Hans Zimmer To Score 'Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice' With Junkie XL
Around this time last year, Hans Zimmer was telling press he saw "so many good reasons" not to do the score for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Even after he eventually came around, he admitted that he was struggling to give the new Batman his own sound, distinct from the one he'd created for Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight movies. But now it looks like he's come up with a solution for the Batman v Superman score.
The composer revealed in a recent interview that he's bringing in some additional reinforcements in the form of Junkie XL, who he says will "take care of Batman." Hit the jump for more on Hans Zimmer's Batman v Superman plan.
You know something? I have agonized over it. I agonized over it, so much so that finally, I went, I don't want to betray what Chris, James Newton Howard and I did. And so I asked Zack [Snyder] if it would be OK if I called a friend in. And I'm going to be working with Junkie XL, who really is a great friend. He just finished the Mad Max score. I said to him, "You take care of Batman. I'll do the other guy." And Zack loved that idea. It's a way out.
Zimmer has been pretty open about the fact that the new Batman has been tough for him to figure out. Here's what he said about it back in April.
It's creating a bit of a problem in my head right now. Quite honestly, I've gotta sit down with Zack and have a chat with him about what he's trying to do because what I don't want to do is go back to that well. It's a different Batman; Christian Bale and what I did with Chris, that needs to have its autonomous life. I don't want to go and now appropriate that and put that into the other Batman.
Bringing on Junkie XL sounds like a smart solution. This way, Batman v Superman: Man of Steel gets to keep that familiar Zimmer sound, Zimmer gets to avoid repeating himself, and Junkie XL gets to his chance to contribute a new Batman theme. Zimmer and Junkie XL have worked together several times before, including on The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel. But Junkie XL wasn't the primary composer on those, so he shouldn't face the same struggle as Zimmer.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.