Marvel announced a special, live concert event for one of its MCU projects — marking the first time an event of this kind has been held for the franchise.
Similar events have occurred for other, non-MCU projects like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse whose live concert is currently touring the United States, and tickets are available for purchase.
This new concert coming from Marvel, is an extension of the MCU's larger trend over the last few years of offering new ways to experience its stories beyond watching them.
Fans can go on adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy at Disney parks on both coasts, experience Marvel-themed dining on Disney Cruises, meet their favorite heroes and villains at Disney and Universal parks around the world, and more.
Experience One MCU Project Live in Concert
Marvel will be bringing its Disney+ special presentation Werewolf by Night to two U.S. cities for a live concert event.
Fans will be able to watch the special, directed by Michael Giacchino, with its score played live, making it the first Disney+-released MCU project to receive this treatment.
The concert will be making its way to Minnesota and Washington D.C. right around Halloween — fitting, for the horror special. Furthermore, this comes right around October 20, when the mostly black-and-white project will be re-released on Disney+ in color.
While this is a first for the MCU, Giacchino has "been doing them for years [on] all of the other movies that [he's been working on:"
"We thought it would be fun for the fall and Halloween, and the spirit of all of that is that do these live-to-picture concerts. I've been doing them for years all of the other movies that I've been working on, a lot of the Pixar films."
The first half of the concert will focus on the role of music in horror projects in a more educational capacity, according to Giacchino. This part will "show ... what music does to help elevate a story:"
It just felt like, hey, why don't we build a concert around this? And the first half of the concert could be about teaching about old horror movies and where they came from, and how music works in them. We can show how it works with and without music, and what music does to help elevate a story and bring characters to the forefront."
The second half, as Giacchino explained, will allow fans to hear "the entire score live, right in front of their eyes" while watching the special. Giacchino calls it "Werewolf By Night Live-to-Picture:"
"We put together something where the first half of the concert is all about this fun education of what horror movies are, what the music is, and how it works. And then the second half of the concert is 'Werewolf By Night' Live-to-Picture. So they actually get to see the orchestra playing along with the movie— the entire score live, right in front of their eyes."
Giacchino expressed his joy about people realizing the special "not just [being] a thing that lives on my TV." He also teased the skill of the "entire orchestra of people that have studied music for years and years and years:"
"It's an incredible experience to see that when you realize that it's not just a thing that lives on my TV. There were humans involved in making this thing. Now I get to see exactly how that works. That there's an entire orchestra of people that have studied music for years and years and years to be good enough to get up on that stage and just play whatever you put in front of them."
Ultimately, though, Giacchino explained that "it was built to be a fun night celebrating the movies that I loved growing up:"
"I think it was built to be a fun night celebrating the movies that I loved growing up. And it was just a blast to make 'Werewolf By Night,' and we get to do it now Live-to-Picture with an orchestra."
Watch the Minnesota concert announcement here:
Could More MCU Projects Receive This Treatment?
One unique part of Werewolf by Night is that its director is also a famed composer. Giacchino is most well-known for his work with music, so having the project he directed be the first to have its score played live in a special concert event does make sense.
But, if it is a success, Marvel may choose to present other projects in a similar manner. Avengers: Endgame's portal scene has been presented alone in this way, and in several other immersive manners, like on-water screens at Disney's California Adventure. Maybe that movie will be next to receive the full live orchestra treatment?
Or, Giacchino's Marvel scores could be next. The composer offered his talent to the MCU's entire Spider-Man trilogy, to Doctor Strange, and to Thor: Love and Thunder — perhaps any of these projects could be presented live in concert, too?
Werewolf by Night is currently streaming on Disney+ and will be re-released in color on October 20.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
