Warner Bros. is taking us back to Gotham for a three-part movie event, Batman: Knightfall, with Part 1 scheduled for late 2026. Moreover, they hired John Jennings Boyd and Eric V. Hachikian to write the music for it.

Keep reading to learn more about the film and the composers attached to it.

John Jennings Boyd and Eric V. Hachikian Are Scoring Warner Bros.’ Batman: Knightfall

Batman is forever, but Bane has other plans in the first part of the upcoming animated Batman trilogy, Batman: Knightfall, from Warner Bros. Moreover, these films will follow the same storyline as the 1990s DC comic event. In other words, Bane broke the entire Rogue’s Gallery out of Arkham Asylums, pushing the Caped Crusader to his breaking point.

Furthermore, WB hired John Jennings Boyd and Eric V. Hachikian to write the music for the event, which begins later this year. Now, that’s impressive, seeing that this isn’t just another Batman movie. That’s because it’s more of a dark psychological thriller than a superhero one, with themes of dread, exhaustion, obsession, pain, and a legend pushed past the edge.

Batman: Knightfall Part 1 Arrives Later This Year

We don’t have to wait long for it either. That’s because the first film, Batman: Knightfall – Part 1, is expected to be released later this year, though not in theaters. Instead, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will drop it on VOD, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.

While that’s unfortunate, we can rest easier knowing that it’ll only be Part 1. Such a landmark DC Comics event needs time to breathe, and this trilogy format lets it do so without compressing the narrative into a single feature.

Boyd and Hachikian: A Smart Move For Batman: Knightfall

That’s also why John Jennings Boyd and Eric V. Hachikian were the best picks for the Batman: Knightfall soundtrack. They’re no strangers to animation and thus understand the rhythm and intensity of animated action films.

For instance, Boyd’s background includes WB’s animated Mortal Kombat Legends, as well as Minions, Despicable Me 3, and The Smurfs films. All of these films required aggressive action writing, emotional stakes, and a sense of momentum to match their stylized violence and character dramas. That should translate well to Knightfall.

Meanwhile, Hachikian brings an equally wide-ranging musical resume to the project. That’s because he wrote music for such hits as:

  • The White Lotus
  • Marco Polo
  • Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker
  • Mortal Kombat Legends
  • How High 2
  • The Wrestler
  • Homeland

Consequently, Batman: Knightfall isn’t their first collaboration, either. For example, they both worked on Mortal Kombat Legends, as noted above. So, we know they can work together easily without issues.

Batman: Knightfall: The Sound of Batman’s Breaking Point

That doesn’t mean the project will be easy for them. That’s because the Batman franchise is known for its great music. And thus, they will be judged accordingly.

For instance, will the Batman: Knightfall soundtrack match Danny Elfman’s operatic darkness? Or will it take a page from the brooding propulsion of Hans Zimmer or James Newton Howard? And we haven’t begun talking about the animated Batman films and series yet.

That’s because animation has its own musical language. As a result, we can only hope that Knightfall will refrain from imitating live-action blockers and instead go with something bold, atmospheric, and character-driven.

Final Thoughts

That said, DC is often done best animated. There are only a few terrible DC animated series or films, and even those are still decent to watch. So, whatever happens, Batman: Knightfall should do its source material justice. And with Boyd and Hachikian doing the music, I’m certain of it.

Either way, I’ll post my album guide and review of the Part 1 soundtrack when it drops. Until then, post your thoughts on the films in the comments below. You can then read my review of the Batman Beyond soundtrack here.


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