Does anyone know why Brad Fiedel wasn't asked to score for the movie this time around? I'm wondering why Beltrami was called in for this last installment. Could it be because Jonathan Mostow is directing and not James Cameron? I don't about you, but I think composer continuity is key when scoring for most sequels, trilogies, or series...

Also... is anyone here actually familiar with the works of Marco Beltrami? I only recall his name because I'm anticipating the pending Hellboy comic-to-movie venture. I haven't yet seen the Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys, Blade 2, or the Crow: Salvation, but after seeing Resident Evil, Mimic, The Faculty, and the Scream trilogy (all only once), I still don't know this man's style because the movies themselves were too distracting or had more soundtrack than score. An acquaintance of mine recommended Mimic, but eh... I still haven't been able to make myself buy the cd. Anyone here knowledgeable about his music? If so, what do you think about his working on T3?

Can't say I've heard of him or remember anything memorable from the movies you listed.

As to your first question, I assume it'd be the same as the answer to "Why didn't John Williams score Jurassic Park III?"

I think having creator/director continuity is key when making most sequels, trilogies or series that have a chance of being as good as the first one (or two), especially a franchise as classic as the Terminator series. Name a sequel that switched director/creator hands or had no involvement from the creators of the original that was any good? They are hoping that a little T & A will distract you from realizing what a bad movie it is. Chalk this one up to the studios wanting $$$ from the name brand and Arnie wanting a comeback desperately.

Back on topic... X-Men 2 switched composers and it was a better soundtrack than the first, though still nothing to run out to the CD store for, but it accompanied the movies visuals well.
And according to imdb.com, the composer for T3 will be using some of Brad Fidel's themes, so it might not turn out too bad.

Yeah, but Bryan Singer didn't write the screenplay/storyline for the sequel. So, since there was a drastic change in the storytelling, then a change in composer was due. I also concur that it (the X2 score) was much better the second time 'round, but the movie itself really didn't have a whole heck of a lot of Singer's touch--in terms of storyline.

As for my guess as to why Beltrami is being called in instead of Fiedel... again with directors. Jonathan Mostow is the director for this third installment and if past work is any indication of how T3 will fare, it ought to be damned stylish at the very least. The last movie directed by him that I saw was U-571--a flick that had plenty of panache, but inherently lacking substance. He's only directing this time around--and not writing any part of the screenplay, so maybe Beltrami was picked up because he possessed the styling needed to work for T3.