Hans Zimmer has reportedly replaced Dan Romer as composer on No Time to Die. The Oscar-winner is well-versed in the art of composing blockbusters by now, having worked on Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy (which released from 2005-12). He also collaborated with Nolan on his original sci-fi films Inception and Interstellar and WWII thriller Dunkirk, picking up Oscar nominations for all three of them. Of course, his resume extends well beyond that, including everything from The Lion King (which he won his Oscar for) to Driving Miss Daisy, Gladiator, Sherlock Holmes, and a whole lot more.
Curiously, as prolific as he is, Zimmer has yet to contribute music to the James Bond franchise. Since Daniel Craig took over playing Bond in 2006, the films have been scored by David Arnold (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace) and Thomas Newman (Skyfall and Spectre), with Arnold having previously composed Pierce Brosnan’s last three movies as Agent 007. Romer was originally announced to score No Time to Die, reuniting him with his Beasts of No Nation and Maniac director Cary Fukunaga. Now, it appears Romer has stepped away from the film, with Zimmer taking over his spot.
Variety is reporting Zimmer has taken over scoring No Time to Die, with creative differences being cited as the reason for Romer’s departure. Zimmer, MGM, and Eon Productions have yet to confirm or deny the news, but multiple sources tell Variety Romer left the project last month.
Zimmer is already scoring several films opening in 2020, including the sequels Wonder Woman 1984 and Top Gun: Maverick. Having never provided music for a Bond film before, it would make sense if Zimmer jumped at the opportunity to do so on No Time to Die, even with everything else on his plate. He is also slated to score Denis Villeneuve’s Dune later this year, so he won’t have much of a break between working on the next 007 adventure and reuniting with the Blade Runner 2049 director. Variety notes the short turnaround between Zimmer signing on and No Time to Die’s release in early April may require the addition of Zimmer’s previous collaborators like Benjamin Wallfisch (who co-scored Hidden Figures and Blade Runner 2049 with Zimmer) or Lorne Balfe (who contributed to the Zimmer-scored The Dark Knight and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows). For the time being, Wallfisch and Balfe have refrained from commenting on the possibility.
Creatively speaking, Zimmer is a promising match for a James Bond film. The action franchise’s scores have typically been intense, suspenseful, and propulsive, which are all things he knows how to do exceptionally well. Admittedly, Zimmer can be guilty of repeating himself, and some of his blockbuster movie themes are far more memorable than others. However, because he’s a newcomer to the world of Bond, the hope is No Time to Die will bring out something fresher and more invigorating from the legendary composer. If his efforts on Bond style globe-trotting adventures like Inception are anything to go by, Craig’s final mission as Agent 007 should be in safe hands.
Source: Variety
- Bond 25 Release Date: 2021-10-08
