10 Classic Songs Reimagined for Dramatic Film Trailers

Dec 13, 2023

10 Classic Songs Reimagined for Dramatic Film Trailers

Music in cinema has always been a crucial element, evoking emotions, enhancing storytelling, and leaving a lasting impression on the audience. This is particularly true in film trailers, where music plays a vital role in setting the tone and capturing the essence of the movie in just a few minutes.

The music picked for a film trailers can be a powerful tool that transports viewers to different emotional landscapes, enhances storytelling, and leaves a lasting impression. Reimagining old songs further enhances this experience, combining familiarity with innovation to create a truly memorable and impactful trailer. Here we look at 10 recent film trailers that used older songs for dramatic purposes. Here is 10 Old Songs Reimagined for Dramatic Film Trailers.

Saw X (2023) – The Air That I Breathe – The Hollies

Saw X had heavily promoted itself as somethign very different from the other films in the framchise, being a prequal; but more importantly, and a more personal jounrey for John Kramer. The use of the Hollies classic The Air That I Breathe, establishing a distinct identity for Saw X whilst also twisting the words of the song to fit the films violent content. The lyrics, “Sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe,” take on a chilling undertone, reflecting the characters’ struggle for survival against insurmountable odds.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023) – Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins

Smashing Pumpkins’ Bullet With Butterfly Wings quickly became an anthem for a generation grappling with societal disillusionment on it’s release in 1995. Dispite the songs deep and meaningful lyrics, this fact seems lost on t the people behind the trailer for The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Used here on merely thematic grounds thanks to the line “The world is a vampire , Sent to drain secret destroyers”. Not really an appropriate song at all, but that’s showbiz!

Us (2019) – I Got 5 On It – Luniz

A better example of a song well used; and just in general one of the better edited film trailers in recent years, is Jordan Peel’s trailer for US (2019). Using the song I Got 5 On It as the key musical element for the trailer, the chilling trailer manages to adjust the tone and tempo of the trailer by simply playing a slowed down version to increase the tension and send those chills hooting down your spine! Creepy stuff.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021) – White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane

The Matrix film series had always alluded to Alice in Wonderland, so it was no surpise to hear the Wonderland inspired song White Rabbit appear in the trailer for the 2021 sequel Matrix Resurrections. Using the lyrics and isolated music track, the trailer is rooted in the idea that much like Alice, Neo is once again tumbling down the rabbit hoel to an unknow, yet fantastical, destination.

Uncharted (2022) – Ramble On – Led Zeppelin

The film adaption of the popular Uncharted film series fell in suit with it’s game counterpart and set the film on an epic globe trotting adventure for treasure. It’s no shock than that the film makers featured Led Zepplins classic Lord of the Rings inspired song Ramble On for one of it’s trailers. Yes we get it…adventure is ahead!

Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) – What’s Up? – 4 Non Blondes

A surprise turn here for the remake of the Resident Evil films, which used a much loved 90’s classic and turned it into something somewhat sinister. Resident Evil – Welcome to Racoon City included the track “What’s Up?” to highlight the unusualy and, quite frankly, terrorfying events taking place in town. The Zombies, killer dogs and mutant Lickers… oh my!

The despondent song and it’s lyrics paints the perfect bakcdrop to the unfolding terror in the trailer. What is going on indeed?

Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Elton John

Marvel ceratinly know how to turn out a great looking tariler, even if the film itself is all action and little plot, much like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, the third film in the Ant-Man series. The trailer makes great use of Elton John’s otherworldy song Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The titular road is a reference to L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz film and book series, where Dorothy Gale is transported to a strange world filled with fantastical characters and creatures. This perfectly reflect the events of Quantumania, where Scott Lang and his family are sucked down into the Quantum realm, where they must find away to return home.

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) – Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks

After three smash hit features, John Wick returns once more for one last action packed hurrah, with John Wick: Chapter 4. Centered on John settling all depts on a one on one battle with the High Tables Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, it’s pretty much do or die for the action hero. Reflecting the films premise, Terry Jacks reworked classic Seasons in the Sun plays through out, with high emphasis on the lyrics “it’s hard to die!”. After 3 film films and hundreds of dead goons behind him, John Wick certainly can relate to these meaningful words.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) – Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin

For many years, film companies have been scartvhing thier heads trying to think how to being a Dungeons and Dragons film to life. With a half finished TV series and one failed movie behind them, this latest attempt went down the marvel route and mixed action with comedy. Less Conan and more Ant-Man. Whilst Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is OK, the trailer felt like it was trying too hard, chucking in the classic Led Zepplin song Whole Lotta Love. What has this got to do with the movie… literally nothing. However, it’s a banging tune and deservers a spot as our number 2. Bad trailer, wicked song!

Cocaine Bear (2023) – White Lines – Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel

The surprise hit horror of 2023 has to be the amazing Cocain Bear, brought to life from actress and director Elizabeth Banks, who managed to turn a ridiculous concpet into a compelling and bloody entertaining slasher. The film follows a failed drug drop that results in a massive Bear going homicdale in the Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest. The trailer pulls out a classic track White Lines by Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel, with lyrics that are clearly talking about cocain. The trailer is simple, effective and very funny.