Justice League just got a big feather in its cap. Composer Danny Elfman is going to score the DC Extended Universe film. Danny Elfman! This is a huge deal for a multitude of reasons. The biggest one that we have to address right out the gate is that Elfman is going to be involved with another iteration of Batman. And if you don’t know why that’s exciting, you are in for the treatiest of treats…
The Caped Composer
Elfman’s contribution to Tim Burton’s Batman is unquantifiable. The famous theme he created has been an iconic part of the character’s legacy for almost three decades. In all honesty, I think his score for the sequel, Batman Returns, is some of his best work ever. He got to create clear themes for the villains as well in that film, and his theme for Catwoman is one of my favorite pieces of film music ever made.
But Elfman didn’t stop at Batman. He also composed the excellent music for Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. Not to mention his work with Joss Whedon – who is taking over post-production for Zack Snyder – on Avengers: Age of Ultron. This whole article could be a list of Elfman’s greatest achievements, but let’s spend a little time speculating on what to expect from Justice League.
A Brand New Batman Theme?
Personally, I hope Elfman can bring his talent for themes to this universe. Man of Steel and Wonder Woman have very solid themes for their heroes, but Batman hasn’t really gotten one that stands on its own. Could Elfman get the opportunity to craft a brand new Bat-theme? And how about the other heroes like Aquaman, Flash, and Cyborg? Is Elfman going to be tasked with creating their musical identities as well? And does this mean he could follow Whedon onto his eventual Batgirl film? Could Danny Elfman create generation-defining themes for Batman AND Batgirl?!?!
Regardless, this is great news. Elfman is one of the greatest film composers of all time. Yes, he has his particular quirks and can get a little repetitive depending on who he’s working with. (You know who I’m talking about) But, he’s up for the challenge and we’re ready to hear it. Justice League just got a lot more interesting. We’ll have to see how it all plays out when the film hits theaters on November 17.
