Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich has confirmed that the legendary rockers are working on releasing on an orchestral version of their iconic track ‘Nothing Else Matters’ for the movie Jungle Cruise.
Speaking to Collider, Ulrich revealed that Metallica had been working with composer James Newton Howard on the track for the forthcoming flick, which stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt and is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
“It really goes back to [Disney production president] Sean Bailey, who is a lifelong rock fan, and is just all-around one of the greatest, most friendly, generous, warm, and embracing people you’ll find in the music business,” Ulrich explained to the publication.
“I think he’s always been a Metallica fan, and we’ve gotten to know each other well. My wife and I are big Disney fans, so there’s a great friendship there, and he’s always looked for the right match where there was a way that Metallica could contribute to some project of theirs. This was the right fit, with Sean leading the calvary, and with James Newton Howard and his track record, and what he’s done.”
Ulrich went on to say that he’s keen to work with the eight-time Oscar nominee, having being renowned for films such as The Fugitive and The Village.
“James Newton Howard, the man, the myth, the absolute legend,” Ulrich explained.
“Considering what’s he’s done, it’s an absolute honour to have done this with him, and we’re excited for the world to hear it. It’s kind of an interesting morph because it’s kind of — and I don’t want to give too much of it away — but it’s a very unusual morph in that it’s kind of his arrangement of ‘Nothing Else Matters’ that we’re playing.”
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He continued, “We wrote the song, but he took the song and rearranged it to fit something specific in the film — and obviously, I’m not going to give any of that away — but we then kind of took on his version of it. I think that’s all that should be said.”
The band’s contribution to Jungle Cruise came about when Mitchell Leib, the president of music and soundtracks for The Walt Disney Studios, told The Entertainment Outlet that he was working with the drummer on the film.
Leib said of the retake on the classic, “I came up with the idea of, let’s have some fun, and why don’t we take your tracks up to Metallica’s studio in San Francisco, and why don’t we have Lars do the drum tracks, and James Hetfield do some of the guitars, and have Rob [Trujillo]… and so I’m dealing with Metallica right now, and as well as helping him [Lars] become an Academy member.”
Jungle Cruise is set to hit Aussie cinemas on July 29th, 2021.
Check out ‘Nothing Else Matters’ by Metallica:
