WaterTower Music has announced the release of the official Godzilla vs Kong soundtrack, featuring music by GRAMMY-nominated composer Tom Holkenborg, AKA Junkie XL. Junkie XL’s credits include Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
The Godzilla vs Kong soundtrack features 15 new tracks and is set to be released on March 26, a few days before the film’s March 31 release nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theaters and IMAX. In the U.S., the movie will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release.
Furthermore, today, March 12, sees the release of the Godzilla vs. Kong (Battle of the Beasts) EP, allowing fans the opportunity to now hear two tracks early, before the soundtrack release. It features the Titans’ themes “Pensacola, Florida (Godzilla Theme)” and “Skull Island (Kong Theme).”
Tom Holkenborg is abundantly clear about his passion for the project. “I’m a huge fan of Godzilla and Kong! I’ve watched over 35 Godzilla movies over the years, so geeking out with Adam over this film came naturally,” explained the composer.
“Kong is such an iconic character with over 90 years of scoring history behind him, and this was a perfect project for me to flex the retro monster orchestral scoring side of my brain, mixed with my very contemporary electronic side – in this case ’80s sequences and basslines in the vein of John Carpenter. In this score I am trying to emphasize the insanity of Godzilla and the humanity of Kong. In the spirit of the film, it was fun to get my mad scientist coat on and make some monstrous sounds!”
Holkenborg’s unique approach to scoring blends historical understanding of classical scoring technique with an embrace of cutting-edge technology. His artistic choice for Godzilla’s music sees the composer embracing his modern roots, leaning towards a robotic, all electronic score.
His take on Kong is a deep dive into the history of this monster’s score — the previously-referenced 90 years of scoring history — combined with sourcing rare instrumentation like stone flutes and marimbas. Holkenborg sampled a custom-made six-foot mega bass drum and the biggest bass amp in the world — a 13-foot-tall amp designed by lengendary bass amp maker Ampeg — to give the score its monstrous elements.
GODZILLA VS KONG SOUNDTRACK
1. Pensacola, Florida (Godzilla Theme)
2. Skull Island (Kong Theme)
3. Apex Cybernetics
4. A New Language
5. Just Now
6. Tasman Sea
7. Through There
8. Antarctica
9. Hollow Earth
10. The Throne
11. Lunch
12. Nuclear Blast
13. The Royal Axe
14. Mega
15. Hong Kong
Legends collide in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ Godzilla vs. Kong as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young, orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond.
But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The initial confrontation between the two Titans — instigated by unseen forces — is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.
The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown), Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, with Kyle Chandler and Demián Bichir.
Adam Wingard (The Guest, You’re Next) directed from a screenplay by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok) and Max Borenstein (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Kong: Skull Island), story by Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales) and Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields (Godzilla: King of the Monsters), based on the character Godzilla owned and created by TOHO CO., LTD. The film was produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, Jon Jashni, Thomas Tull and Brian Rogers, with Jay Ashenfelter, Herbert W. Gains, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira executive producing.