Uncategorized

FEATURE: Ranking the DC Films Scores So Far

The original musical score is one of the most significant parts of a movie, and that is no exception with DC Films. The franchise’s composers range from some of the industry’s most iconic to some lesser names. But one thing is for sure: They have all contributed to the legacy of DC.
Here, we rank the five DC movie scores so far…

#5: Suicide Squad by Steven Price
I’ll be honest, I frequently forget that Suicide Squad had an actual score. The music in this movie was dominated by its Grammy-nominated soundtrack, which consisted of older songs and new songs from Eminem, Imagine Dragons, and many more. While that soundtrack was admittedly cool, the score was…not memorable?
There are some tracks from the score that are memorable, such as “The Squad” and “That’s How I Cut and Run.” But the rest of the score is forgettable, especially when being drowned out by the more popular soundtrack. Steven Price is a very talented composer, and I love many of the film scores he’s done (especially Gravity), which makes Suicide Squad even more disappointing. 
#4: Wonder Woman by Rupert Gregson-Williams
Fortunately, the next DC score proved to be a million times more memorable. Rupert Gregson-Williams’ Wonder Woman score was excellent, plain and simple. From “Amazons of Themyscira” to “No Man’s Land,” the score enhances the footage in every way that it should. Then there’s the now-iconic Wonder Woman theme; after its introduction in Batman v Superman, it is perfected here.
The Wonder Woman score perfectly captures the tone and aesthetic of the movie. It’s memorable, epic, and just plain beautiful. Hopefully, Gregson-Williams is going to return for the sequel, or at least another DC movie down the line.
#3: Justice League by Danny Elfman
This score has particularly generated controversy amongst fans. Danny Elfman replaced Junkie XL as the composer of Justice League just as the reshoots were getting started. For this score, Elfman chose not to include past DC movie scores (save for a couple scenes), and instead creates an original score that includes bits of his Batman theme and John Williams’ Superman theme.
Overall, I loved the Justice League score a lot. “The Justice League Theme” pumps me up every time, while “Hero’s Theme” is just awesome. And let’s not forget how beautiful “A New Hope” is. I really dug how Elfman incorporated the iconic Batman and Superman themes; they’re not overbearing, they’re there in small doses, and they fit the scenes perfectly. No matter what other Zack Snyder shills DC fans think, I hope Elfman comes back for future films.
#2: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice seriously polarized fans and audiences, but one thing almost everyone agrees on is the score. Continuing on from his Man of Steel score, Hans Zimmer teams up with Junkie XL for the next film. The result is a majestic piece of art.
From “Their War Here” to “Black and Blue” to “This Is My World,” the Batman v Superman score is intense and simply epic. It elevates every scene, and it fits everything perfectly. While Junkie’s Batman theme may not be the most memorable (Elfman’s theme arguably is), it’s still good. If Zimmer is truly done with the superhero genre, then he really did go out on a high note.
#1: Man of Steel by Hans Zimmer
And finally, we have the original DC Films score. For Man of Steel, Hans Zimmer created a whole new sound for Superman, following decades of the John Williams score. This score is experimental, energetic, and (once again) epic. While there are people who don’t care for the movie itself, at least we can all agree that the score was awesome.
“Flight” is uplifting, “If You Love These People” is beautiful, and “Terraforming” gets your heart pumping for nearly 10 minutes straight. The score fits every scene perfectly, it enhances the entire movie, and it’s simply a masterpiece. Man of Steel easily has the best DC Films score, and one of the best in the genre’s entire history.
How would you rank the DC Films scores? Let us know on Twitter at @WatchtowerBabel.

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WOBAM! Entertainment.