In just a few weeks and after a number of delays due to the pandemic, Matt ReevesThe Batman will finally come to theaters, and along with it Michael Giacchino’s score. In anticipation of the film’s release, his new Batman theme has been released, and it really does pack a punch. Giacchino’s theme was first teased when Robert Pattinson’s test footage in the cape and cowl was released. While the theme itself evokes the dark, orchestral overtones often associated with Batman, Giacchino’s theme even has hints of the campy '60s Batman theme.

It’s a difficult task to adapt a new Batman theme, especially in the footsteps of Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, but Giacchino has followed in such legendary footsteps throughout his career. From Jurassic World to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Giacchino has also followed the great John Williams in producing movie scores. But his original scores, too, have had such a lasting impact on pop culture across television and film. Here are some of Michael Giacchino’s top scores throughout his career.

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7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

rogue-one-opening-scene
Image via Lucasfilm

Though it would have been interesting to hear Alexander Desplat’s take on a Star Wars score, especially since he previously worked on the final Harry Potter films by carrying on what John Williams had started in The Sorcerer’s Stone, Desplat would be replaced by Giacchino amidst the shuffle and reshoots on Rogue One. Giacchino was the first to score a Star Wars film apart from Williams, which was no easy task — part of what made Star Wars the pop culture juggernaut it is today is Williams’ original score.

But Giacchino is not to be underestimated. While his theme for the Empire is jarring at first, Giacchino does cite Williams’ Imperial March, which makes Darth Vader’s violent return all the more iconic. His original theme for Jyn Erso, intertwined with the Hope theme tied to the Rebellion, gives Rogue One a distinct yet familiar sound that fits in the galaxy far, far away.

6. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The ape army riding towards the humans
Image via 20th Century Fox

In another franchise with a rotating series of filmmakers and scorers, Giacchino entered the Planet of the Apes franchise with director Matt Reeves in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, succeeding Patrick Doyle’s work on Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Reeves’ collaboration with Giacchino began with Reeves’ directorial debut Cloverfield, which had no score apart from the end credits overture entitled Roar!

With War for the Planet of the Apes, Giacchino carries over the sentimental and tragic themes he introduced in Dawn, which helped humanize and characterize the leader of the Apes, Caesar (Andy Serkis). More importantly, Giacchino turns these themes into a triumphant elegy, as Caesar reaches the end of his story and becomes the mythological hero to the Apes by the trilogy’s end.

5. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Tom Holland as Spider-Man in 'No Way Home'

Giacchino, just as he did on Rogue One, had big shoes to fill with Spider-Man: Homecoming, which was Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) introduction into the shared Marvel Cinematic Universe. Danny Elfman’s score for Sam Raimi’s trilogy still evokes nostalgia for Tobey McGuire, and Hans Zimmer turned The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s score into an experiment with dubstep in his theme for Electro (Jaime Foxx).

Giacchino, smartly, ushered in the new Spider-Man with an orchestral rendition of the classic 1967 theme song. But with his own Spider-Man theme, Giacchino injected a youthful jubilance that matched Jon Watt’s vision for Peter Parker, a vision that harkened back to John Hughes’ 80s teen comedies. With No Way Home, Giacchino further harkened back to Spider-Man’s musical history by referencing Danny Elfman, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer in the film that united three generations of Spider-Man fans.

4. Lost (2004-2010)

lost tv show
Image via ABC

While Giacchino has grown to become one of this generation’s most prolific film scorers, he actually first worked in video game and television music. His collaboration with many Bad Robot productions began when J.J. Abrams brought him on to work on the music of Alias, the Jennifer Gardner-led spy show.

When Abrams went on to work on the acclaimed TV show Lost, Giacchino followed along. Giacchino’s work on Lost, which lasted six seasons and had a hold on pop culture that rivaled Game of Thrones, culminated in an emotion final track entitled Moving On. It was the perfect musical send-off for the characters that audiences became so attached to.

3. The Incredibles (2004)

the incredibles
Image via Disney Pixar

Before Giacchino’s work in the MCU through Doctor Strange and the Spider-Man “Home” Trilogy, he worked with the family of superheroes known as The Incredibles. It was the first of Giacchino’s long relationship with Disney Pixar, one that would later garner him an Academy Award.

His score captured the sporty and campy fun associated with the adventures of Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) and their children Dash, Violet, and Jack-Jack. While we can anticipate a darker superhero score with Giacchino in Reeves’ The Batman, his jazzy score in both Incredibles 1 and 2 highlights the kind of quirky, family-friendly fun Disney Pixar is known for.

2. Ratatouille (2007)

ratatouille
Image via Pixar

Yet another Giacchino-Pixar collaboration, Ratatouille highlights Giacchino’s strengths in not only family-friendly fun but also the empathetic touch he infuses in every score. In Planet of the Apes, he lets audiences relate to an ape’s heartfelt connections to his tribe and family. And in Ratatouille, he elicits a relatability to Remy (Patton Oswald), a rat with dreams and aspirations of becoming a chef in Paris’s most acclaimed restaurant.

There’s an energy to Giacchino’s score, too, one needed in scenes that take place in a fast-paced kitchen. Along with Camille’s Le Festin, Giacchino captures the atmosphere of Paris, its streets, and its nightlife. Ratatouille demonstrates the importance of a score not only in communicating character emotions but also in establishing setting, especially when such characters and settings are in animation.

1. Up (2009)

up disney pixar
Image via Disney Pixar

If you want to get a full serving of Giacchino’s talent and range, watch the opening scene of Disney Pixar’s Up. With just the first five minutes of the film, Giacchino’s score goes from innocent and joyous to tragic and heartbreaking, his track entitled Married Life fully capturing the love story of Carl (Ed Asner) and Ellie Frederickson (Elizabeth Docter). His Up score is perhaps his most recognizable work — with just the first four notes played with piano keys, Giacchino’s score can pull on your strings and break your heart at the same time.

While he was nominated for his score in Ratatouille, it’s no surprise that he eventually won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for his work on Up. While his work in adapting familiar themes across Star Wars, Planet of the Apes, Marvel, and now DC is impressive, his more original scores still showcase the kind of master maestro Giacchino has become.