Doctor Strange 2’s Weirdest Fight Scene Explained By Composer

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness composer Danny Elfman is sharing how he put together the musical note fight scene in the film's third act. The sequel to Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange sees Benedict Cumberbatch's Strange traveling the multiverse as he seeks to protect America Chavez, a teenager superhero with the power to jump between universes, from Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch. In one alternate reality, Stephen encounters an evil variant of himself in Sinister Strange. Naturally, an epic battle ensues between the two.

A memorable moment of the fight scene occurs when the two appear to wield musical notes as offensive weapons against each other. Doctor Strange magically levitates notes from sheet music — to the tune of Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony" — and shoots them toward Sinister Strange. The evil Stranger variant then responds with a counterattack to the tune of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." Both pieces mesh to create a composition titled "Lethal Symphonies" on the Doctor Strange 2 soundtrack, composed by Elfman.

Elfman recently sat down with Marvel.com to share how the composition and the battle came together. The idea originated with director Sam Raimi, who developed the sequence with a team that included storyboard artist Doug Lefler and What If...? director Bryan Andrews. After shooting the scene, Raimi shared the concept with Elfman, who experimented with various pieces until Marvel producer Kevin Feige stepped in with another idea. Elfman said:

"Literally, not metaphorically, these notes are flying off the page. It was working various classical pieces against each other; kind of famous pieces. Then, in the very 59th minute of the 11th hour, at the very end, Kevin Feige jumped in and said to just simplify it to Beethoven versus Bach. I did one more pass at it where it was Beethoven’s ‘5th Symphony’ against Bach's ‘Toccata and Fugue.’ It really worked out perfectly.”

The musical note fight scene is perhaps one of the more creative duels to take place in the MCU, and the pieces chosen were perfect for their respective characters. While Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony" carries a commanding grandeur appropriate for Doctor Strange, Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" exudes the classic horror film melody, alluding to Sinister Strange. Elfman was also smart to incorporate recognizable pieces, making it fun for the audience paying attention to the music in between each smash and blast of the Multiverse of Madness action set piece.

As genius as the scene may seem, Marvel audiences remain split over their reception to Doctor Strange 2. While many feel that Multiverse of Madness is as epic as advertised, others criticize the film for being convoluted and confusing — not to mention over-the-top, with some citing the musical note battle as an example of pushing the envelope too far. If there's something likely everyone can agree on, however, it's Elfman's masterful handling of two iconic works by Bach and Beethoven. Regardless of one's opinion about the scene itself, Elfman's "Lethal Symphonies" in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will surely be a favorite among Marvel fans and music buffs alike.

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