‘The Batman’ Theme Distracted Some Fans — ‘All I Could Hear Was the ‘Star Wars’ Music’
The Batman theme music is dark and defiant, perfectly suited for the superhero’s emotional journey. But while watching the movie, some fans noticed how similar the melody is to Star Wars “Imperial March” and they admitted it was a little distracting.
Some fans were distracted by how similar ‘The Batman’ theme is to Star Wars’ Darth Vader theme music
Fans have been waiting to see writer/director Matt Reeves’ noir vision for their beloved superhero for nearly two years. So when The Batman premiered on March 4, fans flocked to theaters in droves.
It is now the second-biggest opening film since the pandemic. In its first weekend alone, the Robert Pattinson-starrer made $128 million in North America and $120 million overseas.
The majority of fan reviews for The Batman are positive. Audiences were wowed by Greig Fraser’s gorgeous cinematography. And many loved Reeves’ unique telling of the hero’s story.
But some fans admitted they were a little distracted by the film’s score. As it crept up in the background, some couldn’t help but think of Star Wars’ “Imperial March.”
“Did anyone notice the score sounded a LOT like Star Wars?” one Reddit fan wrote. “It was missing one or two cords but all I could think of was Darth Vader.”
“It was really hard for me to get past it, all I could hear was the Star Wars music,” another Redditor added. “I think without that last little dun dun, it really threw me off.”
But others felt ‘The Batman’ theme worked perfectly
Some fans may have been distracted by the similarities between The Batman theme and the Star Wars score. But others felt like the music really enhanced the hero’s journey.
“The main motif of his theme (DUHHHHH DUH DUUUUUUUH duhhhhhh) features throughout,” a Reddit user shared. “But it’s really cool how it’s adapted to the mood of a scene.”
“The score is truly a work of art,” another Redditor added. “And I loved how aspects of the score blended in perfectly with sounds within the scene itself.”
‘The Batman’ theme producer Michael Giacchino worked on a ‘Star Wars’ project
The Batman theme and soundtrack were produced by Grammy, Academy Award, and Emmy-winning music composer Michael Giacchino. He’s scored some of the biggest movies in recent years, including Ratatouille, The Incredibles 2, The Planet of the Apes films, Doctor Strange, the latest Spider-Man trilogy, the Jurassic World movies, and Jojo Rabbit.
And while fans compare Giacchino’s The Batman theme to the “Imperial March,” it’s important to note that the composer also worked on a Star Wars film. In 2016, he created the soundtrack for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
The Batman is Giacchino’s fifth film with Reeves. As reported by Variety, he recorded The
soundtrack over 12 days in London with a 70-piece orchestra and six-singer boys choir. And he worked very closely with the filmmaker in developing the score’s tone and feel.
“Michael brought soul, he brought dread, he brought all of the emotional and atmospheric undercurrents that a movie like this requires,” Reeves told the outlet. “You almost can’t articulate what he brings — you can just feel it, how he expresses himself through music, how it relates to the story.”
Giacchino’s next projects include Jurassic World: Dominion and Thor: Love and Thunder. He is also working on a new TV project for Marvel.
