Convention - SDCC 2026: Michael Giacchino and an All-Star Lineup of Composers Celebrate the Music Behind Superheroes

By Mulder, 10 july 2026

One of San Diego Comic-Con's longest-running and most anticipated music events is set to return this summer with another exclusive celebration of the composers shaping today's biggest franchises. The 12th annual Musical Anatomy of a Superhero and Other Heroes panel is scheduled for Thursday, July 23, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. PT in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, where some of Hollywood's most accomplished film and television composers will gather to discuss the creative process behind superhero, fantasy, television and video game scores. Produced by Costa Communications and sponsored by ASCAP, BMI, GMR, SESAC and the Society of Composers & Lyricists, the event has become a Comic-Con tradition, known for offering audiences far more than a conventional panel discussion. Past editions have featured exclusive previews, unreleased music and candid behind-the-scenes insights into the art of film scoring, and this year's edition is expected to continue that legacy. Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino will moderate the conversation while presenting a never-before-seen clip and an unreleased musical cue from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, offering attendees one of the convention's earliest exclusive looks at the highly anticipated Marvel film.

Few figures are better suited to lead the discussion than Michael Giacchino, whose career has helped define the sound of modern blockbuster filmmaking. From beloved Pixar classics including Up, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Inside Out and Coco to major franchises such as Star Trek, Jurassic World, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and The Batman, his scores have become synonymous with emotional storytelling and cinematic spectacle. His Academy Award-winning music for Up remains one of the most celebrated orchestral scores of the century, earning an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy Awards. Alongside his work as a composer, Michael Giacchino has expanded into directing with Marvel Studios' Werewolf by Night while continuing to score upcoming productions including Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Brad Bird's Ray Gunn for Netflix and the animated adaptation of Paul McCartney's High in the Clouds. His participation as both moderator and presenter promises to offer unique insight into the increasingly collaborative relationship between composers, filmmakers and major studio franchises.

Joining him will be an impressive lineup representing several generations and styles of film music. Academy Award-winning composer Kris Bowers is expected to discuss his recent collaboration with Michael Dean Parsons on Spider-Noir, as well as a career that has already produced acclaimed scores for The Wild Robot, Origin, Bob Marley: One Love, The Color Purple, King Richard and Netflix's hit series Bridgerton. Equally comfortable in jazz, classical music and cinematic composition, Kris Bowers has become one of Hollywood's most distinctive musical voices. Michael Dean Parsons, meanwhile, continues to establish himself among the industry's rising composers through projects including Pain Hustlers, Only, The Wild Robot, The Lost Bus, Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn's Treasure and Light & Magic. A graduate of The Juilliard School and a former student of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Christopher Rouse, he has also seen his contemporary concert works performed by the New York Philharmonic and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, highlighting the increasingly fluid relationship between concert music and film scoring.

The panel is also expected to shine a spotlight on Claudia Sarne, whose recent work on Supergirl made her the first woman to compose the score for a DC feature film. Her unconventional path into film music has seen her evolve from London's electronic music scene and the band 12 Rounds to an acclaimed career scoring projects such as Black Mirror, Shining Girls, The Defiant Ones, Earthquake Bird and Triple 9. Drawing inspiration from influences as varied as Nina Simone, David Bowie, Motown, reggae, punk and electronic music, Claudia Sarne has developed a distinctive musical voice that reflects the increasingly diverse approaches found in contemporary film composition.

Veteran composer Brian Tyler is likewise scheduled to participate, bringing with him experience gained from scoring more than one hundred feature films whose combined global box office exceeds $20 billion. Best known for his work on Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Mummy, the Fast & Furious franchise, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Yellowstone and Crazy Rich Asians, Brian Tyler has also become familiar to millions of sports fans as the composer of Formula 1's official broadcast theme. His participation is expected to provide further perspective on the growing range of opportunities available to composers working across cinema, television, live performances and international entertainment events.

Representing the next generation of composers, Emmy Award-winning Mick Giacchino will also join the discussion. His growing body of work includes HBO's The Penguin, Disney+'s Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, The Muppets Mayhem, the upcoming Marvel series Vision Quest, Zootopia+ and Netflix's Extinct. While continuing to establish his own creative identity, Mick Giacchino has become part of a new generation of composers moving effortlessly between streaming series, animation, blockbuster films and immersive attractions, reflecting the increasingly interconnected nature of modern entertainment.

As in previous years, the Musical Anatomy of a Superhero and Other Heroes panel is expected to focus less on celebrity appearances than on the creative artistry behind some of popular culture's most recognizable scores. Through exclusive footage, unreleased music and conversations about the collaborative process between composers, directors and producers, attendees can look forward to a rare opportunity to explore how music shapes the emotional identity of superheroes and other iconic characters long before audiences ever hear the finished score in theaters or on television.

Photos : SDCC 2025 / Boris Colletier / Mulderville

(Source : press release)