Original score from the 2024 animated feature film directed by Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry, featuring the voices of Cillian Murphy, Sally Hawkins, Raffey Cassidy, Ken Watanabe and Aaron MacGregor, released by Blue Fox Entertainment (USA), Modern Films (UK) and Le Pacte (France).

THE STORY: Young Michael, shipwrecked on a remote island, must adapt to life alone. Over time, he feels another presence, learning that this world is home to both unimaginable danger and beauty. A gripping animated adaptation of a beloved novel.

THE SCORE: “Scoring Kensuke’s Kingdom was a joy for me: it’s an exquisite, hand-drawn animation in the best tradition, and my task was to create a symphonic score, strong on thematic material and structured to complement what is at heart a gentle film, but one also filled with wonder, adventure, human connection and heartbreak. Kensuke’s Kingdom has very little dialogue – a gift for a composer! The two lead characters cannot speak each other’s language, so the music has space to flourish and help tell their story. I composed initial character themes and sketches, working closely with the directors from the storyboard/animatic stage onwards. I honed the music as the animation gradually fell into place, culminating in fantastic recording sessions with full symphony orchestra, choir and solo musicians in late 2022. Personal highlights included recording Ken Watanabe’s singing (remotely from Tokyo) and having author Michael Morpurgo’s glowing seal of approval at regular intervals! I loved being part of the passionate team that worked for so many years to make Kensuke’s Kingdom a reality. I’m thrilled to have this soundtrack out in the world now, and for the movie itself to be at the beginning of its theatrical journey.” – Stuart Hancock

THE COMPOSER: Stuart Hancock is a British composer, known for his music for the BBC fantasy drama Atlantis, the Channel 4’s animated TV special We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and the Netflix comedy-horror Crazyhead. Stuart won an Ivors Classical Award in 2015 for his large-scale concert work Snapshot Songs, and has garnered considerable industry recognition for his commercial, documentary, TV and film music, including multiple Jerry Goldsmith Awards. Stuart, who studied at the London College of Music, maintains a varied composing career across all media. Raptures, his debut album of concert works, recorded with the BBC Concert Orchestra, was released in 2019. Kensuke’s Kingdom is Stuart’s eighth album release on the MovieScore Media label.

MMS24031 KENSUKE’S KINGDOM (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Music Composed by STUART HANCOCK
Release date: July 19, 2024