After James Gunn's Superman Trailer Used John Williams' Iconic Score, I Hope The 2025 DC Movie Doesn't Forget Another Important Figure In The Man Of Steel's Legacy

James Gunn’s Superman trailer included a beautiful tribute to John Williams’ iconic theme, but I hope Gunn doesn’t ignore another composer who has an important role in Superman’s DC legacy. 1978’s Superman: The Movie is arguably the birth of the superhero genre. Christopher Reeve’s live-action version of Superman made viewers believe a man could fly, and the film is still seen as a landmark of cinematic spectacle. One of the film’s most memorable aspects is its excellent score, created by Williams, adding to his legendary discography.

His theme is still synonymous with the hero almost 50 years later. It was reused in 2006’s Superman Returns and an essential part of Superman‘s first trailer. However, it wasn’t used in 2013’s Man of Steel, as Zack Snyder’s films in the DCEU timeline had a different tone than the Richard Donner Superman films. Hans Zimmer composed the score for Man of Steel, and it may not have been as lighthearted as Williams’ theme, but it’s still an incredible composition that should be included in Gunn’s film.

How James Gunn’s Superman Trailer Implemented John Williams’ Score

The Superman trailer reminded audiences how powerful Williams’ score is.

The first Superman trailer includes a fresh spin on Williams’ theme. John Murphy, who previously worked with Gunn on The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, composed the score for Superman and created the trailer’s music. It starts with a solo guitar riff of Williams’ theme, paired with images of Superman bleeding in the snow and Clark Kent’s job at The Daily Planet. It’s a slow build, introducing viewers to David Corenswet’s Superman, Krypto the Superdog, and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane.

The trailer cuts to Superman saving a little girl from flying debris, where the music also becomes an epic orchestral version of Williams’ score. The music is paired with various scenes of Superman in different fights, Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor looking angry, and other heroes in action, such as Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific, and Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl. It is a slower version of Williams’ theme, but it does an excellent job of capturing the hope and amazement Superman creates.

James Gunn’s Superman Score Needs To Have A Bit Of Hans Zimmer In It

Hans Zimmer’s Man of Steel score deserves more love.

Man of Steel had mixed reactions upon its release, but it has developed a pᴀssionate fanbase over a decade later. However, no one argued that Zimmer’s score was excellent and one of the film’s highlights. It’s strikingly different from Williams’ theme, but it fits the tone of Snyder’s vision perfectly. It features a nice balance of strings and horns, but the percussion and drums make it stand out. Tracks like “Flight” and “What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World” capture the more somber, but hopeful tone that Snyder created.

Gunn’s Superman may not have a similar tone to Snyder’s, but he should find a way to include a musical tribute to Zimmer’s Man of Steel score. It’s a nice way to pay homage to the DCEU as the DCU begins, and it would make his film feel more grand by including Zimmer’s work. It would also honor all parts of Superman’s cinematic legacy. Before the trailer was released, Gunn shared a poster on social media featuring music that sounded like a blend of Zimmer’s and Williams’, so the director may have plans for it.

Zimmer Has Been A Major Contributor For DC Since Batman Begins

The German composer has created themes for several DC heroes.

Zimmer is one of the biggest contributors to DC’s most successful films. He created the score for The Dark Knight trilogy, giving audiences an incredible Batman theme that has become synonymous with the character. While Michael Giacchino’s The Batman score is great, Zimmer’s theme is tied to Batman, like Williams’ theme is tied to Superman. Nolan’s trilogy is brilliant, but it wouldn’t be the same without Zimmer’s music.

Zimmer returned to DC for Man of Steel and started the DCEU off on a high note. He also composed the music for Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice. While the movie divided audiences, Zimmer still delivered, especially with his original theme for Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, which carried over to her solo film. Zimmer’s last DC project was Wonder Woman 1984, and the movie still had an excellent score, despite its mixed results. The DCEU was inconsistent, but Zimmer always did an incredible job, no matter the film, and a place in the Superman soundtrack could further prove this.