New details on The Marvels have led many to believe the film could be a musical. However, it’s highly unlikely this would be the case.
With Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe completed, fans have already started to speculate about the next big events that will occur in the next two phases. Of course, a huge area of speculation has been housed in the cosmic world of Marvel as well. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on the horizon, there’s only one other character that could show fans even further reaches of the cosmos: Captain Marvel. But the upcoming film, The Marvels, may have another, more musical trick up its sleeve.
As of now, most of the plot for The Marvels is still unknown. That said, the film is more of a celebration of the legacy left behind by Carol and Mar-Vell, with the film also including Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. As a trio, the three will have to put aside their differences and combine their powers to combat a threat that could destroy the galaxy. While the smaller aspects of the plot inform a more action-packed adventure story, other rumors have suggested the film will take an unorthodox direction in the genre. One recent rumor that’s been brought up is that The Marvels will incorporate “musical elements” into its story, leading some to think it could be the MCU’s first musical.
Why People Think The Marvels Will Be a Musical
When the rumor first popped up, there was little foundation for The Marvels to be considered a musical in any capacity. That said, the concept was still prevalent, considering Brie Larson has already had some experience in singing, and with Todd Phillips’ Joker sequel also supposedly leaning in a musical direction, it would make sense for the competition to follow suit in some way. But what added fire to the flames was the apparent casting of Park Seo-joon as Prince Yan of Aladna.
In the comics, Aladna is a planet where everyone speaks in rhyme and follows a practice where only the brides chose their mates. As a result, Carol has to use this to her advantage and seemingly marries Yan and helps him in his quest to abolish the rule, so he can marry someone who loves him as much as he loves her. But, as per the planet’s customs, this is all done in rhyme, which some interpret to be songs. So while the angle would be hilarious to see on the big screen, it’s unlikely that this plot will be central enough to give The Marvels the title of musical.
Musical Elements Do Not Equate to a Musical Movie
For a film to be a musical, the entire narrative would have to lead into musical numbers that help convey the plot and emotions of each character. However, films with musical numbers that don’t inherently drive the plot from a thematic or emotional level aren’t technically considered musicals. In the case of The Marvels, the latter may be the case, as a musical would require a very different narrative approach to what’s been established so far.
In the end, the appearance of Prince Yan and Aladna could create a fun side story that calls back to the strange musical moments in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Having to negotiate and help a planet that only speaks in rhyme could lead to some great character moments but will likely only consist of a few scenes and a musical number or two. Thus, The Marvels is unlikely to be a full-blown musical, but it would be wise to expect a tune or two.
To see how many musical elements make it into the film, The Marvels soars into theaters on July 28, 2023.
