Yestreday it was reported that Danny Elfman has taken over as the composer of the “Justice League” movie, replacing Antonius Tom Holkenborg, better known as Junkie XL.
Holkenborg has since confirmed the news, revealing via Twitter that he was removed from the project.
#JusticeLeague pic.twitter.com/oCMbeJlK2j
— Tom Holkenborg (@Junkie_XL) June 15, 2017
“As my mentor Hans Zimmer told me: You haven’t made it in Hollywood as a composer until you get replaced on a project. So I guess I finally graduated this week.
It pains me to leave the project, but a big thanks to Zack for asking me to be part of his vision, and I wish Danny, Joss and Warner Bros. all the best with Justice League.”
“Justice League” will be released to theatres on November 17, 2017.
I thought Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL made a good team – especially on Man of Steel.
It’s my understanding that for the Batman music in BvS Junkie XL went solo and to be honest the music didn’t strike me as being particularly memorable.
That said I preferred the Man of Steel soundtrack to the BvS one overall. The most memorable musical addition in BvS was probably Wonder Woman’s theme.
Still I can’t help feeling a bit sorry for Junkie. Now we’ll never know what could have been. For all we know he might have done a good job.
I didn’t care for the Wonder Woman theme in BvS. It was better utilized (underscored) in the Wonder Woman movie though.
Well that’s because the Wonder Woman’s theme, like the Dark Knight, is really more of a cadence backed a regular and electric cello than an actual score.
As long as the cadence with the cello is maintained, it can written however the composer wants.
The course correction by the DCEU is at work after all. We won’t really know how his music sounds like, but maybe it’s a good thing for his career. I wish him nothing but the best and I did enjoy his music.
The course correction has been at work Since MOS started its theater run. I have little doubt that what has transpired since was ever part of the plan.
Extensive reshoots for Suicide Squad. The Flash has no final script, no director and no cast outside of the main actor and it was supposed to come out next year, but got bumped because of all the complications. Change in composer and reshoots for Justice League and the fact that nothing after Aquaman is even in the script phase tells me that they have no plan at all and are making this up as they go.
^ exactly
Well Charles Roven did say that the DCEU is on hold until post Justice League to gauge the reception. After that they will decide on how to move forward with the future of the DCEU. So I don’t think they are making it up as they go as much as they are pumping the breaks, stopping the car and trying to figure out why it’s not running right. Which is why I think all these changes are being made and Joss Whedon brought on board. WB needs JL to be a 1 billion dollar film. IMO, they should just delay… Read more »
I agree that that is the case now, but that before they were just reacting with no real plan.
I also agree that the timing of the release does not bode well for their bottom line and as such, they still seem to be chasing their tails.
You think they are desperate trying to prove themselves. But I’ll judge come November.
I don’t think anyone here is even implying that WB is “desperate to prove themselves” but rather that they need/want better results for investmenting millions upon billions into this franchise called the DCEU. It’s obvious the WB higher ups want a $250 million + investment in the production budget alone with a comperable amount in advertising to have a yield higher returns for their money. It’s obvious the WB higher ups want the movies to be better critically recieved to ensure a continued growth and success of the franchise. Your, my and any other fanboy’s judgment don’t mean squat if… Read more »
Well I’m curious to see how this turns out. To me, Elfman’s compositions are almost polar opposites to Zimmer and Holkenborg’s. Zimmer and Holkenborg favored stings and drums while Eflman heavily favors brass. I’m no expert in film composers, but if I wanted to get a composer that was similar to Zimmer and Holkenborg’s work I would have went with Steve Jablonsky or Brian Tyler. (The latter who worked with Joss Whedon on Avengers AoU with Danny Elfman and wrote the more Hans Zimmer like scores for that movie.) Looking at this is in essence, at least to me, saying… Read more »
I wonder if Joss is going to be credited, or at the end of the day is it going to just have Zach’s name attached?
¯_(ツ)_/¯
I’m pretty happy with this decision. I could never say anything negative about bringing on Danny Elfman into this film. His Batman theme still gives me goosebumps and ‘The Ice Dance’ in Edward Scissorhands is one of my all time favourite pieces of music. His music is very melodic and emotional. I think that is what these films need and not just in the music department. Emotion. The music in Batman V Superman was, for me, completely forgetful, over the top, noisy and clunky. Though it could be said that it matched the film and it’s storyline in that sense.… Read more »
I loved the Elfman work on the Burton Batman films, it was considered a dark movie for it’s time but strange that Danny considers his work to be dark and DC wants to get away from “dark”
Personally I would have done with Tyler Bates or or Brian Tyler, I could be wrong, but I don’t think Danny’s style will go well with Justice League.
I’m honestly not familiar with the guy’s work beyond BvS and I can’t formulate an opinion. It did take me a while to get used to his Batman theme, but I’ve grown to enjoy it quite a bit over time. I’m more concerned about Elfman than anything else. His music is traditionally not what I’d expect in a Justice League movie. I found it unfitting even in Spider-Man; not bad music by any means, it just didn’t fit.
I’m a little gutted with this news, Junkie XL’s themes suited BvS (although collaboration) in my opinion,so was interested to listen to his JL score of his own work, just like the music in Deadpool, I found it suited the movie.