Captain Marvel's Trailer

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU, for short) is a cultural phenomenon, similar to the Star Wars franchise, except with superheroes. Almost as interesting as the movies themselves are the movie trailers, especially from a musical perspective, as they typically include some classic songs playing over the scenes.

There is much internet chatter about a trailer coming soon for the Captain Marvel addition to the MCU, with the film itself expected to be released on March 8, 2019. There are two aspects to the Captain Marvel movie trailer expectation: What has Marvel done musically with their trailers before, and what might they do with this one?

From the first Iron Man movie, Marvel has used popular music in their trailers, beginning with AC/DC's Back in Black:



Arguably, the best use of popular music in Marvel films was Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song in Thor: Ragnarok, where even the character is mentioned in the song (The use of the song during the fight scenes in the film itself kicked up the cool factor immensely):



However, the most famous use of music in the Marvel films was all the 1970's songs used in both of the Guardians of the Galaxy films. This started with the use of Blue Swede's 1974 cover of  Hooked on a Feeling in the first GotG trailer:



Ultimately, a movie trailer comes down to two aspects: What does the filmmaker want to reveal, without giving too much away? And how do they want to market the movie?

Just using the three films above, Iron Man was sold with the cool factor, which Back in Black contributes too nicely. On the other hand, Guardians of the Galaxy was sold with more of the oddball/comedy factor, for which Blue Swede's "ooga chaka ooga chaka" version of Hooked on a Feeling makes a nice cover tune. Somewhere in between lies Thor Ragnarok, where the Immigrant Song kicks up the cool factor, but the funny scenes are played minus the music.

So what will Marvel do with music for the Captain Marvel trailer? There are many ways to go, but this is based on the assumption they will be using existing songs to promote their film. (History suggests they will, but there is no guaranty.)

First, if I was the trailer's decision maker on this, my choice would be John O'Callaghan/Audrey Gallagher's Big Sky, which perfectly suits Captain Marvel's pilot background and space travels, not to mention the techno sound reflects the film's scifi aspects perfectly:



However, knowing Disney's history, they will want a more popular tune in the trailer. This decision will likely be based on which aspect of the film they want to emphasize.

For fun factor, Escape Club's 1988 hit Wild Wild West suits the movie, while also contributing a perfect lyrical line, "heading for the 90's", because Captain Marvel is based in the 1990's:



On the other hand, if Disney wants to follow the GotG playbook and only use music from the 1990's, then we have to limit our choices to that decade. From what I have read about the film so far, it seems to be one of the more serious entries in the MCU, with an alien invasion plot.

Since Disney seems to enjoy hard rocking songs for superheroes, one of the best from the 1990's was Melissa Etheridge's 1993 hit, I'm the Only One:



From the superhero perspective, this song works for both the music, which is serious and hard, but also from the lyrics:

But I'm the only one
Who'll walk across the fire for you
And I'm the only one
Who'll drown in my desire for you
It's only fear that makes you run
The demons that you're hiding from
When all your promises are gone
I'm the only one 

Aside from the heroic aspects of the chorus, the line "demons that you're hiding from" works on an ironic level with the movie's plot of the Skrull alien invasion, since the Skrulls do have a decidedly demonic look, although they will be the ones that are "hiding" (they are shapeshifters). From Moviefone:

On the other hand, Disney may go for some cheap politically correct points in the trailer, by propping up the fact this is their first female-led superhero film. Whitney Houston's I'm Every Woman is the perfect 90's song for this effect:



From 1993, I'm Every Woman is an ok song, but it seems a bit too adult contemporary for an action movie trailer.

If Disney wants music with a good beat, but not necessarily rock, they could go for a Britney Spears song from the late 1990's. 1999's ...Baby One More Time is a possible choice, although the lyrics don't speak to the character or the plot:



The irony of Disney using former Mickey Mouse Club member Spears to promote the first female-led Marvel film is too delicious.

Those are my choices for the Captain Marvel trailer. Hopefully, we will find out if I nailed it or missed it in a week or two.

UPDATE 9/14/18: According to this story, the Captain Marvel trailer will be released on Tuesday, September 18th. Stay tuned...

UPDATE 9/18/2018: And here is the Captain Marvel trailer. It was a musical non-factor. I missed on this one, unless the next one has some music? We'll see...