Music has played an important role in James Gunn’s filmmaking career. Even though he is well-known for his mastery of needle-drops, his films’ underlying scores have been equally influential.
Tyler Bates was his regular composer on the first two “Guardians of the Galaxy” films; however, with “Volume 3,” that relationship appears to be over.
Gunn will once again collaborate with a familiar face: his composer from The Suicide Squad. It’s a shame that the trilogy, which is shaping up to be the best in the MCU (I said it! ), will lack musical consistency.
Setting The Tune
Critics have noted that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a villain problem, that the films have a “house style” of muted colour palettes, and that the humour is stilted.
My personal pet peeve is the MCU’s inability to commit to a consistent musical theme throughout each character mini-franchise. “Iron Man” didn’t bother to bring back Captain America’s classic theme after establishing it in that film, and Alan Silvestri’s perfect music cue from “Avengers” was only used randomly and at awkward, generically “epic” moments in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” and “Captain America: Civil War.”
Tyler Bates, who composed the score for the first two films in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, will not return for the third, according to CinemaBlend (via Superhero Hype).
In this dark cloud, there is some good news: after working together on “The Suicide Squad,” Gunn will bring composer John Murphy from DC to the MCU. Murphy’s film credits include “28 Days Later,” “Miami Vice,” “Sunshine,” and “Kick-Ass.” Murphy has a long list of accomplishments.
It’s encouraging to know that Murphy was able to seamlessly integrate his score into both the fast-paced action sequences and the quieter character moments in “The Suicide Squad.” It would be a welcome change if the films’ previously established themes were not abandoned.
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