John Powell

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Powell's first score for DreamWorks Animation was Antz in 1998, which he co-composed with fellow British composer Harry Gregson-Williams. This marked the duo's first score for an animated film. In 2000, Powell collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the score for The Road to El Dorado. Later that year, he teamed with Gregson-Williams again to compose the score to Chicken Run and then again on Shrek in 2001. Gregson-Williams composed all of the subsequent Shrek films. In 2008, Powell and Zimmer worked together again, scoring Kung Fu Panda for DreamWorks Animation. In 2010, Powell composed the score to How to Train Your Dragon, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was his sixth DreamWorks Animation film, although the first time he composed an entire score himself. He also scored the sequels How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019).

In Their Own Story

In 2010, Powell composed the score to How to Train Your Dragon, earning a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Score. It was his sixth DreamWorks Animation film, although the first time he composed an entire score himself. In 2013, Powell took a sabbatical year from film scoring. In April 2014, after completing his scores to sequels Rio 2 and How to Train Your Dragon 2, he announced he would take another break to compose concert music, including a 45-minute oratorio to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of World War I. The piece, "A Prussian Requiem", with a libretto by Michael Petry, premiered on March 6, 2016 at The Royal Festival Hall in London with José Serebrier conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Reader's Guide

Powell's work on DreamWorks Animation films spans from 1998's Antz to 2019's How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. With Harry Gregson-Williams, he co-composed Antz (1998), Chicken Run (2000), and Shrek (2001). For How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Powell composed the entire score himself for the first time on a DreamWorks film, earning an Academy Award nomination. He returned for the sequels How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019). In January 2024, it was announced that Powell would return to compose and produce the musical score for the 2025 live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon.

Did You Know?

• Powell's first score for DreamWorks Animation was Antz in 1998, co-composed with Harry Gregson-Williams.
• How to Train Your Dragon (2010) was Powell's sixth DreamWorks Animation film but the first time he composed an entire score himself.
• Powell took a sabbatical year from film scoring in 2013.
• In 2014, after completing How to Train Your Dragon 2, Powell announced he would compose a 45-minute oratorio for the 100-year anniversary of World War I.
• Powell collaborated with Hans Zimmer on The Road to El Dorado and the first two Kung Fu Panda movies.