Sometimes, with the world being on fire and the film/TV industry announcing things at a ridiculous rate, things fall through the cracks. But then out of nowhere, something catches your eye that isn’t exactly “new” but is interesting enough that we have to share. So, with that in mind, let’s talk about the Netflix sound and its incredible new composer.
You know the Netflix sound, right? The “TA-DUM!” that begins every Netflix original that signals that you’re in for either something really great…or just another mediocre offering from a streaming service that has oversaturated itself with an insane number of original programming that you’ll forget about the second you move on to the next bit of “content.” Well, that simple “TA-DUM!” might be startling and short enough to work online but in theaters, it just doesn’t cut it. So, Netflix changed the intro and brought in Hans Zimmer to make it even better.
As pointed out on Twitter, when you go to a Netflix film in theaters (yes, they occasionally do hit theaters), you might have realized that the streaming service has an elongated intro that feels more studio-like and has sweeping orchestration that arrives before the “TA-DUM!” Did you know that is courtesy of Hans Zimmer? That’s right, the man behind the ‘Dark Knight’ trilogy and an absolutely insane number of major film projects was reportedly brought on to enhance the Netflix intro music. And you know what? He didn’t disappoint.
READ MORE: Hans Zimmer Brought On To Score ‘No Time To Die’ After Composer Daniel Romer Departs
Of course, IMHO, anything is an upgrade over the simple Netflix sound that we’ve grown accustomed to over the years. Especially when you think about where the sound came from. The sound is inspired by a moment in “House of Cards” with Kevin Spacey’s Frank Underwood knocking on the Presidential desk in the Oval Office. That was when ‘Cards’ was really the biggest thing on the streaming service and one of the few original programs offered. That sound was then altered with the help of some musical people, but it hasn’t changed in the years since. And now with Spacey’s, uh, recent history and the fact that ‘Cards’ is just one of dozens of popular originals, it does feel a bit outdated.
So, instead of just releasing this Zimmer-scored music in theaters, how about Netflix adopts it company-wide?