The recent teaser trailer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is no different. Since 2008 it has taken comic book properties in films to new heights and shifted superhero films from niche to mainstream. The trailers for MCU films play a large part in this success, as well as anticipation for future films.
Music plays an integral role in improving the overall quality of a film trailer. Several times over the course of the dozens of MCU films that have released, a specific song choice has not only encapsulated the spirit of the film perfectly, but lasted in the memory of viewers as long as the film itself. Songs as defined in this list are considered both musical and lyrical performances, as opposed to instrumental film score selections, which will be omitted from inclusion.
"It Takes Two" - Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)
In the wake of Avengers: Infinity War, MCU fans needed a moment of levity in the wake of Thanos' destruction. Thankfully along came Ant-Man & The Wasp, the humor-injected franchise of all the heroes in this family.
The initial trailer showcases Wasp in action more this time around, all to the beat of "It Takes Two" by Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock. It is a simple nod to sharing the glory this time around between two heroes. The energy and beat this song provides amplifies the trailer and also serves as a balm for the hearts of MCU viewers still recovering from "the snap."
"Sweet Child O' Mine" - Guns N' Roses
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
This serves as the most recent addition to the MCU, with Thor: Love and Thunder's trailer just releasing in April of 2022. With Taika Watiti in full effect now directing the franchise, there is a signature style present throughout this trailer and the choice of Guns N' Roses is the perfect choice.
"Sweet Child O'Mine" checks multiple boxes for this trailer. It taps into Watiti's utilization of more popular songs like he did in Thor: Ragnarok. It functions as a great bridge referencing the Guardians of the Galaxy's presence in the film. And this Guns N' Roses song in particular is a fantastic reflection of the warrior Thor now reg himself to peace and serenity for the time being, only to be asking himself "where do we go now"?
"Fox On The Run" - Sweet
Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 (2017)
In the MCU, the Guardians of the Galaxy are the poster children for the marriage of music and movie, providing some of James Gunn's best needle drops. Once audiences familiarized themselves with the signature style of the Guardians, the first trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 picked up where the last film left off, thematically and sonically.
"Fox on the Run" by Sweet, while not featured in the film itself, carries the right tone and approach to reintroducing fans to this group of intergalactic misfits. The trailer itself runs down the roster of Guardians and Sweet's vocals and guitars go hand in hand with the tone that Star-Lord and company have carved out for themselves. An awesome mix, indeed.
"The End Of The World" - Skeeter Davis
Eternals (2021)
Nearly everything about Eternals caught audiences off guard. A different directorial vision, a large team of unknown characters this late into the MCU, and exploration into the celestial mythos were all unfamiliar territory for MCU filmgoers. It is fitting that the music in the trailer is unique as well.
Skeeter Davis' "The End of the World" is a sad, haunting and beautiful song. The combination of apocalyptic imagery, heartbreak, and monotony of life is so perfectly fitting. It is hard to believe that this song wasn't written for the soundtrack, and instead predates the film by nearly 60 years.
"I Wanna Be Sedated" - The Ramones
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
As well as providing some of the MCU's funniest quotes, Spider-Man also provides this excellent music moment. After all, there's no better choice for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man from Queens than The Ramones. The New York native band also appeared in the web slinger's world during the end credits of Spider-Man: Homecoming with "Blitzkrieg Bop." It was a natural decision to go back to the well for the Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer with "I Wanna Be Sedated."
While there isn't a ton of direct lyrical correlation beyond "put me on a plane," the core of the sound of The Ramones fits the neighborhood feel that Tom Holland brings to his Spider-Man. There's an authenticity that this pairing produces and you feel it in the trailer. Given that Spider-Man: Far From Home deals immediately with the aftermath of Tony Stark's ing, it is another opportunity for a welcome, albeit brief, reprieve.
"Iron Man" - Black Sabbath
Iron Man (2008)
The pairing of this song and trailer was inevitable. The payoff of putting Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" in the original Iron Man trailer was so effective it was brought back for the Iron Man 2 trailer as well. One of the most recognizable guitar riffs of all time is ed with one of the most successful superhero portrayals in comic book film history, as Iron Man quickly ed the ranks of Robert Downey Jr.'s best films.
The first use of song and trailer was an early iconic MCU moment - the unforgettable guitar riff blazing as Tony bursts through his prison cave in his Mark I suit is still satisfying to watch to this day. Additionally, Marvel got extra mileage out of the song by tacking on the guitar riff again to the scene of Tony walking away from a tank as it explodes. Simple, but spectacular.
"I've Got No Strings"
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Give credit to the House of Mouse. Disney's arguably most visible self-referential moment with the MCU came in the trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron. Introducing Phase 2's big bad villain, Ultron, viewers are treated to an unsettling rendition of "I've Got No Strings," best known from Disney's animated classic Pinocchio.
The trailer, thanks in large part to the song choice, added a much thicker layer of gravitas to the generally light-hearted Avengers tales. Coupling the new arrangement of this classic tune with James Spader's voiceover work for Ultron, and fans were treated to something truly menacing. Everyone would later discover that the jokes audiences were used to had gone nowhere, but for a moment in time this was a peak MCU trailer moment.
"Hooked On A Feeling" - Blue Swede
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
More than any other MCU film franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy is one where the music itself is a character along with the rest of the cast, by way of Star Lord's mixtape. From the very beginning of the credits all the way through to the end, the soundtrack is one of the heaviest tone-setters of the film's atmosphere.
The initial trailer introduces viewers to the world of the Guardians with Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling." This group of heroes was, up until this point, the most obscure characters to be introduced into the MCU. The inclusion of Blue Swede in the trailer reinforces the assumption that the plot of the film will be as offbeat as it looks.
"Legend Has It" - Run the Jewels
Black Panther (2018)
After debuting in front of MCU audiences in Captain America: Civil War, many fans were eager to see Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa in his own story. They were equally eager to see him in his own kingdom of Wakanda. From beginning to end, the trailer was filled with style and its music played a large role.
"Legend Has It" by Run the Jewels served as a perfect background to the introduction of Wakanda and its inhabitants in Black Panther. The combination of music and visuals walked the line of having an MCU feel while still boldly proclaiming itself a film and world all its own. Black Panther arrived on the scene in unforgettable fashion; to quote the song, "step into the spotlight" indeed.
"Immigrant Song" - Led Zeppelin
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Arguably the most successful marriage of music and film in the MCU comes down to Thor: Ragnarok. In both the trailer and film itself, the use of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" served as a wake-up call for the Thor franchise. The iconic scream is a rallying cry letting audiences know something different is coming.
Beyond the noticeable musical change, the lyrics themselves also serve the adventures of everyone's favorite Asgardians (and Revengers) even better. Combined with Taika Waititi's entrance into the MCU and his signature visual style changes to the Thor films, "Immigrant Song" is a watershed moment not just for Thor but for the MCU as a whole.
