Black Widow Features a Haunting Cover of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

Marvel's Black Widow will include an orchestral cover of Nirvana's 1991 hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

As reported by Consequence Film, the cover will be a 2015 rendition performed by Malia J and produced by the composer collective Think Up Anger. The song will play over the opening credits of the film, a montage showing Natasha Romanoff's time at the Red Room, the Soviet-era training camp that taught her to be a master spy and assassin.

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Malia J., a singer/songwriter whose work has been featured in shows like The Handmaid's Tale and Riverdale, said that Marvel Studios contacted her about using the song in February of 2020. "We honestly thought it was a joke and didn't immediately respond," she told Consequence. "A different version of this cover has been circulating in the TV/film industry since 2015, and I can only speculate that someone from their camp was a fan and wanted to put it in the movie!"

She said she was "absolutely thrilled" about the studio wanting to use her work. "I found out during the pandemic, and the news lifted my spirits up during such a dark time. I had no idea this song would end up being in a Marvel film, let alone the opening credits. I am such a fan of Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh -- to be a part of something they are involved with is a dream come true."

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This will be the second of Nirvana's hits to be featured in a Marvel property. In 2019's Captain Marvel, the song "Come As You Are" plays as Carol Danvers confers with the Supreme Intelligence for the last time, signaling that she is remembering her life on Earth in the '90s. A remix of the song was also used to score the teaser for the Netflix crossover series The Defenders.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was the opening track and lead single from Nirvana's sophomore album Nevermind. The song, along with its accompanying music video, was an unexpected success, becoming the band's biggest hit and propelled grunge rock and the Seattle alternative scene into the mainstream. Today, it is regarded as one of the defining songs of the early '90s and one of the best songs in rock history.

Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, O-T Fagbenle as Mason and Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff. The film arrives in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access July 9.

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Source: Consequence Film


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