Junkie XL was supposed to score Justice League but when Joss Whedon took over directing duties from Zack Snyder, he hired Avengers: Age of Ultron composer Danny Elfman. In a new interview, Elfman has shed some light on what we should expect from his work on the superhero ensemble and perhaps the most interesting revelation is that he's found a way to incorporate the classic Superman theme!
"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."
That is a surprise. Superman Returns used it because it was a spiritual sequel to the original movies and Smallville frequently made use of it too. However, throwing it into the DC Extended Universe is a shocking move but it sounds like it will be used in a far from traditional manner; could it be when he returns from the dead with an evil makeover? Based on what Elfman is saying, it's a possibility!
As for what led to the theme being included in Justice League, Elfman pointed to the nostalgia factor.
"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 bullshit. 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."
The composer then went on to address what he's done with the rest of the team and it sounds like he's laid the groundwork for future composers to take inspiration from his work on the superhero movie.
"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."
What do you guys think of Elfman's remarks, and more specifically, the promise of Superman returning but his allegiances being unclear? As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section!