Saudi Arabia has asked Hans Zimmer, known for the Lion King, Dune, and the Dark Knight trilogy, to work on a new version of the national anthem. The General Entertainment Authority chair, Turki Alalshikh, also reported Zimmer discussed working on a Saudi-inspired musical called Arabia and the soundtrack for “The Battle of Yarmuk,” an upcoming. According to the Guardian, “Activists have said the Saudi authorities’ push to upgrade their image is an attempt to gloss over unchanged hardline policies, including limited rights for women, restraints on free speech and some of the world’s highest execution figures.” To me, it just sounds like Khedive Ismail Pasha (r. 1863-1879) all over again, except this time maybe a city, NEOM, instead of a canal will break the bank.
