Alan Silvestri replaces John Williams for READY PLAYER ONE

[Disco Stu 15,495]

4 minutes ago, someonefun124 said:

What will he do for 2018 then?

 

More than likely no scores I would think.  Outside of the anomalous Book Thief, Star Wars and Spielberg are the only things that keep him from being fully retired from scoring new films.  Outside of Book Thief, it's been since 2004 (Azkaban) that he's scored a non-Star Wars/Spielberg film.

 

Only five movies this century that weren't Spielberg/Star Wars:

 

The Patriot

3 Harry Potters

The Book Thief

 

So unless Spielberg pulls another surprise and maybe manages to get that Edgardo Mortara movie out next year...

[pete 906]

3 minutes ago, someonefun124 said:

I thought Williams had already done some work for RPO or was that speculation? Maybe I'm confusing that with The Papers?  This is disappointing news to those who were expecting another Williams score.  On a positive note, at least we're getting two Williams scores this year.  What will he do for 2018 then?

 

He did say in Sept or October that he would start work on Ready Player One in November. Perhaps he did, or perhaps the Star Wars schedule changed and he started work on that earlier than he originally anticipated.

[Tom 4,640]

30 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

 

Unless it's the only reason he's still doing them.

I doubt it.  With both episode 7 and now 8, he scored the following film in the traditional 3-4 month format. 

 

On a positive note, at least we are getting a good composer for the film (who might even reference Williams when appropriate, given the story). 

[crumbs 14,305]

Very conflicted about this news. Concerned but not surprised Williams isn't able or willing to write two scores in the next 9 months, especially when one looks to be a sparsely spotted small-scale drama score. Maybe Williams is just tired of the action blockbuster writing after spending so long on both Star Wars films?

 

Maybe as RPO has developed, Spielberg has decided to populate it with more 80s music references and JW just had no interest? He hates quoting his own themes at the best of times, let alone other composers. Maybe Spielberg wanted to go heavy on synth?

 

This is all the stranger because Williams had been announced as the composer of RPO and had already started work on it (apparently), but we hadn't heard a thing about Papers. Perhaps he wrote a main theme but he's left the score proper for Silvestri? 

 

I guess I shouldn't be sad, we just need to cherish every note from here. The man is 85 and we need to be realistic about how fast he can write. But with The Papers as their 28th collaboration and nothing else on the cards until 2020's Indy V...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

And this is why I don't like Williams's "luxurious" 8-month scoring schedule for the new SW films. 

 

Not even if it's because he wants to take is easier?

 

Besides, The Last Jedi's sessions are done.

 

Blame Spielberg's habbit of stockpiling projects

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

WAIT WHAT

 

Ahem...

 

Of course we're going to miss what Williams could have done with this, but Silvestri and Spielberg working together should bring great things to the table. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Alan certainly seems to be coming back from obscurity. I hope Jason kept those wine bottles!

[crumbs 14,305]

7 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

 

Not even if it's because he wants to take is easier?

 

Besides, The Last Jedi's sessions are done.

 

Blame Spielberg's habbit of stockpiling projects

 

True point. He did Bridge of Spies at the same time as The Force Awakens (and BFG not long after) when Williams only did 1 score in the 3 years following Lincoln.

 

Now he's done 2 films at the same time as The Last Jedi (even though Williams has finished) and created another conflict. If RPO was a May release this might not have happened.

 

Let's just hope he circles back to Mortara for 2018, or it'll be a 2.5 year break before Spielberg and Williams work together again.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

 

More than likely no scores I would think.  Outside of the anomalous Book Thief, Star Wars and Spielberg are the only things that keep him from being fully retired from scoring new films.  Outside of Book Thief, it's been since 2004 (Azkaban) that he's scored a non-Star Wars/Spielberg film.

 

Only five movies this century that weren't Spielberg/Star Wars:

 

The Patriot

3 Harry Potters

The Book Thief

 

So unless Spielberg pulls another surprise and maybe manages to get that Edgardo Mortara movie out next year...

 

You forgot Memoirs, unless you count that as Spielberg which I don't necessarily.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I blame that bitch Kathleen Kennedy.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

3 minutes ago, Evil-Lyn said:

I blame that bitch Kathleen Kennedy.

 

No reason why you should. The Last Jedi has finished recording.

 

But you do seem to have a tendency of blaming women.

[crumbs 14,305]

1 minute ago, Evil-Lyn said:

I blame that bitch Kathleen Kennedy.

 

Well, would you rather a trilogy of new John Williams Star Wars scores or John Williams scores for Bridge of Spies & Ready Player One?

 

I'm inclined to think whatever Williams would have written for the latter wouldn't be that much more inspired than Newman & Silvestri's efforts. Very different story if the situation were reversed and someone else had done TFA and TLJ...

[Wojo 2,453]

Star Wars is everything. 

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

[mrbellamy 6,272]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

I doubt it.  With both episode 7 and now 8, he scored the following film in the traditional 3-4 month format. 

 

On a positive note, at least we are getting a good composer for the film (who might even reference Williams when appropriate, given the story). 

 

I dunno, maybe the action stuff just burns him out these days, must be somewhat exhausting mentally and even physically writing the sheer number of cues that use every section throughout, plus conducting and working through all this stuff at the sessions. BFG was a big score but really the majority is comparatively intimate, pleasantly tonal underscore with just a few sequences that required any kind of complex orchestral writing hitting dozens of sync points. There's all that elaborate flute writing but maybe it just wasn't the same type of workload as Star Wars, or that RPO probably would have been. Might also have something to do with the somewhat noticeable "stream-lining" of his action sound in War Horse and TFA compared to how he approached this stuff in the 2000s.

 

All entirely speculative, obviously I don't know anything.

[Bespin 8,480]

Our John is getting older, now he can chose, that's okay.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

Uhhh....

 

 

EDIT: Nevermind, I thought both said RPO!

[Bespin 8,480]

Sillverwhat? Is if the Guy who wrote music Back to the future? 

[crumbs 14,305]

Where was the interview where someone stated Williams was already working on RPO? It was months ago, around the end of last year. What's the deal there?

 

My theory is he decided (after finishing TLJ) that he was too tired writing in that 'mode' to immediately tackle another film score of similar magnitude, opting instead to take a writing break and focus on concerts for 3 months then score The Papers in September.

 

If RPO had been a June 2018 release, I doubt this would've been a problem; different story trying to rush a score between December and February. Also possible the action stuff didn't interest him and he's already thinking about doing another Star Wars next year, so a small drama was just the ticket.

[Balahkay 627]

One a positive note, it seems likely Williams will receive an Oscar nomination for The Papers.  I'm not sure what that means for TLJ, though.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

I'm so glad to hear this, RPO was a fucking rubbish book and I'm glad JW won't stain his name by being part of it.

 

Having said that The Papers sounds like a right snooze-fest, though the cast is pretty stellar.

[Balahkay 627]

3 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Where was the interview where someone stated Williams was already working on RPO? It was months ago, around the end of last year. What's the deal there?

 

My theory is he decided (after finishing TLJ) that he was too tired writing in that 'mode' to immediately tackle another film score of similar magnitude, opting instead to take a writing break and focus on concerts for 3 months then score The Papers in September.

 

If RPO had been a June 2018 release, I doubt this would've been a problem. Different story trying to score it between December and February (even if he'd already done preliminary work in July/August).

 

And he would have less than 3 months to finish up RPO.  The man needs a break at some point!  The best option would have been to delay the film's release but obviously that wasn't a viable option.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

11 minutes ago, crumbs said:

Where was the interview where someone stated Williams was already working on RPO? It was months ago, around the end of last year. What's the deal there?

 

There was this tweet from one of the co-writers:

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/zakpenn/status/814527420682252288

 

Probably he just didn't know wtf he was talking about.

[crumbs 14,305]

15 minutes ago, someonefun124 said:

 

And he would have less than 3 months to finish up RPO.  The man needs a break at some point!  The best option would have been to delay the film's release but obviously that wasn't a viable option.

 

Spielberg abandoning Mortara and TLJ dragging on until late June probably put the nail in RPO.

 

Spielberg would've wrapped shooting Mortara by now (April shoot was planned), instead he's only just started The Papers. I know he shoots and edits fast but I still doubt Williams will see the film until September -- even then, that's only 3 months to write and record a whole score.

 

TLJ recording until June (wasn't it meant to be April?) probably ate into potential writing time for RPO, and Williams simply wanted a well-earned break rather than working solidly from now until February.

[Quintus 5,399]

3 hours ago, pete said:

 

He did say in Sept or October that he would start work on Ready Player One in November. Perhaps he did, or perhaps the Star Wars schedule changed and he started work on that earlier than he originally anticipated.

 

Maybe he even handed a couple of theme ideas onto Silvestri. 

[Incanus 5,713]

Well this is unfortunate news but at 85 such hectic overlapping schedules for scoring two films are undoubtedly too taxing for Williams. So to me it is completely understandable that JW dropped out from one project. Nice to at least have an old school composer like Silvestri taking over RPO.

[KK 3,307]

Sad news. One of the more exciting projects that the maestro had lined up. It's ultimately understandable. It's remarkable that he's writing as much as he is at this age.

[Quintus 5,399]

On 10/06/2016 at 4:12 AM, crumbs said:

So Indy V will mark their 30th collaboration together, in the same year he hopefully completes his 9 film, triple trilogy Star Wars opus. 2019 could be the greatest year of JW scores since 2005!

 

Wait until you find out Giacchino is taking over on Indy 5 though. 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Fuck you!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

5 hours ago, Erik Woods said:

Wow! Didn't see this coming!

 

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/john-williams-alan-silvestri-steven-spielberg-ready-player-one-the-papers-1202490105/

 

Feud between Spielberg and Williams 100% confirmed.

 

Expect a similar announcement for The Papers in a few days.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Silvestri makes sense due to his connection to previous blockbusters Spielberg was involved with. He's also one of the (lesser) "old-school" composers who were around in the golden age, like Thomas Newman. So the world isn't ending yet. Hans Zimmer and Michael Giacchino continue to not be hired to score the latest Spielberg borefest.

[MusicPerson13 9]

Not to be that guy but, in the back of my mind I suspected he wouldn't be scoring both films. I just didn't think he would have the time or the energy to do both. Still, I expected him to stay on RPO and for Newman to get The Paper. Oh well

[filmmusic 1,823]

2 hours ago, crumbs said:

 

Well, would you rather a trilogy of new John Williams Star Wars scores or John Williams scores for Bridge of Spies & Ready Player One?

 

 

Certainly the latter.

I think the John Williams/Star Wars cycle has closed, and it will be good if he did other things.

I fear that the last score of his career will be a score for an X Star Wars sequel!

[Alex 2,833]

As long as he's able to score Episode IX, I'm not fussed what he does in between. 

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[filmmusic 1,823]

Just now, BloodBoal said:

 

Williams scoring a porno movie would be interesting!

Why not an erotic thriller a la Basic Instict?

I would like to hear that!

 

hmmm.. Maybe Presumed Innocent comes close to this genre..

[Cerebral Cortex 3,357]

Yeah, Silvestri gets to score the DeLorean again. 

[artguy360 1,843]

Well, this news stings a bit. I think RPO could have led to a very exciting JW score. But I am interested in what he does for The Papers and of course TLJ. 

[mrbellamy 6,272]

1 hour ago, filmmusic said:

Certainly the latter.

I think the John Williams/Star Wars cycle has closed, and it will be good if he did other things.

 

You could probably argue the same about the Spielberg/Williams collaboration so...

 

If Williams was otherwise constantly working with different directors on innovative, interesting projects and SW was interfering, I might have slightly mixed feelings.

 

As it is, he's not, and his Spielberg collaborations while highly enjoyable haven't necessarily been the most inspiring things they've ever worked on together. Star Wars is Star Wars, I'm certainly enjoying see him add to this thing one last time plus it's just more exciting to me to pair him up with new directors. I would definitely pick Williams in well-worn territory with someone new over similarly well-worn territory with Spielberg again. 

[crumbs 14,305]

23 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

 

You could probably argue the same about the Spielberg/Williams collaboration so...

 

If Williams was otherwise constantly working with different directors on innovative, interesting projects and SW was interfering, I might have slightly mixed feelings.

 

As it is, he's not, and his Spielberg collaborations while highly enjoyable haven't necessarily been the most inspiring things they've ever worked on together. Star Wars is Star Wars, I'm certainly enjoying see him add to this thing one last time plus it's just more exciting to me to pair him up with new directors. I would definitely pick Williams in well-worn territory with someone new over similarly well-worn territory with Spielberg again. 

 

Exactly. The only thing that changes if the new Star Wars trilogy didn't exist is that Williams probably does both Bridge of Spies and Ready Player One. There's no unfulfilled masterwork that went begging because he was busy with VII or VIII; if anything, working with new directors on Star Wars films is as close as we'll get to Williams "branching out" of his comfort zone now.

 

I doubt there'll be any more random Book Thief/Percival-esque assignments.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

TFA probably had stuff more out of his "comfort zone" than Book Thief anyway.

 

But yeah, I mean, it's the most frustrating thing about Williams but the two most interesting directors outside of Spiels that JW has worked with this century are probably Alfonso Cuaron and Rian Johnson (regardless of how TLJ turns out) and the opportunities only came up because of franchise filmmaking. So idgaf.

[Miguel Andrade 1,262]

While I accept this as a inevitability, and I'm not even bothered at the choice Williams did in regard to which project to work on, I'm far from excited with the chosen composer. I can't remember the last time I really enjoyed a Silvestri score.

While Newman's Bridge of Spies was for m e a great surprise, in the best possible sense, the name that I would pick to replace Williams would be Bruce Broughton... such a wonderful composer.

[crumbs 14,305]

SS and JW chose Silvestri together, so I'm confident with their decision. For all we know, the film relies heavily on BTTF references and it was an obvious decision.

 

It's interesting (and reassuring) that Spielberg's shown no interest in working with Giacchino on one of his films, nor has Williams recommended him. Yet they still handed him the Jurassic franchise.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Wait, what does RPO have to do with BTTF?

[crocodile 7,990]

2 minutes ago, Sally Spectra said:

Wait, what does RPO have to do with BTTF?

The book did reference it heavily, as far as I can tell. But I don't think Spielberg will include those in the film.

 

Karol

[crumbs 14,305]

Well the DeLorean has a big presence in the film, apparently. Seems ripe for an appearance of the BTTF theme.

 

Ironically, Williams not scoring the film probably means more references to his music. Perhaps the self-referential style of the film made Williams uninterested in scoring this over The Papers. We all know he hates referencing his older works.

[Damien F 1,742]

This is disappointing but not the shock that The Book Thief was because we have come to accept this as a possibility.

 

I'm leaning slightly towards wanting a score for The Papers instead of RPO, and Silvestri on this project interests me, so this is the best possible outcome.

 

Star Wars IX is his only upcoming score that would genuinely be heart breaking if he can't do it. He started this trilogy and I really hope he finishes it. 

 

Indy 5 is an odd one. Obviously JW is vital to the franchise but the whole movie seems very misguided so I wouldn't be as disappointed. A Silvestri Indy score could be very good.

 

I can't see JW actually wanting to retire. However, I suspect he'll just continue to score Spielberg's dramas and leave his larger scale movies to others.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

1 minute ago, Damien F said:

A Silvestri Indy score could be very good.

 

He has a good track record with adventure scores of this type. But don't count out Cappuccino...

[crumbs 14,305]

8 minutes ago, Damien F said:

 

Indy 5 is an odd one. Obviously JW is vital to the franchise but the whole movie seems very misguided so I wouldn't be as disappointed.

 

I would not lose a minute's sleep if the film fell apart and never happened. Has every potential to be as bad as KOTCS. Koepp inspires no confidence whatsoever (unless Stoppard's doing a script polish, but I won't hold my breath).

 

I think my only interest in the film would be another Indy score by Williams, but if KOTCS's score is any indication... even Williams can't be bothered polishing a turd.

[Quintus 5,399]

Maybe Williams was keen to relinquish obligations in regards to Ready Player One due to the possibility of having to pay homage to BTTF's music - a theme he's sick to death of being associated with.