It’s been nearly a year since we first began speaking with our friends at SpectreVision about a ground-breaking action-thriller dreamt up by cinematic visionary Panos Cosmatos called Mandy. We were immediately entranced by the plotline: a surrealist, heavy-metal-soaked revenge story with Nicolas Cage at the center of the madness. Having seen Beyond the Black Rainbow — a mind-bending, dreamlike haunt with a remarkable visual style — it was obvious to us why entertainment insiders are calling Cosmatos the Stanley Kubrick of our generation. Knowing Mandy has the potential of being a once-in-a-generation type film in its own right, we jumped at the chance to get involved in what we knew would be a Midnight Movie in every sense of the term.

As if working with Panos wasn’t enough, Mandy also gave us the opportunity to work with one of the most beloved modern-day film composers — two-time Oscar®-nominated Jóhann Jóhannsson. In addition to investing in the film, we also invested directly in the film's score, giving us a diversified revenue stream and the opportunity to invest in yet another Hollywood luminary. Jóhann’s riveting work has captivated audiences, from the enchanting Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything and the mysterious sci-fi drama Arrival, to the high-octane action-thriller Sicario.

“Hearing of Jóhann’s involvement on Mandy was a full-blown fanboy moment for me,” said Paul Scanlan, cofounder and CEO of Legion M. “There are individuals in the industry who you dream working with, and as someone who understands how a film’s score can literally take on a character role and drive the story, it was a no-brainer that we wanted to invest in Jóhann’s vision.”

Only weeks after Mandy’s critically-acclaimed debut at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, Jóhann Jóhannsson passed away suddenly at the very young age of 48. Legion M and the entire Mandy family have been incredibly saddened by the news. While it would have been amazing to celebrate the September 14 release of the film and soundtrack with Jóhann, his talent and work will forever be immortalized in Mandy.

We remember Jóhann Jóhannsson as a track from his posthumous Mandy soundtrack, “Children of the New Dawn,” was released this week by Lakeshore Records. As a tribute to Jóhann, we hope you enjoy it below:

Accompanying the announcement, Panos Cosmatos remembered Jóhann’s brilliance. We felt it was appropriate to close this post with his words:

Jóhann went above and beyond, and I suspect to the limits of his sanity, to make the music for this movie. His words and his actions made him more than a great collaborator, they made him like a brother to me. I’m sad our time together was so brief but I’m very proud of what he accomplished on Mandy and I believe he was too.

Legion M invests in Jóhann Jóhannsson and the Music of Mandy