Atlantis: The Lost Empire

James Newton Howard’s orchestral score for Disney’s 2001 animated adventure Atlantis: The Lost Empire channels sweeping, action-driven themes across a full orchestra, balancing bombastic expedition sequences with intimate character moments. Released on Walt Disney Records, the soundtrack captures the film’s Art Deco aesthetic and pulp adventure sensibility through brass-heavy arrangements and melodic underscore. Howard’s compositional approach here leans into pure narrative drive—brass fanfares and percussion propel the exploration sequences while strings carry the emotional weight of discovery and loss.