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Danny Elfman is Bringing Back the Classic Superman Theme for JUSTICE LEAGUE

After Joss Whedon brought Danny Elfman on to work on Justice League, many have been wondering what the legend has been working on. Well, it looks like we finally have an idea of what to expect, he gives us new details on Justice League’s soundtrack, as well as his approach to the DC Universe. Some of what Elfman said might be considered a spoiler so consider this your warning.

In an interview with Billboard, Elfman talked about how great it was to jump back into the DC universe 28 years later: “It was great. It was like I never left because I’m using the same thematic material that I used back then. It never actually went away [Laughs.] It just was great fun.”

“There are a few little fan moments. I instated a moment of the Wonder Woman theme that Hans Zimmer did for Batman Vs. Superman, but I also had two minutes where I had the pleasure of saying, “Let’s do John Williams’ Superman.” and that for me was heaven, because now I have a melody to twist, and I’m using it in an actually very dark way, in a dark moment. It’s the kind of thing that some fans will notice. Some won’t. It’s a moment where we’re really not sure whose side he’s on.”

“The people at DC are starting to understand we’ve got these iconic bits from our past and that’s part of us, that’s part of our heritage — we shouldn’t run away from that. Contemporary thinking is, every time they reboot something, you have to start completely from scratch — which, of course, audiences will tell us again and again, is bullsh*t. Because the single-most surviving and loved theme in the world is Star Wars, which they had the good sense to not dump for the reboots. And every time it comes back, the audience goes crazy.”

I personally love the idea of looking at DC past the same way Star Wars does. Williams’ Superman and Elfman’s Batman are some of the most iconic movies scores out there. Having callbacks to those films is always welcomed.
Elfman went on to talk about creating new themes for the other characters saying: “Also I created very simple motifs. There are so many themes, you can’t just do a big theme for everything. So I created a motif for Flash, for Aquaman and Cyborg — but they’re very simple things, and [DC] understood. I said, “These things may never be used again, but I’m giving you all the components, should you wish to have things to build on.” So they either will or they won’t, but that’s how I approach a project like this. You have to take the attitude that this is the beginning of a mythology and it all matters, it all comes to fruition, and with any luck, they will.”

“I loved the people I worked with, they were wonderful. The DC guys were great. I kept talking about the DNA of John Williams in this other theme — using the DNA of Batman in these other variations, which were not the Batman theme — but it all derives from that… Musical themes are like genes, you carry the DNA along and it creates these subtle connections which are perceived on an unconscious level. It’s funny because I’m terrible at puzzles, but I love musical puzzles. It’s a different part of my brain.”

It sounds like they let Elfman go crazy, and I can’t wait to see [or hear] what he does. Hopefully, it all comes together nicely (pun intended). For Elfman’s full comments click here. For updates on Justice League and everything DC, stay tuned.

Justice League hits theaters November 17th.  

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