For many comic book fans, one of the most exciting aspects of a feature film adaptation of their favorite hero is the prospect of the musical score. Here, readers can relate a musical theme to the characters and the world they enjoy. Much like the music of Star Wars or Indiana Jones, some of these themes have comve to define their series, and become some of the most beloved aspects of the films.
However, fourteen years into the current superhero-movie craze, one can't help but notice how, in the past two years alone, multiple franchises have begun to lose this sense of cohesiveness, and are changing their musical motifs partway through the series. This is, of course, due to a change in composers, often due to a change in directors. To see how this trend has grown, let us take a look at the different series over the years.
1. Superman (original series, 1978-2006)
John Williams' theme, of course, plays throughout each of these five films. It should be noted, however, that Williams only actually composed music for the first film. The composers seemed to change along with the directors. Although the job of creating new incidental music was carried on by Ken Thorne (II & III), Alexander Courage (IV), and later John Ottman (
Returns), each of the new directors had enough common sense not to abandon the theme that made it all work.
2. Batman (original series, 1989-1997)
Along with the change of directors, actors, Batmobiles, Gotham Cities, style, tone, and just about everything else in this series, came a change of composers from Danny Elfman to Elliot Goldenthal, and a change in main theme music. However, these two pairs of films are so completely different, this change seems only natural.Thus, I consider this to be two themes for essentially two series.
3. X-Men (2000-present)
Here we have not only the longest-consistently-running franchise here, and the one to kick of the current craze, but also our first series with no musical consistency whatsoever. Although Michael Kamen composed the music for the first film, it did not contain what could be definitively labled an "X-Men anthem." That attempt was made when Bryan Singer's usual composer, John Ottman, took over on the second film. With the change in directorss came a change in composers. John Powell's score for "The Last Stand," though striking, seems more a simple scoring of the events of hte film itself than an attempt to create a new series theme.
Harry Gregson-Williams composed incidental music for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," while Henry Jackman created a popular new theme for what was essentially a new series in "First Class." Marco Beltrami worked on "The Wolverine," although neither he nor Gregson-Williams created any definitive themes.
With "Days of Future Past," John Ottman becomes the first composer to score a second X-Men film. It remains to be seen if he reuses any music from the past.
4 . Spider-Man (original series, 2002-2007)
Although Danny Elfman left the series after the second film, and was replaced by Christopher Young, his theme music was widely kept.
5. Fantastic Four (original series, 2005-2007)
John Ottman composed for both films, utilizing, of course, the same theme.
6. The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012)
Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard worked together on the first two films, while Zimmer alone composed the third, keeping all motifs intact.
This, however, is where the consistency seems to stop, and where a new trend seems to begin.
7. Iron Man (2008-2013?)
Although Ramin Djawadi created some very memorable thematic music for the first film, he was replaced in the second by John Debney. While Debney did not attempt to create any replacement theme, he also did not reuse Djawadi's msuci. With the change in director, Brian Tyler took over for the third film.
Tyler created his own, new, separate Iron Man anthem, which begins our new little phenomenon.
8. Thor (2011-present)
Kenneth Branagh's usual collaborator Patrick Doyle worked on the first film, but, again, with the change in director, he was replaced by Brian Tyler on the second. Again, Tyler created his own replacement theme.
9. Captain America (2011-present)
This series, however, seems to be at least a little different. Although Alan Silvestri was replaced for the second film (again, along with a change in directors) by Henry Jackman, Silvestri's original theme is still played int eh film. It is only fo ra moment in the beginning, and is not used over the end credits, but Jackman also does not seemingly attempt to create any "replacement theme, and seems to be solidlifying Silvestri's music as the series theme.
10. The Amazing Spider-Man (2012-present)
Despite the same director helming both films, James Horner, and his theme, were replaced by the work of Hans Zimmer and "The Magnificent Six," featuring Pharrell Williams and Johnny Marr.
11. The Avengers (2012-present)
Joss Whedon has replaced Alan Silvestri on the second film with...would you guess it? Brian Tyler!
12. Man of Steel (2012-present)
In what seems these days to be a rare bit of consistency, Hans Zimmer has been rehired to compose the music for "Batman vs. Superman." Oddly enough, assuming he creates a new Batman theme, this will be the first time a composer has created two different themes for a single hero.
Whatever one's personal opinion on the quality of these replacement themes, I personally believe Hollywood has lost something. There's nothing like seeing Superman fly off into the sky to John Williams' score, or Spider-Man swinging into the distance to Danny Elfman's theme. These newest series do not have that kind of continuity.
When one watches Spider-Man swing triumphantly to the music of James Horner in one film, and then to a completely different theme in the second, it very nearly breaks the fourth wall and screams "somebody else did this one!" A change in directors or writers does not have that kind of immediate evidence. But a change in composers, or at least in their themes, can take us out of the fabricated reality of the series and simply remind us of the goings-on behind the scenes.
What do you guys think?
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