Danny Elfman on scoring Justice League, Return of His Theme and Williams' Superman
- Thread starter Penguin
- Start date
Evil Superman has the Justice League cornered, everyone things they're about to die, the bad guy is standing behind Superman telling Superman to finish them. Superman looks at Batman and smirks a little just as you hear these first couple of notes start up. Superman turns and sides with the Justice League just as the William's theme starts to really get going, and then the big final battle is a musical handoff between the Williams theme, Elfman theme, and Wonder Woman theme.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Just slip them few notes in there for Batman and you are good.
Honestly it doesn't need the direct theme, Elfman just gets Batman musically.
Neither 89 or Returns had "filler" in the soundtrack either.
TheJollyCorner
Member
I'd be reaaaaally fucking excited for Elfman's Batman theme to return, but it has such a strong connection with Burton's overall style for me.
Really makes me wish Burton would have one more Batman film left in the tank...
Really makes me wish Burton would have one more Batman film left in the tank...
I Was thinking more like:
"All Justive league beaten up badly as Sttepenwolf is about to scorch earth we hear a sound, Superman lands besides the league and says:
STEPPENWOLF WE WOULD HAVE WORDS WITH THEE!!"
While Williams theme blasts full on!! tears down my eyes.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Those Elseworld movie discussions make me want this even more.
Make Burton Superman as an animated DTV as well
Inferno313
Banned
Not if we're getting 2017 Tim Burton.
Though a Burton take on Cyberpunk would be... interesting.
We're getting the Williams Superman theme and the Elfman Batman theme in the same movie?!!?
I mean it's been my fucking fantasy evernsince they announced Elfman got the gig, but I never thought it would happen for the exact reason that he touched upon in the interview. I'm so glad Elfman recognizes the history these characters share with their music and studios should embrace these themes rather than reinvent the wheel every time they reboot.
ComputerBlue
Member
Agreed, as it Batman too though.
Sorry just kind of posted the thread during a meeting
I am all for them reusing/remembering older themes, but unlike his Star Wars' example, I don't want it to be the sound/basis for all of their properties.
Like I dig Zimmer's Batman theme and his Superman theme.
I wanna see them kind of like the Spidey's 60 theme, always around, but never the dominant sound for a generation.
I am all for them reusing/remembering older themes, but unlike his Star Wars' example, I don't want it to be the sound/basis for all of their properties.
Like I dig Zimmer's Batman theme and his Superman theme.
I wanna see them kind of like the Spidey's 60 theme, always around, but never the dominant sound for a generation.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Yup, personally
1. Walker Batman
2. Williams Superman
3. Elfman Batman(though i'd actually put the full score over Superman)
4. Elfman Spiderman
Corpsepyre
Banned
I'm a thousand percent more interested in what Junkie was doing for the movie. Elfman is old news, and none of his newer scores have done anything for me. Junkie's fresh blood and nailed his Mad Max score alongside BvS (even if BvS was a bit more forgettable than MoS's music).
Inferno313
Banned
Au Contraire, I think Fury Road is one of Junkie's only strong scores as a solo composer.
His Deadpool score is zzzzz.
Fancyarcher
Member
Wait? He's using Williams's Superman theme? I'm not sure how I feel about the constant "references". I do love it when Elfman does variations on other composers though. They are always interesting, and hearing Batman and Superman's theme together would be fantastic. What he did to the Avengers theme was also terrific. Curious if this means that the light-hearted tone is really a "go".
I also like that light-stab at Marvel and DC's way of doing music. Truth!
I'm sure he'll get lot a "shit", sadly, since WB doesn't seem to really care for the character these days.
On the "music front", Zimmer's Superman theme is hardly as good as Williams. There's not variation you can do with it, whereas Williams theme being full of notes, more palatable, you can darken it, you can add it to the action music, you can slow it down etc... It's a classic theme through and through, and composer always wanna add their touches for a reason. Zimmer's Superman theme is good, but Williams's will always the preferred theme for just about everyone, for obvious reasons.
I also like that light-stab at Marvel and DC's way of doing music. Truth!
I'm sure he'll get lot a "shit", sadly, since WB doesn't seem to really care for the character these days.
On the "music front", Zimmer's Superman theme is hardly as good as Williams. There's not variation you can do with it, whereas Williams theme being full of notes, more palatable, you can darken it, you can add it to the action music, you can slow it down etc... It's a classic theme through and through, and composer always wanna add their touches for a reason. Zimmer's Superman theme is good, but Williams's will always the preferred theme for just about everyone, for obvious reasons.
Fancyarcher
Member
Junkie XL is just a modern composer. Most of his music registers as "noise" to me.
I'd love to see Elfman play around with the theme, maybe have the classic opening bars play in opposite orders just as Superman is about to reappear or something.
Remember Returns trailer?
All because of Williams score, so I think is the other way around, Williams works better as a Trailer music.
With all the comments on Danny Elfmans Batman theme I honestly couldnt remember the one from the film, to me the Batman theme has always been the one from the Animated Series. Then I had a look and its just a variation on his original Batman theme, well shit I said.
So yea, look forward to seeing what comes out of this.
Im still disappointed that Hans Zimmer retired from super hero films, some of his tracks from Man of Steel and Batman v Superman were superb. Over the years hes done a lot of film soundtracks and it would have been nice to hear his take on the Justice League members coming together.
So yea, look forward to seeing what comes out of this.
Im still disappointed that Hans Zimmer retired from super hero films, some of his tracks from Man of Steel and Batman v Superman were superb. Over the years hes done a lot of film soundtracks and it would have been nice to hear his take on the Justice League members coming together.
Pulling Williams' motifs sounds WRONG at first blush, but then, why the hell not? Film composers draw on the work of their predecessors all the time. Nobody cared when Giacchino used old Star Wars music in Rogue One. Nobody gives a shit if Elfman uses Zimmer's Wonder Woman motif in Justice League. If the music isn't exclusive to the composer, is there any reason that the music should be exclusive to... an actor? Or a "cinematic universe"? Probably not.
Fancyarcher
Member
It's pretty much a classic Zimmer theme. He and his team write good themes, but they can get used in trailers a lot for reasons. They're very straight forward "power anthems", or at least they used to be (nowadays Zimmer prefers writing "atmospheric" tracks overall).
Ha yeah was gonna say animated series used it for an opening, but the other themes are cool too
Speaking of, my favorites Supes theme is the animated one too...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHpOVBEXCxM
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Obviously not going to be an entire sequence to the classics but it will be great to get a few notes of those in.
(kinda like how Justice League used the few notes of the BTAS theme extremely sparingly)
Fancyarcher
Member
Love that theme. Wish it was longer, but it's great for what it is. I miss Shirley Walker so much.
Imperial Bishop
Banned
YEEEESS--
Dammit.
Early on in the movie Wayne has found signs of Kara from MoS prequel comic
Supes resurrected by Steppenwolf, we get Earth 2 Supes for a few moments and he tears shit up
Then Kara shows up and meets Alfred (scene from trailer)
She takes out Supes and takes his role on the League
Supes resurrected by Steppenwolf, we get Earth 2 Supes for a few moments and he tears shit up
Then Kara shows up and meets Alfred (scene from trailer)
She takes out Supes and takes his role on the League
let me dream dammit
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Elfman's theme is the opening and closing, actual Batman theme is different.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GufAHzhNcS8
I actually like Walker's far more.
They even used it once in Batman & Harley Quinn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGKua0mk7bQ
They already used it in the trailers iirc
None of this post makes any sense.
They aren't using the exact same theme, just inspiration from it. I highly doubt he would use it in a way that felt out of place.
And no the universe is not being rebooted and this is nowhere near the last film.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Yeah, but no reason to believe Elfman had anything to do with that trailer being cut.
(I wasn't a big fan of that version of it, either. It was too busy and frenetic sounding. And in the wrong key)
(I wasn't a big fan of that version of it, either. It was too busy and frenetic sounding. And in the wrong key)
George Oscar Bluth II
Banned
Walker theme is so good. If it were up to me, I'd definitely have it be in the next Batman movie.
I'd be more inclined to see the MoS theme slowly repurposed as the Justice League theme. The team is formed to fill the void left behind by Superman, makes sense that their theme be in honor of him too.
There are no wrong keys in music Bobby
BoogieWoogie
Banned
It's going to be really surreal hearing the Christopher Reeves' theme playing as Supes murders people left and right.
GOD DAMN IT I WAS JOKING! I WAS JOKING!
YEEEESS--
Dammit.
GOD DAMN IT I WAS JOKING! I WAS JOKING!
andythinkpad
Member
Elfman's Batman is the best comic theme anyway.
Baron_Calamity
Member
As much as I would love to see that, it's never going to happen. Both of WB and Burton burn that bridge till it was ash and then shot the ash into a volcano.
I mean Keaton as old batman / Wayne isn't impossible but Batman beyond seems so unlikely at this point.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Joel Was Right
Member
I'm still hoping it's been
all along, and the GOAT arrives with his theme back.
Bizarro
Fancyarcher
Member
Heck they burned that bridges a long time ago, when they decided to go with Batman Begins instead of Batman Beyond. It's not liking happening is all I'm saying.
BoogieWoogie
Banned
Why Burton? He'd do a terrible job with Batman Beyond. Someone with Sci-Fi pedigree would be ideal.
Or that hes
confused