'Monster Hunter' Exclusive Music: Composer Paul Haslinger Brings An Electronic Sound To The Score For The New Film

As 2020 comes to a close, it might feel as if there are hardly any big films left to get excited for, as many got pushed to 2021 and beyond, due to the pandemic. However, we still have Paul W.S. Anderson’s upcoming action film, “Monster Hunter,” arriving on Christmas Day.

And in honor of the upcoming score for “Monster Hunter” being available to purchase and stream soon, we’re thrilled to have a chance to give our readers an exclusive listen to a track from Paul Haslinger’s upcoming soundtrack for the blockbuster. “Monster Hunter” marks the fourth collaboration between Haslinger and Anderson. Previously, they worked together on features such as “Death Race,” “The Three Musketeers,” and “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.” And once again, Haslinger pushes the boundaries with his mixture of electronic sounds and classic instrumentation.

“I believe it was during the final mix for ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’ that I first heard about ‘Monster Hunter,’ which Paul planned to shoot next,” said Haslinger about this project. “I began receiving daily stills from the film sets in South Africa and Namibia, and the striking white sand deserts became an early point of inspiration. In fantasy, you can invent a new environment, and you can suspend rules if you like to. In 1996, I released an album called ‘World Without Rules,’ which played very much to this theme [of re-composing musical worlds]. ‘Monster Hunter,’ then, became a new chance to try and do this once again: to re-invent some aspects of the musical world, and put them in the service of a fantasy-action-adventure film.”

He continued, “It was Paul’s request that electronic elements feature prominently in the score, and I’d like to thank him for always steering the ship in the right direction (pun fully intended)! I’ve tried to create a journey within the journey – to select and sequence a number of pieces that, to me, best convey the feel and character of this particular adventure. In doing so, I was also remembering the video game this film was based on, finding the parts of the score that to me conjured both.”

The soundtrack for “Monster Hunter” will arrive on December 4, courtesy of Milan Records, giving you plenty of time to listen and enjoy before the action-thriller arrives on December 25. You can hear the exclusive track and watch the trailer for the film below.

Here’s the synopsis for the film:

Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When an unexpected sandstorm transports Captain Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown. Based on the global video game series phenomenon “Monster Hunter.”