Avengers: Infinity War Reveals Iron Man's Musical Theme

Screen Rant

Avengers: Infinity War Shows Iron Man Does Have A Proper Theme (Sort Of)

By Thomas Bacon

Published Sep 5, 2018

Superheroes traditionally have their own iconic themes - and it seems composer Alan Silvestri has given Iron Man a theme of his own.

The MCU's heroes haven't really been known for their own musical themes in the same way audiences often expect from other franchises - but it seems Avengers: Infinity War has finally changed that. Despite having a major role in 8 previous movies, it wasn't until Avengers: Infinity War that Iron Man received a notable musical reference.

In 1978, fresh from his successes with Jaws and Star Wars, legendary composer John Williams produced an iconic theme tune for Superman. The initial recording went a little wrong when director Richard Donner was unable to help himself, and sprang out of his seat shouting, "Genius! Fantastic!" Williams cemented the idea that the best superheroes have an iconic theme tune. It's a tradition that has been honored throughout the decades, from Danny Elfman's Batman through to Hans Zimmer's Wonder Woman theme in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Until recently, the MCU has come in for heavy criticism for its soundtracks. While that's improved over the last year or so, there's one area where Marvel has remained quite unusual; the studio doesn't seem to believe in giving its heroes theme tunes. However, one keen-eared Redditor has spotted that this may have changed in Avengers: Infinity War.

Iron Man Has A Theme Tune - After A Fashion

Iron Man Fighting With Doctor Strange Infinity War

After confronting Loki in the first Avengers, Tony Stark is thrown from a Stark Tower window only for a new suit of armor to chase him down, forming around the falling Stark and allowing him to fly back up to face the God of Mischief. It's a tremendous scene, one of the most memorable in the movie, and it's all the more effective because of Alan Silvestri's score.

Fast-forward to Avengers: Infinity War, and Silvestri returned for the soundtrack of the sequel. Although he reintroduced the main Avengers theme, Silvestri felt unable to integrate the rest of the themes he'd used. "At our first meeting, we began with the question 'Is it even possible to give each character's musical theme a nod," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "We were open to it, but everyone was pretty much in agreement that it would be more of a distraction to even attempt it." He did slip in a nod to Ludwig Goransson's Black Panther theme when Earth's Mightiest Heroes headed to Wakanda, but otherwise created music that was uniquely suited to Avengers: Infinity War.

Except for one key scene, in which - appropriately enough - Tony Stark stands face-to-face with two members of the Black Order. Stark's armor is far more high-tech in Avengers: Infinity War, of course, composed of nanotech meaning it literally forms around him as Cull Obsidian storms forwards. Listen carefully, and you'll hear the Iron Man suit-up theme from The Avengers running in the background. This kind of score continuity is a powerful tool for any composer; it allows them to thematically link scenes and characters across films. "There is a certain power associated with hearing thematic material associated with specific characters, especially in brands," Silvestri explained. "When done right, the music becomes another character in the property." In this case, the music binds two scenes together; in both, Stark is confronting a powerful alien threat, is in deadly danger - and is suiting up in order to wage war.

It seems Iron Man does have something of a theme after all.

Source: Reddit