Trump Removes "Dark Knight Rising" Music From Campaign Video After Legal Threats

Warner Bros. didn't want their name associated with the pro-Trump ad.

BYAron A.
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Donald Trump has likened himself to Batman in the past so it didn't come as much of a shock when he decided to use the score of Dark Knight Rising for his campaign video. However, it probably would've been a wise decision to clear it with Warner Bros. before posting it.

Trump was forced to remove his Dark Knight Rising-themed campaign video for the 2020 elections today after Warner Bros. threatened him with legal action. The campaign video included music taken from Dark Knight Rising which was composed by Hanz Zimmer's as well as font taken from the film's title cards.

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"The use of Warner Bros.’ score from ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ in the campaign video was unauthorized,” a Warner Brothers spokesperson said in a statement before the removal. “We are working through the appropriate legal channels to have it removed.”

Trump uses the film's font while pushing for a 2020 victory. "First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they call you a racist. Donald J. Trump. Your vote. Proved them all wrong. Trump: The Great Victory. 2020,” it read across the screen.

The video also took aim at some of his political opponents such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton as well as Hollywood stars who've been critical of his presidency such as Amy Schumer and Rosie O'Donell. 

[Via]


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Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.