Man of Steel 2 is still in the earliest stages of development, leaving things mysterious as to where the long-awaited sequel could go. It's noted that star Henry Cavill wants to have a more optimistic, traditional take on Superman, and such a route was hinted at in the post-credits scene of Black Adam through a few familiar musical notes. However, these audio cues might be unwelcome in the future.
The familiar John Williams-composed Superman theme is iconic, but much like the Richard Donner/Christopher Reeve movies it appeared in, it's continued to haunt the character. Likewise, Hans Zimmer's score for Man of Steel has become iconic in its own right. So, when Superman returns to the big screen, he will need a change in theme song.
John Williams' Superman Theme Is Too Tied to the Past
The sprawling intro of Superman: The Movie, with its space-setting and whooshing effects, has defined Superman's cinematic existence for decades at this point. Perhaps the best part of this introduction is the boisterous theme march heard throughout. This theme from legendary composer John Williams would be used throughout Superman through Superman IV and returned for the Donnerverse retcon sequel Superman Returns. Similarly, Tom Welling's Clark Kent in the final moments of Smallville was accompanied by the theme, which is instantly recognizable as belonging to the Last Son of Krypton.
But as familiar as the theme is, it sadly curses Superman in a way other characters don't have to deal with. The various TV and cinematic versions of Batman have their own scores, with the same going for Spider-Man and the X-Men. And that is despite each having iconic themes from cartoons, shows and movies beforehand, with the filmmakers wisely choosing to create a separate identity for their takes on the properties. Superman deserves the same, and he shouldn't be forced to be permanently tied to an arguably campy and outdated film series just because it's iconic. That's especially the case if DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery want to really push the character to younger audiences. Thankfully, an alternative to constantly trotting out the Williams theme already exists.
Man of Steel 2 Needs Hans Zimmer's Score
As controversial as it may have been, few would deny that Man of Steel had a fantastic score by Hans Zimmer, with the "Man of Steel Theme" and "Flight" being pulse-pounding, epic anthems. Likewise, "Krypton's Last" was a frighteningly melancholy take on similar cues, with these and other songs coming together to replace similar music from the Williams score. It also gave Superman a truly modern sound that still fits him, which is likely why Junkie XL brought these themes back in his score for Zack Snyder's Justice League.
It would be a shame to simply throw away themes that have already been so heavily attached to Henry Cavill's Superman, regardless of how controversial his previous appearances may have been. Sure, a new score could be created for Man of Steel 2, but that's an even tougher sell, as it would involve the composer competing with two sets of great music. A better idea would be to draw from both Zimmer and possibly Williams' themes, albeit letting the former dominate. This way, a more traditional Superman feel is solidified. Audiences already believe that a man can fly, so it's time that DC Studios make it plain that they're choosing to go forward with a new Superman that still winks happily at the past.