Andrew Heinzman
All Netflix subscribers should be familiar with the short, booming ‘da-dum’ sound that accompanies some shows and movies. It’s a powerful intro that sets the mood for late-night Netflix binges, although you won’t see it at festivals or theatrical events. No, Netflix commissioned Hans Zimmer to craft an extended version of the Netflix theme for cinematic venues.
You may not be familiar with Hans Zimmer’s name, but you’ve heard his music in films like Dunkirk, The Dark Knight Rises, Pirates of the Caribbean, and even The Lion King. The composer’s take on Netflix’s short ‘da-dum’ theme is 16-seconds long and features a full orchestra. It builds up slowly then snaps into place as the Netflix logo appears on-screen.
The Netflix "ta-dum" soundmark is one of the all time greats, but doesn't work as well in a theater because it's only 3 seconds long.
So Netflix commissioned Hans Zimmer to extend it for theaters and … it's … so … good.pic.twitter.com/RGw26vCAGY
— Siqi Chen (@blader) August 9, 2020
Netflix intends to use its cinematic theme at large venues, although we may see it on Netflix Original films in the future. The Academy plans to recognize streaming-only movies at the 2021 Oscars to account for the COVID-19 pandemic, and Netflix’s new cinematic theme could help it appear more “professional” alongside traditional movie studios.
Source: Netflix via TechRadar
