It never hurts to add talent, and there is arguably no talent hotter right now than everyone involved in Marvel's Black Panther. The Ryan Coogler-directed film has received praise for everything from its costume design to Michael B. Jordan's magnetic villain. One area that hasn't received as much attention is the score, which captured the majesty and wonder of Wakanda, while incorporating real African instrumentation. Well, Sony did notice the work of Black Panther composer Ludwig Göransson, as the Swede has been brought aboard to score the studio's upcoming comic book movie, Venom.
As Deadline reports, the deal will pair Ludwig Göransson with Venom director Ruben Fleischer. The two previously collaborated on Ruben Fleischer's 2011 film 30 Minutes or Less. Ludwig Göransson has a truly varied musical resume, too. The Swedish composer also worked with Ryan Coogler on Creed and Fruitvale Station. In addition to those projects, Ludwig Goöransson has served as producer on Donald Glover's Childish Gambino's albums and composed the score for episodes of television shows such as Angie Tribeca and New Girl. His work can also be heard in theaters now in the Bruce Willis-led remake, Death Wish.
Ludwig Göransson's Black Panther score was a huge part of bringing the fictional African nation of Wakanda to life. The score conveyed the regality of Wakanda while imparting the history and culture of the real Africa. During the battle with Killmonger, the score conveyed the gravity and sorrow at T'Challa's loss, and during the scene in the ancestral plane, Göransson's work communicated a soulful respect for the history of Wakanda. Given Ludwig Göransson's success in Black Panther, it will be exciting to see what he brings to Venom. The first trailer for the Sony Spider-verse film teases a psychologically intense and brutal, action-packed film. A strong score from a talent like Ludwig Göransson will go a long way toward delivering the Venom that fans of the character have always dreamed of seeing onscreen.
In a year full of superhero films, Venom stands out as one of the more unique ones. This solo film about the anti-hero could be something akin to last year's Logan if it delivers. Although this is really the MCU's year with Avengers: Infinity War, the comic book genre thrives when there are different movies that take chances and break from the norm in terms of character, tone and format. There are still a lot of questions about Venom, and we have yet to even see the symbiote suit. There are also rumors that this movie will be MCU-adjacent and feature an appearance from Tom Holland's Peter Parker, which is both exciting and potentially muddies the waters of two comic book universes in the future.
Venom stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed and Jenny Slate, and hits theaters on October 5. For all of the biggest movies hitting this year, check out our release schedule.
