Netflix commissioned famed composer Hans Zimmer to create a longer, cinematic version of the streaming platform’s iconic sonic logo for movie theaters.
As revealed in an episode of the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, the company enlisted Zimmer, the legendary composer behind the scores for Gladiator, Inception, Dunkirk, and countless other movies, to create an extended version of its sound ident for any movies that make the awards-qualifying push into theaters, such as Roma, Marriage Story, and The Irishman.
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
Siqi Chen shared Zimmer’s 16-second version of the intro on Twitter. The longer logo presentation builds upon the “call-and-response” sound of the original, shorter version of the Netflix ident by raising the tension and then releasing it. However, the expanded version swells to an orchestral peak before it reaches the widely-recognized “ta-dum,” which very nearly included the sound of a bleating goat.
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Netflix’s goat-free “ta-dum” quickly became one of the most iconic sonic logos of our generation. The ident prefaces all of the streamer’s original content, which they spend enormous amounts of money on in a bid to stay ahead of competitors in the crowded streaming landscape. In fact, it was projected that Netflix would be spending $17.3 billion on new content in 2020, up from $15.3 billion last year.
To get a better sense of what Netflix is getting in exchange for its expenditure, check out everything that is new to Netflix this month to fill up your watchlist, take a look at our rundown of the biggest shows coming to streaming in the second half of the year, and discover more about the very best original movies on the streaming service to listen to that classic “ta-dum” sound all over again.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Netflix Got Hans Zimmer to Rework Its 'Ta-Dum' Sound for Theaters