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Nicholas Britell

Nicholas Britell

Composer, also producer · Born October 17, 1980 (46) · New York, New York, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Oscar nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 3 other major award bodies

Nicholas Britell (born October 17, 1980) is an American film and television composer. He has received numerous accolades, including an Emmy Award, as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and a Grammy Award. He has received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score for Barry Jenkins's Moonlight (2016), If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), and Adam McKay's Don't Look Up (2021). He also scored McKay's The Big Short (2015) and Vice (2018). He is also known for scoring Battle of the Sexes (2017), The King (2019), Cruella (2021), and She Said (2022). The HBO original series Succession (2018–2023) marked Britell's entry into television. Britell scored all four seasons, earning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music in 2019. His scores for the second, third, and fourth seasons of Succession each earned the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series nominations in 2020, 2022, and 2023. His score for The Underground Railroad was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special in 2021. His works, as described by Soraya McDonald of Film Comment, "seem to organically straddle accessibility and sophistication in a way that goes beyond the typical programming of a big-city pops orchestra...That might have something to do with the fact that Britell has long had one foot in the world of hip-hop and another in the world of classical music." Description above from the Wikipedia article Nicholas Britell, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 17, 1980 (46)
From
New York, New York, USA
Works as
Composer, also producer
Titles
28 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

What are Nicholas Britell's films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 84th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 71st percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
23%
Bonds
18%
Power
18%
Society
16%
Survival
11%
Morality
10%
Ideas
4%
Identity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 4 · Dark 10

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 4 · Intense 10

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 6 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 8

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 3

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
10
Tense
7
Contemplative
7
Hopeful
5
Dread
3
Other
16

How their films linger

Thought-provoking9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Nicholas Britell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 24 of their 28 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Nicholas Britell's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

35 credits, 28 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Jay Kelly(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Mountainhead(2025)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Expectations Opening Credits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Composer

  • Blitz(2024)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Carmen(2022)

    Composer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • She Said(2022)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Andor(2022)

    Show 14 episodes · Composer · Theme Song Performance

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty(2022)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer · as Horn Nightclub Piano Player

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Italian Studies(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Don't Look Up(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Cruella(2021)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Underground Railroad(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • The Gaze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Composer

  • The King(2019)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Vice(2018)

    Composer · Conductor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • If Beale Street Could Talk(2018)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Succession(2018)

    Show 39 episodes · Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Battle of the Sexes(2017)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Moonlight(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Uncondemned(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tramps(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Free State of Jones(2016)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Big Short(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • A Tale of Love and Darkness(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Real American (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Composer

  • The Seventh Fire(2015)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Whiplash(2014)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Cymbeline(2014)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • 12 Years a Slave(2013)

    Songs

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Whiplash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Producer

  • Gimme the Loot(2012)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Haiti: Where Did the Money Go (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Composer

  • New York, I Love You(2008)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Domino One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Composer · as Charles Davenport

  • Hammer and Cycle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Composer

Career shape

A full career of 35 titles from 2004 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Cruella (2021)

$234M worldwide

Highest rated

Whiplash (2014)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 35: 0 only acting, 2 with another roleProducing2 of 35: 2 only producing, 0 with another roleMusic30 of 35: 26 only music, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew5 of 35: 3 only other crew, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score84th

35 titles, 4 with more than one role — music and other crew overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

2000s3 · 1 acting · 3 crew2010s19 · crew2020s13 · 1 acting · 13 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy from 19 major nominations, 2016–2025.

WinNomination
  1. 2025
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
  2. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated ×2 · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
  3. 2022
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Original Score
    • +1 other major body · 2 nominations
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Song
  4. 2021
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
  5. 2020
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
  6. 2019
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Original Music
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score
  7. 2017
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Original Score - Motion Picture
  8. 2016
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Score

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Nicholas Britell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 74th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 28 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 28 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · composer

The Uncondemned (2015)

79th percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · producer

Whiplash (2014)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 71/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Nicholas Britell's work okay for kids?

Across up to 11 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore10 titles6–83 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity11 titles10–61 · median 48 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity10 titles28–87 · median 66 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles30–59 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles24–75 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Nicholas Britell work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nicholas Britell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Brad Pitt shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles