Superman‘s co-composer, John Murphy, explains why he prefers working with DC in comparison to Marvel Studios. The composer is a frequent collaborator of James Gunn, having written scores for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad for the DC Extended Universe.

The highly rated new Superman movie marked the latest project from the 28 Days Later composer, who wrote the tracks “Theme from Superman (Official Trailer Version),” “LuthorCorp,” “Lois & Clark,” “Raising the Flag,” and “Walking on Air.”

In an interview with ScreenRant, Murphy compared his experience working with Marvel Studios and DC. He shared that he came to work with Marvel on GotG Vol. 3, and while he appreciated the overall “professional” approach, he did feel the emotional distance and admitted to having to “deal with politics separately.” DC, on the other hand, which is tied to “an old relationship,” has a more “close-knit feel.” Read his comments below:

It’s different, but there’s a few reasons for that. Let’s take The Suicide Squad, which was before James was the head of DC. Even with The Suicide Squad, there was so much respect for him that I don’t remember any studio notes. I just don’t remember them. I think he was just trusted, and it was really just dealing with him.

Murphy shared that working with Gunn felt like “working on an indie film,” which reminded him of working on the 28 films with Danny Boyle and Guy Ritchie on Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Check out what he said:

One of the best things about working with him is that it’s like working on an indie film, but blown up. In the old days, I’d sit with Danny Boyle in a room having a few beers, and we’d watch the movie and go through stuff. Or Guy Ritchie stayed with me in Liverpool for a bit, and we went through [the movie] and it was just like you chilling, [going,] “What are we going to do here?”

But even though James wasn’t at the studio here, we’d FaceTime and we’d email a lot and stuff. It was still just dealing with him. And that was very much the case on this too. There would sometimes be notes–there were some notes on Superman–but it was really the conversations and ideas and stuff between the execs and James, just in their normal creative process.

I can’t recall a single occasion where anyone ever told him what to do. I think he just does his own thing.

The composer shared that Marvel had a “different setup” that made him feel like a “part of a big machine.” Putting an emphasis on the differences of experiences, Murphy stressed that he’s not necessarily saying that DC is better. Read his comment below:

I had to deal with politics separately with working on Marvel, but it’s just a very different setup, and I’d never worked with Marvel before Guardians.

With any film this size, there’s always a bigger machine behind the scenes going on. Dealing with Marvel people, they were very professional, but you feel like you’re part of a big machine, whereas DC felt a bit more close-knit.

[That’s] also because I’ve known the head of music at Warners since I first came to Hollywood. Paul Broucek–he gave me my first movie. So, there was much more of a close-knit feel with Warners and DC. I could get away with a bit more. I could throw a tantrum and not be fired. I couldn’t really do that with Marvel. You know what I mean? I had to play nice.

So, it’s a different thing. But maybe if I went did another movie with Marvel, it would be a second time around and [feel different.] It’s different, but there’s a lot of reasons for that, not just because Marvel is different from DC.

My relationship with DC is also tied in with an old relationship with Paul and the staff at Warner, so it’d be unfair to go “DC is better.” It’s just different.

What This Means For Superman 2025 And DC

Murphy’s comment offers some insight into the creative process behind Superman‘s soundtrack, which is the result of a collaborative and expressive effort between him, David Fleming, Gunn, and the studio executives. The new movie incorporates John Williams’ iconic Superman themes while blending orchestral with indie and punk. Since the movie’s release, the soundtrack has received compliments for its eclecticism.

The 28 Days Later composer also offers an exclusive insider’s sneak peek into the different dynamics and work cultures between Marvel and DC, both are major players in the superhero genre and comic book industry. Interestingly, Marvel Studios, responsible for making Avengers: Endgame, the second-highest-grossing movie of all time, has a reputation for producing box office smash hits.

DC, on the other hand, has produced several critically acclaimed тιтles, including the Oscar-winning The Dark Knight, Tim Burton’s Batman, and the 2019 Joker.

Our Take On Superman 2025

The new Superman movie pᴀssed the $300 million milestone earlier this week, which marks DC movie to cross the threshold in years. The movie also received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, with an 83% critical score and a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. John Murphy and David Fleming’s electic soundtracks added refreshing twists to the iconic Superman theme and significantly contributed to the film’s overall quality.

The composer’s comment offers some insight into the creative structure and vision behind the diverse styles and unique projects DC featured throughout the year. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, on the other hand, is built upon a continuous narrative across several movies. Murphy’s comment also sheds some light on how the studio managed to maintain consistency and build long-term thriving relationships with creative minds.