David Byrne and Hayley Williams to write music together for Netflix adaptation of ‘The Twits’
David Byrne and Hayley Williams are set to team up to write music for the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, The Twits.
The film, which has been in some form of development ever since 2003, when it was originally in the hands of the Walt Disney Company but later transferred to the streaming service’s ownership in 2022, is set to hit screens later this year.
It stars a lead ensemble cast consisting of Natalie Portman as Mary Muggle Wump and Emilia Clarke as Pippa. Additionally, Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas will play the central characters, Mr and Mrs Twit.
For the part of Byrne and Williams’ work on the film, it is understood that the pair have collaborated on an original song called ‘Open the Door’ that will be heard during the credit sequence, with the Talking Heads frontman also having written three other tunes – We’re Not Like Ev’ryone Else’, ‘Lullaby’, and ‘The Problem Is You’ – which will be sung throughout the film by the cast.
Speaking of his work writing music for The Twits, Byrne said: “Kids (and adults) love that they can vicariously imagine their own worst impulses played out, harmlessly, in a punky fun story. So when I was approached to write some songs for this movie I immediately said, ‘Let me give it a try and see if you like what I come up with.’”
Explaining that he then reached out to Williams, who contributed lyric ides to the end credit song, the Paramore leader went on to add: “I owe David Byrne for pulling me into the music for this. It was so fun and so surreal starting a song from scratch with him.”
It comes as the latest, if slightly unexpected, venture from Byrne and Williams’ musical partnership, with the frontwoman also appearing on tracks on the former’s upcoming album Who is the Sky?, which is set to be released in September.
Williams also surprise released her newest collection of solo work, consisting of 17 tracks such as ‘Mirtazapine’ and ‘True Believer’, heightening speculation that her tenure with Paramore could be over.
The Twits is set to be released on Netflix on October 17th, 2025
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