Music Composed by ANTHONY WILLIS
MovieScore Media just released a soundtrack album for the 2026 drama- thriller feature film, with original music by Anthony Willis (Wuthering Heights, Saltburn, Promising Young Woman, M3GAN, Violent Ends, How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming). Also included two tracks by Peter Baert (The Water Man, Facades, Breathless) who provided additional music.
Directed by Nate Parker, starring David Oyelowo, Barry Pepper and Rukiya Bernard, produced by Mansa and Yoruba Saxon Productions, released by AMC Theatres (USA), the story follows Chris Newborn who seeks to rebuild his life and reconnect with his family, after serving seven years in solitary confinement, only to find that freedom has become a terrifying psychological battleground.
“Musically the world of solitary is deeply psychological and unforgiving. It is both stark and muted, but also expansive and intense to depict the harrowing depth of true isolation. Early in the process, director Nate Parker shared real life audio from solitary cells, inmates slamming on doors and windows, and so we wanted to emulate this in the score with aggressive metals, which rhythmically outline the shape of the family theme, but in desperation. As Chris works to leave this world behind, the family take a trip to Windor Peak, shot in the beautifully evocative Vancouver. In ‘Looking for Peace’ and ‘The Perfect Day’, he bonds with his son Jake and the score explores the warmth and intimacy of family life, a feeling of reconnection and coming home. Alas he is continually triggered by his surroundings and haunted hallucinations such as in ‘Visions of Prison’ and ‘Build, Cell, Run’ and begins to question everything around him. The trauma of his fathers’s absence has also manifested in Jake – he is unable to talk. Chris’s psychosis escalates, but ultimately leaves the resort to protect his family, knowing he cannot survive Solitary again. As he reaches the brink, he hears Jake cry a single word: ‘DAD!!!’, and the score finally reaches a moment of true emotional connection and clarity as he surrenders himself back into custody.” – Anthony Willis.
ABOUT THE COMPOSER
BAFTA-nominated composer Anthony Willis has taken a running leap into the Neverland of film scoring, quickly becoming one of the most highly sought after new voices in Hollywood. Anthony composed the score to Oscar-winning writer/director Emerald Fennell’s drama thriller Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan, which was nominated for Best Picture and earned Anthony a BAFTA nomination for Best Original Score. Emerald Fennell tapped him again to score her second directorial feature Saltburn which garnered him two WSA nominations, one SCL nomination, two HMMA nominations, and one BAFTA nomination for Best Original Score. Recently, Anthony wrote music for Wuthering Heights, which marks his third collaboration with Emerald. He is also responsible for scoring Gerard Johnstone’s hit M3GAN for Blumhouse and John-Michael Powell’s thriller Violent Ends. Anthony’s previous works include NBC/Universal’s How To Train Your Dragon: Homecoming holiday special, Sony Playstation’s video game Knack II, Michelle Morgan’s ‘Sundance Selection’ comedy It Happened in L.A., David Yarovesky’s thriller The Hive, where he collaborated with renowned DJ Steve Aoki, and Anthony Sabet’s nostalgic comedy One Last Night. As protege of Oscar-nominated composer John Powell, Anthony has contributed additional music to many of Hollywood’s major franchises including: How to Train your Dragon, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Jason Bourne and Rio. Willis grew up in London, and began his musical training as a chorister of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, England. He went on to study composition at Marlborough College, Wilshire and the University of Bristol, before earning his graduate degree from the University of Southern California. He currently resides in Venice Beach.
TRACKLIST
1. Solitary (1:32)
2. The Release (2:02)
3. Jake’s Seizure (1:34)
4. Journey to Windor Peak (1:08)
5. Protect Your Mind (1:08)
6. Looking for Peace (2:50)
7. The Perfect Day (2:04)
8. Shot in the Woods (1:08)
9. Solitary Flashback (0:34)
10. Keep Jake Safe (3:59)
11. Visions of Prison (1:00)
12. Courage Under Stress (3:06)
13. Build, Cell, Run (1:32)
14. Jake’s Tear (1:50)
15. Slashed Tires (2:20)
16. Finding Solitude (2:12)
17. The Graves – Peter Baert (2:10)
18. Cell Break (1:55)
19. Dad (2:58)
20. Solitary Suite (Suite from “Newborn”) (6:08)
21. Paranoia (Suite from “Newborn”) – Peter Baert (4:20)
22. Cons on the Roadside (Suite from “Newborn”) (1:04)
23. Go Get Your Son (Suite from “Newborn”) (2:00)
24. Hersh’s Surveillance (Suite from “Newborn”) (1:29)
25. 24 Buried (Suite from “Newborn”) (1:08)
