The Problem with (and Evolution of) the Music of the MCU

Despite the great popularity and financial success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the franchise’s scores seem to be, unfortunately, largely forgettable. Every Frame a Painting’s video essay, now famous among cinephiles, on this subject (http://y2u.be/7vfqkvwW2fs), argues that the scores rely too heavily on temp music. Dan Golding produced a response video addressing the temp music issue: https://youtu.be/UcXsH88XlKM. These pieces cover concerns not only about the MCU, but the film industry in general, and while Hollywood’s use of temp music is nothing new, the utilization of digital technology may be stifling originality. However, the issue seems to go deeper than the MCU simply not having a memorable theme or adapting relatively bland temp music. The Avengers theme stands out as the best and most memorable theme song in the franchise, and just because it may not be the easiest to hum doesn’t mean it isn’t good. HelloLillyTV made a similar argument in their own video essay, which you can view here: https://youtu.be/Bxr2rGvVwUE. This video suggests that the theme song conveys grandeur and augments moments when the team is working together, but is not as memorable because it wasn’t used in marketing, at least before Infinity War and Endgame. However, I think the difficulty goes beyond the theme being recognizable. I believe the argument that’s closest to the heart of this problem is JulienCFDurand’s video (https://youtu.be/tmCdBD0TNnE), which touches on the chief dilemma with the MCU, which is the lack of a consistent signature theme for main characters employed across several films. HelloLillyTV briefly mentioned this issue as well. But, taking this line of reasoning one step further, the main problem is that in the first two phases, a different composer wrote the score for each of the superheroes’ solo films, leading to a lack of musical consistency for the characters. One of the fun parts of seeing a sequel to a favorite movie, especially one for which you like the soundtrack, is to hear old themes repeated, which conjure up images of the characters in the film. Audiences, conditioned by the themes for Darth Vader and the shark in Star Wars and Jaws, respectively, exhibit a near-Pavlovian response of dread for the characters’ appearance, even before they appear in a shot. The best sequel scores preserve established themes, yet augment them by the introduction of new ones that effectively transport the viewer to the same world, but with new circumstances and characters. For instance, in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, composer James Newton Howard borrows many of the previous films’ themes when appropriate, but introduces new ones, such as those employed in the first track of the Catching Fire soundtrack. Iron Man, released in 2008, featured music composed by Ramin Djawadi. The main theme is reminiscent of the song “Iron Man” that was used in the credits, but was memorable enough, fitting the tone of the film and character perfectly. It’s probably one of the best scores of the MCU. You can hear this memorable main theme here: (https://youtu.be/s5Cf2J64Xmk), but unfortunately it applies exclusively to the first film. In its followup, Iron Man 2, despite Jon Favreau’s return as director, Djawadi was replaced by John Debney, who started from scratch (https://youtu.be/sK81B9G8y1M). Ironically, Debney was initially hired to score the first Iron Man before being replaced by Djawadi. The second movie’s music retains the same hard metal rock aesthetic, yet deviates from the established theme. As a result, the score reflects the change in tone between the two films. Iron Man 2 falls short of its predecessor, both the film as a whole and its score. An established theme for Iron Man would have lent continuity going into The Avengers, yet his musical introduction bore little resemblance to the main themes of the previous films (https://youtu.be/_0G_UWm0rbw). Alan Silvestri scored The Avengers, marking the third composer of a film featuring Iron Man. Although it could be argued that an Iron Man theme might have distracted from an ensemble cast movie, yet a signature melody would have been a subtle and subconscious reminder to the audience of his unique character and arc, which existed long before the Avengers assembled. After all, the first two-thirds of the film covers the characters clashing, rather than uniting, to become a force for good. Then for Iron Man 3, a fourth composer, Brian Tyler, gave the film an entirely new theme (https://youtu.be/Y633472KofU). This third movie, under the direction of Shane Black, examines Iron Man’s humanity and weakness, while the distinctive score adds a rich, satisfying, memorable layer to the project. This melody is used briefly during the Hulkbuster scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron, adding to the continuity since Iron Man 3 was Stark’s previous appearance, and it makes sense since Tyler was one of two composers for that film, too. However, this inclusion isn’t noticeable unless you’re carefully listening for it and is only effective in recalling this particular film, not the history of the franchise or characters in the MCU’s Phase One. (https://youtu.be/5n3n4D2KMG8). Some other film series that changed directors and either retained composers or employed new composers who preserved the original tunes, such as Pirates of the Caribbean or The Hunger Games, did so to great effect. Even The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which changed directors, composers and studios, employed the main theme from the prior two projects several times, orienting the audience to a continuing story set in the same world, just a different part of it. However, for the Iron Man series, even with all the continuity across the films (save for Don Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard), the lack of a true Iron Man musical motif instantly identifying the character is keenly felt. The founder of the MCU deserved better. With this in mind, it’s important to consider themes for the other Avengers as well. Thor probably suffers the most from the temp music theory that Patrick Williams mentioned in his video essay. Each of the three Thor films has a different composer, and thus different themes. They are, for the first movie: (https://youtu.be/tTNC_8nCJdo), for The Dark World (https://youtu.be/Bd6F2UOjOI8), and for Ragnarok (https://youtu.be/anjqb_JPJ7A). Unlike the Iron Man films, there is some consistency between them, but it’s too subtle to be very noticeable. The Dark World and Ragnarok borrow from the first film. Ragnarok also utilizes music from The Dark World and Age of Ultron, but only to call back on specific moments. The former was used during the scene of the play near the beginning and the latter during the arena fight when Thor tries to lullaby the Hulk back to Banner. This starts to cement some continuity among those films. However, in both instances the score was used to great effect, recalling specific moments in those earlier projects. The result is three totally distinct themes for each movie. Since each project has a different director and tone, it sort of works. However, a consistent, recognizable theme for each major character would have punctuated each one’s story arc and accentuated key moments in the films. Silvestri’s score for Captain America: The First Avenger establishes a strong main theme for the superhero (https://youtu.be/Nyu_wM73uP4). In The Avengers, Captain America benefits from having the same composer as in his second film, and his theme appears once in the soundtrack (https://youtu.be/SL4aU2_s2FY). The melody was also employed during Captain America’s cameo in Thor: The Dark World, which was released six months before Steve Roger’s next solo film. However, Henry Jackman replaces Silvestri in The Winter Soldier, using the original theme once at the beginning, then overshadowing it with new melodies. Despite these new themes in the sequel, the original briefly reemerges in Age of Ultron. Unlike for Iron Man and Thor’s threequels, Jackman returned for the third entry, Civil War, again employing familiar themes from The Winter Solider. However, the first film’s theme is ignored, yet some continuity is retained (https://youtu.be/j1wTH-89BU8). Granted, the post-Avengers Captain America films frame a different, modern approach, with the old theme infused only in scenes referencing his old life. The use of the same composer for the two Captain America sequels also allowed The Winter Soldier to maintain its music. In short, Captain America, with the advantage of starting out with the same composer for two films in a row, has had more consistency than Thor or Iron Man, even if his theme has been gradually replaced. As a result, he has two musical motifs that audiences can connect with across multiple movies, and they change as Steve Rogers and his surroundings have transformed over the trajectory of the superhero’s story. However, Captain America also benefits from having his original composer score the last two Avengers films, especially Endgame, since, as his story came to a close, his old theme returned as he went back to his roots by traveling back in time. Thus, his musical arc reflects the one his character experiences. Group theme songs fare better in the MCU. As previously mentioned, the Avengers theme song is arguably the most memorable. Scattered throughout the first film, including at such key moments as the opening titles and famous group shot, it makes an impactful statement of power and unity. Like the other series in the first two phases of the MCU, Silvestri was replaced by Brian Tyler (who scored Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World) and Danny Elfman for the sequel, Age of Ultron, who brought his own touch, weaving in new themes, but none that are particularly memorable. However, unlike the standalone films, with the exception of Captain America: Civil War, Elfman and Tyler retained the theme music from the original. The main melody draws from the first film, while infusing a distinctive tone for the sequel that stands on its own (https://youtu.be/UcCKvADTLKw). Even HelloLillyTV points out that Elfman’s use of the Avengers theme conveys the idea of continuity. DC recognized this, with the marketing for Wonder Woman employing her signature melody that was already established in Batman v. Superman, using the song not only in the trailers, but also the film, starting with the important moment of her first major battle, heightening the excitement of the epic scene. One thing Age of Ultron did right was to include the themes used in Iron Man 3 (as mentioned previously), Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The First Avenger to keep a little bit of continuity with each character’s respective franchise, particularly in Phase 2. This was an improvement over the original Avengers movie. Fortunately, Silvestri returned for Infinity War as well as Avengers: Endgame. I was delighted to see that the first trailers for Infinity War and for Endgame had utilized this unifying element. The theme has also been used in Ant-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming during scenes taking place at the Avengers facility, and in Captain Marvel when Nick Fury decides on the name of the Avengers Initiative. The love theme for Banner and Romanoff (which sounds derivative of the love theme from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End) debuted in Age of Ultron, then, as mentioned previously, played again in Thor: Ragnarok. Infinity War unfortunately borrowed only one theme from a solo film, Black Panther, and while the Avengers music was used, there never was a moment in which all the Avengers were fighting together. I had hoped that the Guardians theme would be utilized, but was glad one diegetic song from the Zune was included. The last group with a sequel is the Guardians of the Galaxy. In the breaking of MCU tradition at the time, Vol. 2 retained the same composer in Tyler Bates, who kept the same main theme (https://youtu.be/VQ4WLvj5ODE). While not quite as memorable as the Avengers theme, it is relatively distinguishable, and the sequel establishes this in the inclusion of “Guardians Inferno” in the end credits, a 70s riff of the score (https://youtu.be/3MMMe1drnZY). However, in some ways it won’t be as memorable as the Avengers theme because it can’t be used in marketing. The soundtrack, rather than the score, is what distinguishes the Guardians from the rest of the MCU. In many respects, their main theme could be said to be “Hooked on a Feeling,” which was used in marketing the first film, starting with the first teaser (https://youtu.be/2XltzyLcu0g). The first teaser for Vol. 2 reused the song, though not featured in the film, to garner fans’ excitement. Subsequent trailers used “Fox on the Run” by Sweet and “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac as trailer music, staying within the realm of what we expect from the soundtrack. And while the former wasn’t actually used in the movie, the latter was, with both featured on the soundtrack. In some ways, Thor: Ragnarok followed the Guardians’s lead with its use of “Immigrant Song” in both the film and the soundtrack. The inconsistency of composers assigned for solo films created a rocky start for music in the MCU, especially in its first two phases. As the series has progressed, it has suffered from musical inconsistencies across the franchise. It looks like Marvel is starting to recognize this problem. Ant-Man’s sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp, not only kept the same director but the same composer, Christophe Beck. The Spider-Man movies did the same, with Michael Giacchino composing. However, things are also changing with the release of Avengers: Endgame. This film utilized its music to emphasize the team-up, including the main themes for Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, and Captain Marvel, and Captain America’s very first theme is used three times in the film. The song that Steve and Peggy dance to, “It’s Been a Long, Long Time,” was also in The Winter Soldier during the scene in which Nick Fury hides out at Steve’s apartment. Even the song in the credits is the perfect musical combination of both iconic heroes whose stories have ended - a 1940s riff of “Make Way for Tomorrow Today,” the song from Iron Man 2. Hopefully, for Phase Four and beyond, Marvel will keep the composers consistent and thus provide correspondingly recognizable themes for each beloved character, evoking an emotional response that will be indelibly linked to that character or team. Links and Articles Referenced: The Marvel Symphonic Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vfqkvwW2fs&feature=youtu.be A Theory of Film Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcXsH88XlKM A Video Response to The Marvel Symphonic Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxr2rGvVwUE Why You (Actually) Don’t Remember Marvel Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmCdBD0TNnE Why Thor is the Best Marvel Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1BRYSxpX1M

https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/4gri0p/why_didnt_ramin_djawdi_return_to_iron_man/ https://screenrant.com/thor-ragnarok-soundtrack-better-guardians-galaxy/ https://screenrant.com/avengers-endgame-fix-mcu-problem-music-theme/