What Song Is In The Agatha All Along Trailer (& What It Means)
Marvel just released the first trailer for Agatha All Along with a backing song that may carry a hidden meaning. After several name changes across two years, Marvel Studios has definitively settled on Agatha All Along as the official title for the eponymous anti-hero's spinoff series. It will be the second MCU show to be released this year, following January's Echo, and is set to debut on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere on September 18th. It sees the return of a few WandaVision characters while debuting new ones, such as Aubrey Plaza's original character, Rio Vidal.
The Agatha All Along trailer reveals that Marvel is poised to delve deep into its supernatural side with a healthy dose of horror. This follows on from the most recent appearance of the Scarlet Witch in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in which renowned horror director, Sam Raimi, capitalized on the scare factor presented by the reality-warping witch and the Darkhold. This next foray into the occult in Agatha All Along is perfectly encapsulated by the song chosen for its trailer, which itself continues another Marvel movie trend.
From WandaVision to She-Hulk, from Loki to Ms. Marvel, the MCU's Disney+ TV shows have been hits - but how do they all compare to one another?
"Seven Devils" was released on Florence and the Machine's second album, Ceremonials, in 2011. The album was critically acclaimed, and even contained the song that would go on to be the band's first #1 single after it was remixed by Calvin Harris: "Spectrum (Say My Name)." "Seven Devils" was never released as a single, though it has been used multiple times for other shows including in the trailer to promote Game of Thrones season 2.
Marvel's use of "Seven Devils" is the second time the studio has deployed a Florence and the Machine song for a big musical moment in its productions in two years, after "Dog Days Are Over" was used in the final dance sequence of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
This demonstrates how well the song fits within stories that include magic and mysticism. In an interview (via YouTube), Welch discusses how the inspiration for the song came from a line in a book by Chester Himes called If He Hollers, Let Him Go. In another interview with NME, however, Welch suggests that "Seven Devils," among other songs on the album, is about "exorcising demons" and "casting hexes," which certainly marries well with what is depicted in the Agatha All Along trailer.
The plainest answer to why Marvel chose "Seven Devils" specifically is that it fits the ambiance. The lyrics include references to holy water, devils, exorcism, and death - all of which feel distinctly pertinent to Agatha All Along, which looks like it might be the MCU's most paranormal installment yet. The trailer also depicts at least two demonic entities inside a house, mirroring the lyric, "seven devils in my house." Nevertheless, the lyrics may have a deeper meaning than mere esthetics.
Agatha is seen in the trailer trying to form a coven that appears to comprise at least six members. Though her role remains unclear, Aubrey Plaza's Rio Vidal could easily make the seventh "devil," as the series looks poised to indulge in the darker side of magic. The MCU may also be referencing the popular yet ultimately erroneous fan theory that Mephisto was pulling the strings in WandaVision. Ultimately, however, the song may have been used to reference an important, but as-yet-unrevealed plot point in Agatha All Along, which is something that only time will reveal.
Agatha Harkness, after the events of "WandaVision," seeks to regain her magical powers. Joining forces with unexpected allies, including the son of an old adversary, she battles new mystical threats while uncovering hidden secrets in the magical realm.