Marvel Cinematic Universe: Soundtrack Scores Ranked From Worst To Best
19. The Incredible Hulk
Craig Armstrong was one of the early contributors to the Marvel universe with his score for 2008's The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton.
The film itself is an oddity in continuity. It is accepted as canon, featuring Tony Stark and the introduction of Colonel Ross. However, the behind the scenes drama with Norton ensured that the film has been more or less swept under the rug to allow for Mark Ruffalo's Hulk to shine.
Regardless of that, director Louis Letterier was a huge fan of Armstrong, who was always first choice when it came to composing. Marvel bosses were curious, as they weren't sure whether Armstrong had scored for a superhero film before (he had in fact scored 2001's Kiss of the Dragon.)
The Hulk has had one of the longest cinematic and television histories of all of the characters in the MCU. The Bruce Bixby series featured the sombre 'Lonely Man' theme, which Armstrong incorporated into the score for this film.
Reviews were mixed. While the intention to keep the theme for the Hulk simple was deliberate, along with the groaning and darker theme for Blonsky's Abomination, the soundtrack was called one of the dullest action scores of the year. Conversely, it was also hailed as bombastic and thematic, proving that the score, much like the film itself, may not have been to everyone's taste but still has its fans.