Legendary composerJohn Williamsis returning to theStar Warsfranchise one more time. His musical scores have become so synonymous with the franchise that any time the composer returns with new music it is noteworthy. Now, news has come out that the composer whose work is so indelibly linked to the Skywalker saga will provide a theme forObi-Wan Kenobi.
In an interview withVanity Fair,Natalie Holt, the first female to be the composer for aStar Warsproject, explained how the legendary composer came on board to do a theme for the show.
Holt explained, “Obi-Wan is a legacy character that John hadn’t written a theme for because he died quite early on inA New Hope.It’s theonlylegacy character that he hadn’t done. So he spoke to Kathleen Kennedy and said, “I just want to write Benny a theme.” So who can deny him that? And he did, he wrote the Obi theme, and it just embodies the spirit of the show entirely.”
Holt goes on to describe Williams’ theme, “It’s reflective, and it’s just entirely appropriate. And it distills what the show is about in just the perfect way that John Williams can. It’s wistful, but there’s an element of hope to it. It’s doing something new and I think people are going to be really blown away by it.”
Holt, who previously worked onLokifor Disney+, was thrilled to work with Williams whose music she grew up on. She explained, “Well, I think I’ve just always been a hugeStar Warsfan. I watched the original trilogy with my dad when I was five years old. So the music from John Williams basically narrated my childhood:E.T.,Raiders,Jurassic Park.So yeah, my starting point was just being a huge fan of the music for the show already. I’m a violinist and I come from an orchestral background, so I’ve been able to do something on an epic scale with these big forces.”
Related:These Are the Best John Williams Scores, Ranked
John Williams’ Scores Have Defined the Movies They Were a Part Of
There is no denying that the music of John Williams has become an indelible part of our collective culture. FromStar WarstoJawsand many movies in between, Williams’s scorers have served to bring movies to life in a visceral way.
Spielberg, who once thought the score thatWilliams came up with forJawswas a jokeeven though it has turned into one of the most iconic pieces of music, best explained Williams impact on the movie industry. While introducing Williams for his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award, Spielberg had this to say:
“Without John Williams, bikes don’t fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force. Dinosaurs do not walk the earth. We do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.”
Williams has created many iconic pieces of music over the years. And it is entirely possible that the theme forObi-Wan Kenobiwill become just one more such iconic piece.
