Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Film 2025 Brings an Unforgettable Night of Music to UCLA’s Royce Hall

Last night, Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Film 2025 took over UCLA’s Royce Hall for an unforgettable evening celebrating this year’s most captivating film scores and songs. With a 60-piece orchestra and a lineup of Oscar winners, pop icons, and industry favorites, the event once again reminded audiences why music remains one of cinema’s most powerful storytelling forces.

The night opened with a heroic start as Michael Giacchino took the stage with selections from Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, setting an epic tone that carried into Laura Karpman’s dynamic and richly textured score for Captain America: Brave New World.

Next, The Lumineers co-founder Jeremiah Fraites brought a touch of heartland soul with music from Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the Bruce Springsteen biopic exploring the creation of Nebraska.

The mood shifted to soulful introspection when Aiyana-Lee delivered a stunning performance of “Highest 2 Lowest” from A24’s upcoming Spike Lee crime drama, followed by Sara Bareilles, who captivated the audience with “Salt Then Sour Then Sweet” from Apple Original Films’ documentary Come See Me in the Good Light.

The energy then deepened with Ludwig Göransson’s haunting blues-driven score for Sinners, the vampire thriller directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan. Simon Franglen followed, returning audiences to Pandora with his soaring and ethereal music from Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Netflix’s section of the evening brought some of the night’s most exciting moments: Nathan Johnson unveiled clever new sounds from Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery and reveled an upcoming collaboration with Miley Cyrus, while Volker Bertelmann’s intense compositions for A House of Dynamite filled the hall with tension. Alexandre Desplat delivered another masterpiece with selections from Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and KPop Demon Hunters brought color and electricity through the work of Mark Sonnenblick and vocalist Ejae, representing the voices of Huntr/x and the Saja Boys.

To close the night, Diane Warren, celebrated for her enduring legacy as one of Hollywood’s most prolific songwriters, was honored with music from the new documentary Diane Warren: Relentless. She was joined by Kesha, whose emotional performance of “Dear Me” left the audience in awe and provided a perfect, heartfelt finale to the evening.

From superheroes and vampires to rock legends and real-life icons, Deadline’s Sound & Screen: Film 2025 showcased the extraordinary range and emotion that define today’s cinematic soundscapes. The event was a powerful reminder that, long after the credits roll, it’s the music that continues to move us, inspire us, and keep the magic of film alive.

View the complete program here to dive deeper into this year’s performances and participants.