Will John Williams Score Episode 8?

Agree with everything you just said. Health aside, I hope Williams can complete the trilogy. As for the anthology films, let this be the area for exploration with the likes of Desplat and others. I very much enjoyed Desplat's dark, HP and the DH music.

 

I think Danny Elfman would be a good one to combo in with John Williams for 8. Elfman is pretty good at quirky, atmospheric and thematic music IMO. I like the idea of whoever it is, needs to have their own unique style, but also learn the starwars ropes from Williams directly. Music is SO important to Star Wars. I hope someone comes allong who can carry it on and possibly take it to new heights. Although its very difficult to imagine anyone replacing JW. This whole conversation is just making me sad.

Also: Interesting The Who analogy. I love the Who, but have never heard Live at Leeds. I'll have to check it out!

 

Top 3 favorite films scores that aren't by John Williams:

1. Jerry Goldsmith - Star Trek: The Motion Picture (this is actually my third favorite score, after ESB and Raiders, and gave us not only the amazing Federation/Enterprise theme but also the Klingon theme that has been the basis for all bumpy-foreheaded things since)

2. Howard Shore - the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy (I can't separate them into individual films)

3. Javier Navarrete - Pan's Labyrinth (he seems to be influenced by Mahler, uses a lot of bassy piano and atmospheric strings, much like Williams, is creat with cues... the score for Devil's Backbone is also great)

 

Search Youtube for the Battle of Endor (1) From ROTJ. First two minutes are solid OT soundtrack gold.

Judging TFA against ROTJ: TFA has a fair share inconsistencies just like Return of the Jedi. The pace of TFA is a reflection of the attention spans of modern audiences so I try not to fault TFA on that alone. But from 1:01 to 2:01 of The Battle of Endor score is enough to put ROTJ higher than TFA in my judgment. The movie scene itself is just pure SW power. The timing of realization of the trap with the pickup of the score is perfect, culminating in one of the most famous lines of the saga.

I felt that the awesome marriage of the soundtrack with the movie plot and visuals was missing from TFA. Its there.. but I felt it wasn't synced as well as other SW movies. Recent interviews of JW suggested that JJ was modifying the movie late in the game. This had to make it harder for JW to match up the music. It seems to me that Lucas appreciated the power of the music more so than JJ. In total...I blame the weakness of the score on JJ's production techniques.

 

+1
These days it is all about "the BRAAMS "created by Hans Zimmer.

 

.............BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM.........

 

The TFA soundtrack is mostly background music, nothing more. His soundtracks don't stand on their own or help push the story or themes anymore, which is fine...

You can close your eyes and listen to the OT soundtracks and picture moments, lines, themes, characters, emotions, etc etc

I hope whoever does the score brings it back to some unique and story pushing themes.

 

Having read a few posts, I think Williams will indeed come back to score Episode VIII, however, as many of you said already the score for TFA was a "slow burn" it is no doubt good, but it's far from the John Williams we love. He's 80 years old, you can clearly see that after a while his themes, even thou great like the Resistance March, Rey's Theme and the Jedi Steps, start showing influences of his other work throughout the years, and it gets confusing. But other than John Williams, right now, the only person I see being able to replace him, and deliver a great score, one that we will love is Michael Giacchino.

I've been a fan of Michael for a while now and he's proven he's got that Williams vibe, ever since I heard his Medal of Honor scores, I thought, "hummm there is a hint of John Williams there, he would be a good choice".

 

I couldn't agree more. I couldn't imagine Star Wars without John Williams. I wasn't impacted as much by TFA soundtrack the first time in theatres, but the second time it really stood out to me, especially Rey's theme. I also thought the OT themes sprinkled among the new score was smart and not overdone. I always enjoyed the Han and Leia theme quite a bit.

I also thought the tone fit the movie. The Prequels are so flashy and in your face, so is the music. Even the love them, "Across the Stars" was pretty dramatic in the PT. The OT is somewhere inbetween. TFA is a new territory to explore. I think it will only get better if John Williams continues. I hope he at least does 8 and 9.

 

I can't believe people are saying that the TFA soundtrack isn't memorable. I've been playing it on repeat for two weeks now. I think people are being misled by the fact that we've had the OT and PT soundtracks for many years - in the case of the OT soundtracks, for several decades, while the TFA soundtrack we've only had for a couple of weeks. Rey's Theme and the Jedi Steps are just as iconic as anything else Williams has composed...

 

He should do them all if he can! - if not, I think the people who made the Star Wars: The Old Republic sound track might be a good candidate :

and second maybe the people who made the KOTOR maybe however I am sure there are other good ones too.

 

Hi fellow cantina members,

I'm interested to hear if you guys think Williams will return to score episode VIII.
I'm not asking if you'd want it or not, but if you think it's possible and if he's willing to do it. I doubt Disney wouldn't ask him as their first choice, considering who he is and what he's done for Star Wars.

He was announced quite early for Episode 7, which gave a lot of us a big relief. But considering his age and how much work is required for a full filmscore, will he be able to, and want to do another one?

Edit: My post was merged with an already existing thread. Excuse me for starting a new one about the same thing!

 

I think he'll complete the trilogy of trilogies, with Episode IX being his send-off film. At least, that's what I want to think...

 

If he feels physically able for it, he will also score episode 8. But I think, he will be supported by other composers.

Alexandre Desplat will handle the score for Rogue One.
You could see this as his test. If he nails it, then
maybe he will help John Williams for Episode 8 and 9.

 

I for one think he will as well as @Ninjabeans put it if he is physically up to it, he's been in this game of music for a long time I'm sure he will want close this trilogy on his tune before the credits music hits it's beat.

 

Well the great thing is that he has already provided for the musical template: all the character and faction themes of the sequels have already been presented in The Force Awakens score. I do think he will return for VIII and IX and that these are the last scores he will make. He knows it is his magus opus and that if he finishes the saga completely he will have a musical legacy in place which exceeds greats such as Wagner. But I do think Lucasfilm is consciously trying to keep it a secret at least until right after the oscars. The very idea that TFA might have been Williams' last score might result in some extra oscar votes.

 

I would find the lack of John Williams disturbing.

 

I'm addicted to TFA's ST.. We need U John Williams,, Sense VII is gonna be darker and I'm guessing he'll see a lot more of snoke/Dark Side in gen.. We need some darker music themes like in the PT.. That's just MO..

 

If he can, and he wants to, he should.

Star Wars owes so much to the musical magic of maestro John Williams.

I truly hope he scores Episode VIII and IX.

Then his circle would be complete.

JediMaster