It seems like these days, finding a memorable comic book movie score is too difficult to find. Even with the most talented composers in the business, none of the scores today seem to appeal to the audience much like
John Williams' Superman theme or Danny Elfman's
Spider-Man theme.
However, this does not mean there is a shortage of good superhero themes. In fact, in just the past couple of years, there have been some great comic book movie scores like 2012's ultra-recognizable
Avengers theme and Hans Zimmer's epic 2013's
Man of Steel theme. 2017 proved to be no different when it comes to great scores.
For this list, I will choose the most notable track from the
6 mainstream live-action comic book movies that came out this year (so, not other movies based off comic books movie such as
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets or Ghost in The Shell), and rate the full album out of 10 afterwards. It wasn't easy ranking all of them, but this comprehensive list does have a clear conclusion.
6. Justice League - Danny Elfman's "Hero's Theme"
With Hans Zimmer retired from the comic book scene and Tom "Junkie XL" Holkenborg fired from scoring
Justice League, there was only one man left to do the job: Danny Elfman. Having already scored Sam Raimi's iconic
Spider-Man theme and collaborated with Brian Tyler for
Avengers: Age of Ultron, Elfman has his fair share of great comic book movie scores.
His
Justice League "Hero's Theme" boasts his orchestral finesse to make a fitting theme for DCs most powerful superhero team. Yet, the simple chord progressions paired with typical orchestral instruments prevents it from being anything more. It simply lacks style to become 2017's best comic book movie score.
Rating for Justice League's full album: 6.5/10
(Album length - 101:22)
5. Spider-Man: Homecoming - Michael Giacchino's "Homecoming Suite"
After having scored Doctor Strange, Michael Giacchino was hired for another Marvel Studios project - Spider-Man: Homecoming. The Spider-Man: Homecoming Suite - being the most notable part of Giacchino's album - brings epic and whimsical orchestral styles to accompany the movie's young Peter Parker.
During the movie, and after listening to it a second time, it's possible to hear the thunderous brass sections that constantly diverge into the quieter instruments. Something Giacchino may have done to reference Peter Parker's superhero alter ego and the innocent teenage part of his life. Although not as iconic as Elfman's Spider-Man theme, Giacchino certainly did make a fresh theme for our favorite web-slinger.
Rating for Spider-Man: Homecoming's full album: 7/10
(Album length - 66:40)
4. Logan - Marco Beltrami's "Main titles"
The "main titles" for Logan must be as memorable as Hugh Jackman's final portrayal as the Wolverine. We got a little piano piece by Marco Beltrami that manages to say a lot by doing very little.
Using only a piano, a guitar, a drum set and what seems to be a synth, Beltrami used one chord progression to craft a dark and melancholic score. A substantial score to accompany a great movie.
Rating for Logan's full album: 7.5/10
(Album length - 57:33)
3. Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 - Tyler Bates' "Dad"
What better way to pair an extremely sad scene in a film? With extremely sad music, of course. Arguably the most talked about scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 also comes with Tyler Bates' best score from his album - and possibly one of the best in his career.
"Dad" which was paired with none other than Yondu's death, is tear-inducing. The score is sad, uplifting and simply magnificent. It's hard not to love this one.
Rating for GotG Vol. 2's full album: 7/10
(Album length - 43:34)
2. Thor: Ragnarok - Mark Mothersbaugh's "Main Theme"
Mark Mothersbaugh completely destroyed everyone's expectations with the main theme (and the entire album for that matter) for
Thor Ragnarok. Combining orchestral elements, electric guitars and synths and even some samples of laser sounds? What he made was essentially an auditory representation of the movie - funky, charming and action-packed.
Interestingly enough, he was inspired by some fans'
video essay that basically exposed the MCU on their bland music and predictable cues. Mothersbaugh decided with Taiki Waititi, the director, to create this fantastic, unique album to accompany the MCU's most fantastic and unique movie yet.
Rating for Thor: Ragnarok's full album: 8.5/10
(Album length - 72:52)
1. Wonder Woman - Rupert Gregson-Williams' "Credits Suite"
Behold, the best comic book movie score of this year. Let me tell you, it was not easy picking between
Thor: Ragnarok's main theme and
Wonder Woman's credits suite.
Wonder Woman finished as one of 2017's most successful comic book movies of the year, and consequently, it came with an amazing score by Gregson-Williams. Having sampled Hans Zimmer's original Wonder Woman electric cello tune from Batman vs. Superman and combining it with his own orchestral mastery and modern synth instruments, Gregson-Williams created a powerful score to go along the credits of Wonder Woman.
Rating for Wonder Woman's full album: 8/10
(Album length - 78:38)
I hope you enjoyed reading this ranking of 2017's best comic book movie scores. Do you agree with the list? Or would you change the order of some the scores? Share us your opinions in the comment section below.