This weekend Marvel Studios kicks off Phase 3 of its shared universe (in North America, anyhow) with the eagerly anticipated Captain America: Civil War. The film has opened to very positive reviews (read ours) and the stage being set for the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe feels new and exciting – a real feat for a series that’s now 13 films deep.
The next chapter in Phase 3 is Marvel’s Doctor Strange, releasing in the fall. Not directly connected to Civil War, Doctor Strange will further open up the mystical side of the MCU, expanding on all matters weird and unusual (think the sort of material that the Thor films only ever briefly touch upon). The initial reaction to Doctor Strange‘s first trailer was a little mixed, with fans applauding the accuracy of Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his magical world – yet noting the film’s place in Hollywood’s ongoing problems with white-washing and erasure of distinct Asian cultures.
Yet, surely there’s nothing controversial to be found over the news that composer Michael Giacchino is scoring Doctor Strange, as he confirmed via Twitter earlier today:
Things are about to get, well… really STRANGE.@scottderrickson @Marvel pic.twitter.com/LIhuCNy3lB— Michael Giacchino (@m_giacchino) May 6, 2016
Giacchino is a composer who over the last ten years has been scoring some of the best received films, from several Pixar films (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Inside Out) to Star Trek (2009), Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Zootopia. And even when the films are less than stellar, as was the case with John Carter or last year’s Jupiter Ascending, there’s rarely any fault found with Giacchino’s contributions. His work can next be heard accompanying Star Trek Beyond, The LEGO Batman Movie, and The Incredibles 2 in addition to Doctor Strange.
For Marvel, scoring a composer like Giacchino is certainly a boon. In the early days of the MCU, Marvel boasted prolific composers like Ramin Djawadi on Iron Man, Patrick Doyle on Thor, and Alan Silvestri on both Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers, but in the years since they’ve regularly signed lesser known composers. Still, the music of the MCU has never been a detracting factor, but many agree it’s never been the film series’ strong point either, with many scores being serviceable but not particularly memorable.
But regardless of how you’ve felt about the MCU’s musical side, Giacchino coming on board for Doctor Strange is a welcomed development. Giacchino’s scores often have some whimsy to them as well as stirring and robust themes that accompany a film’s fast-paced action, making him a solid match for the more magical Doctor Strange.
NEXT: Doctor Strange Trailer Analysis & Discussion
Captain America: Civil War is now playing in theaters. Doctor Strange arrives on November 4, 2016, followed by Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – May 5, 2017; Spider-Man: Homecoming – July 7, 2017;Thor: Ragnarok – November 3, 2017; Black Panther – February 16, 2018; Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018; Ant-Man and the Wasp – July 6, 2018; Captain Marvel – March 8, 2019; Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019; and as-yet untitled Marvel movies on July 12, 2019, and on May 1, July 10, and November 6 in 2020.
