When theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)first began in 2008, it managed to deliver in so many ways, but after 2012, things got a little looser, and it looks like Marvel is finally correcting course again. Listen, I adore Marvel. I am a complete fanboy who has watched every single TV show and movie from Marvel Studios, and was already locked in before the MCU ever began. However, that doesn’t mean that they are infallible.
And as much as the Infinity Saga managed to establish incredible hero stories, epic crossovers, and an unbelievable showdown inAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame,there have been cracks that have been growingover time. And if I’m honest, I think one minor but important detail that reflects this has been suffering since 2012, after the firstAvengersmovie was released. But the recentcast list announcement forAvengers: Doomsdayappears to be making amends.
MCU Heroes Have Often Lacked Their Own Unique Theme
A Theme Song Can Help A Hero Stand Out
It takes a lot to make a movie. And when it comes to the superhero genre, things get more expensive, bigger and significantly more complicated. Whether it’s the visuals, the computer graphics, the performances, the sound, or any other detail, for a movie to really hit home, it needs to at least be delivered by each department to a competent level. And as far as the Marvel movies after 2012 go, the music andthemes for each hero began to feel like less of a focus, and more of an afterthought.
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Sure, there is the Avengers theme, and the original heroes who appeared in solo movies before that continued to have their individual theme songs, but newcomers didn’t feel like they had musical themes that stood out. From superhero teams like theGuardians of the Galaxy, whose soundtrack was often a diageticmix of songs from Star Lord’s tapes, to lesser-known heroes like Ant-Man and Captain Marvel, it would behard to distinguish them purely by theme.
Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday Announcement Is Giving Each Hero Their Own Theme At Last
Avengers: Doomsdayappears to be trying to repair this with their announcement. Throughout the five-and-a-half-hour announcement video, with each chair revealing a new cast member for the movie, they all had an individual tune played to accompany their names. And for those with finely tuned ears who have been paying attention to the scores of the MCU, it waspossible to pick out who was being announced largely by the theme playing.
However, because of the lack of specific themes for heroes, some heroes got a blend of other tunes, or alternative music to accompany their name. For instance, Anthony Mackie got the Avengers theme, suggesting hisSam Wilson’s Captain America is the new leader of the Avengers, and Patrick Stewart had theX-Men ‘97theme play with his announcement. But it seems likeDoomsdaywill hopefully pay more attention to the themesof each hero. And it all starts before the movie ever actually makes it into the theaters.
How Will These Themes Play Into The Overarching MCU Story?
The Music Makes A Huge Difference In An Ensemble Film Like Avengers: Doomsday
Before the MCU, Marvel did manage to create some compelling themes for their heroes, but if we are honest, DC has long had the edge over Marvel when it comes to creating iconic theme songs. Superman and Batman both haveiconic, immediately recognizable themes. The same can be said for the early Sam RaimiSpider-Mantrilogy. But the difference that a great theme can make is immense, and for a movie likeAvengers: Doomsday, it could really make all the difference if these themes were included and applied in the correct setting. For instance, with so many heroes appearing throughout the film, giving each a unique audio signature can help focus the audience.
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It could draw attention to new arrivals, and help to enhance the overall excitement. Now, for some of these heroes, it feels a little bit late to deliver a unique theme song and make it recognizable, but as seen in theAvengers: Doomsdaycast announcement, the movie is already associating the heroes with distinctive themes a year ahead of the movie’s release. Assuming they can keep this up, and work the themes into more marketing, the music still has the potential to play a major part in the movie. And going forward, afterAvengers: Doomsday, the music in the MCU could have a much bigger role to play in defining and identifying the heroes for the audience on a subconscious level.
Avengers: Doomsday
Cast
Avengers: Doomsday is the fifth Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and will bring together heroes, new and old, to face off against Victor von Doom - played by the returning Robert Downey Jr.. Avengers 5 will also mark the beginning of phase 6 of the MCU.
