Everything we’ve seen and read about director Matt Reeves’ The Batman has indicated the movie will be the darkest, most somber live-action take on the Caped Crusader yet. Now that also applies to what we’ve heard from the movie. Warner Bros. has released the film’s official theme. It’s a moody track that will strike fear in the hearts of Gotham’s evil-doers. All while reminding fans of both Danny Elfman’s iconic Batman: The Animated Series theme song and the inherent hope the Dark Knight represents.
WaterTower Music, Warner Bros.’ official label, has shared the main title track from The Batman. The release comes less than two months ahead of The Batman‘s March 4 premiere.
The nearly seven-minute long song (which we first came across at GameSpot) is the work of Up‘s Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino. While certain elements of this song feel completely new to the world of the Dark Knight, it does also hearken back to Elfman’s famous theme in certain spots. If you only listen to snippets of Giacchino’s track you might never know this was a song for a Batman movie. At times it sounds more like a composition meant for a prestige drama hoping to win Best Picture. But other sections of the song are undeniably meant for a Batman movie.
Giacchino didn’t actually need to see the movie to compose the title track though. Reeves’ says his friend wrote and recorded the song before Reeves had done any filming.
This track even predates Robert Pattinson’s own screen test.
My brilliant friend @m_giacchino wrote this theme before I ever shot a frame of @TheBatman. I can still remember listening to it in my car with #DylanClark before we went onto the stage to do #RobertPattinson's screen test. We both had chills. Listen now: https://t.co/1t4ExcwfZd pic.twitter.com/hACMoP9bT0
— Matt Reeves (@mattreevesLA) January 21, 2022
“The Batman” is now available for fans to download and stream. And we imagine that’s exactly what many will do after hearing it.
This song works because it captures the many aspects of Batman. At various points it’s dark and moody, powerful and imposing, and vulnerable and hopeful. And that last elements is the most important. Even if The Batman ends up being as heavy as we think it will be, it will still be hopeful.