the Snow [6] Tim Story Walt Disney Pictures Eighth collaboration with Tim Story
2025 Back in Action [7] Seth Gordon Chernin Entertainment
The Pickup Tim Story Amazon MGM Studios Ninth collaboration with Tim Story

Television

YearTitleTV ChannelNotes
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 [8] NBC
2015–2016 Galavant ABC Composed with Alan Menken
Song lyrics by Glenn Slater
Agent Carter
2018–2021 Lost in Space Netflix Original Lost in Space Theme by John Williams
2018 Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever. Composed with Matt Bowen
2019–present The Boys Amazon Prime Video Composed with Matt Bowen
2022–present Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Apple TV+
2023 Gen V Amazon Prime VideoComposed with Matt Bowen
2024–present Sausage Party: Foodtopia

Video games

YearTitlePublisherNotes
2003 Medal of Honor: Rising Sun EA Games Original Medal of Honor theme by Michael Giacchino
2004 Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault
2005 Medal of Honor: European Assault
From Russia with Love Electronic Arts
Gun Activision
2007 The Simpsons Game Electronic ArtsAdditional 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 Downloadable content for Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker
2011 The Sims 3: Pets Expansion pack for The Sims 3
2012 Mass Effect 3 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

References

  1. "2025 BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Awards". bmi.com. Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  2. 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.
  3. "Christopher Lennertz Scoring 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2'". filmmusicreporter.com. February 15, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  4. "Christopher Lennertz to score Smurfs: The Lost Village". filmmusicreporter.com. October 11, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  5. "Christopher Lennertz to Score Tim Story's 'Tom & Jerry'". filmmusicreporter.com. July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  6. "Christopher Lennertz Scoring Tim Story's Disney+ Movie Dashing Through the Snow". filmmusicreporter.com. June 26, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  7. "Christopher Lennertz Scoring Seth Gordon's Back in Action". filmmusicreporter.com. November 14, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  8. "Christopher Lennertz to Score Eric Kripke's & J.J. Abrams' 'Revolution'". filmmusicreporter.com. March 14, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2012.