Any word on what the theme tune will be like?

[Shapeshifter]

The way these usually work; if they DO use rotating artists for the title theme, the music for the show itself will probably be done by one composer; with usage of songs by various artists. That's the way most of these shows are scored these days, but it will be up to the music supervisor.

[Victor Kros]

Something you might want to be aware of here Shapeshifter, NBCU doesn't have the rights to use the theme Glen A Larson and Stu Phillips originally created. Everytime they try to use it, they have to pay both of them royalties and this will be no different for their backdoor pilot. They might want to really consider how much they're going to have to pay if they have several artists remix it. Since you said it is the "original" theme and not just a sampled rap song, it's going to cost them.

FYI, the original music is planned to be used in the feature film.

=VK=

[Michael Pajaro]

There is another possibility, which is that the theme song may play in the background somewhere during the movie as a homage.

They did that in the new Battlestar Galactica mini-series. The original theme music was played during the decommissioning ceremony of the Galactica. If you never saw the original, then it just seemed like typical music you would hear at any military event. But it was a nice touch for the old fans.

[Shapeshifter]

Something you might want to be aware of here Shapeshifter, NBCU doesn't have the rights to use the theme Glen A Larson and Stu Phillips originally created. Everytime they try to use it, they have to pay both of them royalties and this will be no different for their backdoor pilot. They might want to really consider how much they're going to have to pay if they have several artists remix it. Since you said it is the "original" theme and not just a sampled rap song, it's going to cost them.
=VK=

Whatever costs are involved to secure the useage rights to the music for the pilot has been included in the budget.

As far as what happens with the music for a potential series, that will be determined down the road.

Whatever theme is used, royalties would have to be paid to the composer(s) regardless of who wrote it. I would think that Stu and Glen would be happy to get some royalties for the use of the theme. If they don't want their music used, the producers will go another direction.

[scottab21]

Well first of all, you can't have Knight Rider, in any iteration, without some form of the original theme. It's just so well known, the two go hand in hand. I would love to hear Toni Nummela's theme used in the opening of either the NBC pilot, or the movie version!