Composer Grant Kirkhope has revealed details about his work on the soundtrack for Rayman Legends Retold, including the new dark themes he wrote for The Land of the Livid Dead world and two Dragon Ride levels. The remake is set to release on PS5, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on December 3, 2026.
A Legendary Composer Joins the Remake
Kirkhope, whose credits include GoldenEye 007, both Banjo-Kazooie titles, and Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, was approached by Ubisoft to contribute new music to the remake. He said he was "very flattered" to be asked, noting that his previous collaboration with original composer Christophe Héral on the Mario + Rabbids DLC went well despite limited direct contact.
"I think of Christophe as a mad Frenchman. He's super good fun," Kirkhope said. "His music is absolutely fantastic. So in a way it was a bit of a no-brainer because we really get along and musically we really get along together."
Writing the Dark Sound of the Livid Dead
Ubisoft asked Kirkhope to score The Land of the Livid Dead, the extra world added for the remake, plus two of the new Dragon Ride levels. He explained that the developers wanted the section to feel "super dark," a departure from the usual quirky Rayman tone.
"I love to write spooky music. It was super cool to get asked and unexpected to get to write that kind of music," Kirkhope said. The audio director, Charlie, sent him artwork, level videos, and reference material including Danny Elfman scores to help set the direction.
Working Quickly and Sculpting Dragon Rides
Kirkhope described his fast, workmanlike approach to composition, sending short samples early to confirm the direction before writing full pieces. For the on-rails Dragon Ride levels, he found the format similar to scoring a movie, allowing him to match the music precisely to the action.
He also confirmed that he worked on one of the rhythm-based levels featuring licensed music, but kept the details secret. "I couldn't believe they got the particular song and they wanted me to arrange it a particular way like a brass ensemble thing," he said.
Asked about a potential third Mario + Rabbids game, Kirkhope said he would love to return but considers it unlikely. "The original team from Ubisoft quit and went to do Bradly the Badger now," he noted, adding that it would ultimately be Ubisoft's call.
