The Marvels is the latest film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the sequel to Brie Larson’s billion-dollar hit. Unfortunately, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike (which recently ended!!!), actors were unable to promote the film until after its release date. However, this gave OTN the wonderful opportunity to speak with composer Laura Karpman. Karpman is no stranger to the MCU, having worked on What If…? and Ms. Marvel prior to The Marvels. Her talents will once again be showcased in American Fiction, the critical darling that one the People’s Choice Award at TIFF ’23 and Season 2 of What If…? releasing in December. We spoke to Karpman about her work on The Marvels, future MCU projects, and her inspiration for the awesome score. Check out our full conversation!

OTN: While this isn’t your first MCU project [EDITOR’S NOTE: As previously mentioned, Karpman scored What If…? and Ms. Marvel], this is your first MCU film you’ve scored. Going into this, what film scores did you listen to for inspiration and how did they contribute to the final project?

L.K: As you know, about my work with What If…?, I’m very familiar on what’s going on with the MCU. I think I wanted to hit certain things that I love. I thought alot about The Avengers [scores] because this is an Avenger-type movie, with the team-up happening. I thought about the energy in [The Avengers] theme. I love all the MCU music and as I listen to it, you kind of pull out specific parts and implement them. I also go to other spaces. I go to classical music a lot. I think a lot about great composers of concert music as well as music from the 19th and 20th century. I go back to those places for sources as well.

OTN: I can definitely hear it in the score now that you mention it! Going back to your history with the MCU, you also scored my personal favourite MCU show, Ms. Marvel. Did having that established connection to the character of Kamala Khan help in writing any musical pieces for her and the rest of the Khan family?

L.K: I think so. I did know [the character of Kamala Khan] very well and from working with Sana Amanat, the co creator of Ms. Marvel in the comics and the series’ showrunner. I didn’t need to do the deep dive into it. I was working on Ms. Marvel while scoring The Marvels at the same time so a lot of that filtered into my thinking. I think that Kamala’s different in this film thought. She’s still her effervescent self but she’s got different challenges so that was something I had to think about. I also think that because she’s in this awesome collaboration, [The Marvels] needed a theme that was their theme alone. We talked about The Avengers and how the theme of that is a build-up based on the themes of the members. The same applies to the main trio of this film

OTN: I have to say, it is a great theme. Like I said earlier though, I love this score and theres’s nearly 30 tracks on it. Out of all of them, is there a specific track on this score that you’re most proud of?

L.K: There’s a lot I love but the main theme is the thing. It’s the one that plays the most frequently. I love Dar-Benn’s theme too, I think it’s really cool and awesome. There’s other themes I don’t wanna talk about due to plot points [EDITOR’S NOTE: We were only shown the first 30 minutes of The Marvels prior to this interview.] that mean a lot to me. But overall, I’d say the main theme, which is out there and has been for a while. We performed it at BBC Proms and it went over great!

OTN: Last question cause they’re giving me the wrap. What’s your dream MCU project you’d want to score? It doesn’t have to be one already in development, just something you’d love to work on!

L.K: I wanna do more with The Marvels, green-light more! I absolutely loved playing in this sandbox and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

OTN: Thank you so much for talking to me today. I loved your work on the film and I cannot wait to see how the rest of your score fits into the final film!

L.K: Likewise, enjoy the rest of your day!

Read the synopsis for The Marvels:

Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. However, unintended consequences see her shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with two other superheroes to form the Marvels.

Marvel Studios

The Marvels is out in theatres now. Read our review of the film here.