Wonder Woman fans, the wait is finally over: The heroine is returning to theaters in Justice League. Many early reactions to the new film unsurprisingly name Gal Gadot's character as the best part of the movie, and overall the general consensus seems to be that the film is a pretty fun romp. And one aspect that no doubt plays a role in that fun atmosphere is the music, and what's on the Justice League soundtrack is a pretty great mix.
Since Justice League is meant to be an epic superhero movie featuring a number of the biggest heroes around — Wonder Woman, Batman, a resurrected Superman, etc. — teaming up to save the world, the music is decidedly epic as well. Although you will find a couple of popular songs on the film's official soundtrack, the bulk of the content consists of an original heroic score produced by none other than Danny Elfman. Elfman is without a doubt one of the most accomplished film composers of all time, with a number of classics on his résumé. He's well known for composing The Simpsons' iconic theme song, as well as his many collaborations with director Tim Burton, including composing the scores for Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, in which he also played Jack Skellington. And Justice League isn't his first foray into superhero territory, either.
Elfman composed the score — including the memorable theme — for Burton's 1989 film Batman, and its 1992 sequel, Batman Returns. He also helmed the music for 2002's Spider-Man and its 2004 sequel, plus the 2012 Will Smith vehicle Hancock. He even has a credit in the MCU, having composed the music for 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now, with Justice League, Elfman has perhaps his most epic composition yet, as the lengthy score includes themes for all of the film's DC heroes in some form or another. There are new theme songs for Cyborg, Aquaman, and The Flash, plus the powerful Wonder Woman theme that debuted in her solo film. Elfman's original iconic Batman theme from 1989 also makes its glorious return, as does the classic Superman theme by John Williams that debuted in 1978's Superman.
As far as non-score songs are concerned, the official soundtrack contains three. The lead off track is a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows," performed by Norwegian pop star Sigrid. Then, near the end of the soundtrack, you'll find The White Stripes' "Icky Thump," which appeared in one of the film's trailers, as well as a cover of The Beatles' "Come Together" by Gary Clark Jr. and Junkie XL, which appeared in another trailer. You can find the full track list for the soundtrack below:
- "Everybody Knows" - Sigrid
- "The Justice League Theme (Logos)"
- "Hero's Theme"
- "Batman on the Roof"
- "Enter Cyborg"
- "Wonder Woman Rescue"
- "Hippolyta's Arrow"
- "The Story of Steppenwolf"
- "The Amazon Mother Box"
- "Cyborg Meets Diana"
- "Aquaman in Atlantis"
- "Then There Were Three"
- "The Tunnel Fight"
- "The World Needs Superman"
- "Spark of The Flash"
- "Friends and Foes"
- "Justice League United"
- "Home"
- "Bruce and Diana"
- "The Final Battle"
- "A New Hope"
- "Anti - Hero's Theme"
- "Come Together" - Gary Clark Jr. & Junkie XL
- "Icky Thump" - The White Stripes
- "The Tunnel Fight" (Full Length Bonus Track)
- "The Final Battle" (Full Length Bonus Track)
- "Mother Russia" (Bonus Track)
The digital version of the soundtrack is already available for purchase, as it was released on November 10. A CD version is also on the way, but that won't be available until Dec. 8, according to Amazon. If you're not quite sold on buying the soundtrack but still want to listen to it, WaterTower Music — Warner Bros.' music division — has put the entire album on their YouTube channel for anyone to listen to. Check it out below.
By blending a few pop hits, some classic superhero themes, and a bombastic new score from the incomparable Elfman, Justice League has put together one of the most epic superhero movie soundtracks of all time — now here's hoping the rest of the movie lives up to it.
