Will John Williams score Steven Spielberg's new UFO movie?

[GerateWohl 5,935]

23 minutes ago, Darth Mulder said:

John Williams is composing music for a new Spielberg film after suffering several strokes? That's not very likely.

I am also sure, Williams won't be sitting there with Bill Ross like sick Mozart with Salieri in Amadeus dictating the score to him.

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

Yeah, it will be Conrad Pope.

[Pawel P. 822]

1 hour ago, Darth Mulder said:

John Williams is composing music for a new Spielberg film after suffering several strokes? That's not very likely.

 

Music for a musician is like breathing. It supports us, sustains us, gives us energy.

John Williams, "Music by John Williams", 2024

[Gurkensalat 364]

I would be very happy if JW managed to complete the round numbers of 30 movies and 50 years of collaboration with Spielberg as director and to get one more/last hurrah from him. But I realize that in his age things can change quickly and we have to see how his health is in autumn or whenever he has to write the music. 

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

21 minutes ago, Gurkensalat said:

But I realize that in his age things can change quickly

 

Yeah, suddenly he's off for another concert in Berlin. 

[Mr. Hooper 5,066]

4 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Well, I do. If you have a scoop, it's customary to either give the source or at least use a couple of words to explain why you can't divulge the source at this point. Otherwise, it just comes off as attention-seeking, to be honest.

What say you to this charge, @DangerMotif?

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

4 hours ago, Thor said:

 

Yes, as all those of us who travelled to London to see him, can attest to.

 

Are you saying I talked to Richard Attenborough for two hours?

[Mr. Hooper 5,066]

Did he sign your book?

 

[Naïve Old Fart 11,625]

6 hours ago, Darth Mulder said:

John Williams is composing music for a new Spielberg film after suffering several strokes? That's not very likely.

No, just a damn minute!

What evidence is there to suggest that JW has had a CVA?

[Thor 9,308]

51 minutes ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

No, just a damn minute!

What evidence is there to suggest that JW has had a CVA?

 

None. Another one of those things that's just said by someone, and then taken as fact.

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

I heard he had a paper cut.

[Naïve Old Fart 11,625]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

 

None. Another one of those things that's just said by someone, and then taken as fact.

Well. Fucking. Said.

[bollemanneke 4,008]

9 hours ago, GerateWohl said:

I am also sure, Williams won't be sitting there with Bill Ross like sick Mozart with Salieri in Amadeus dictating the score to him.

Biopic please. Name: Towner. Antagonist: Zimmer (since it has to be wildly inaccurate anyway).

[Marian Schedenig 10,139]

17 hours ago, Not Mr. Big said:

18 hours ago, DangerMotif said:

I waited till after midnight but should have probably waited till the morning, this is a very real thing. Would not joke about it

Your motif tells me otherwise 

 

Dun-dun-dun-dun…

[Mr. Hooper 5,066]

3 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

No, just a damn minute!

What evidence is there to suggest that JW has had a CVA?

None, really, until I saw the Miami video, and Williams' somewhat slurred speech seemed to lend credence to the report. Though I agree that we shouldn't be saying "stroke" as if it was a plain fact.

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

He'd probably just been drinking after listening to Giacchino's mishandling of his themes.

[Tom 5,607]

5 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

H'd probably just been drinking after listening to Giacchino's mishandling of his themes.

Or maybe he had just watched the rough cut of the new UFO movie.

"Steven, you are going to need a much more sober composer than me for this film."  

[Edmilson 10,473]

11 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

H'd probably just been drinking after listening to Giacchino's mishandling of his themes.

Williams every time he tries to listen the Rogue One OST:

 

[Jurassic Shark 14,975]

Cue binary sunset.

[Edmilson 10,473]

11 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Cue binary sunset.

Specifically this version:

 

 

[artguy360 2,013]

10 hours ago, Edmilson said:

Specifically this version:

 

 

Something about this rendition is so grating. It's weird because the overall score isn't half bad. I know Gia had very little time to write the score, just a handful of weeks, and maybe he employed a lot of additional composers? But this particular bit of the classic Force theme just sounds awful.

[Damien F 1,903]

If JW is writing the score for this movie, I suspect he won't be the conductor during the sessions. Even if he is healthy enough to do so, it is a big time commitment (assuming the movie has a lot of score). JW has mentioned in the past about committing to long scoring schedule at his age.

[Quintus 5,702]

Come on Johnny, give us one more banger of a theme tune 🙏💪

[Marian Schedenig 10,139]

3 hours ago, Damien F said:

If JW is writing the score for this movie, I suspect he won't be the conductor during the sessions. Even if he is healthy enough to do so, it is a big time commitment (assuming the movie has a lot of score). JW has mentioned in the past about committing to long scoring schedule at his age.

 

Give enough time (which means money), it would probably be easier to conduct recording sessions than actual concerts. Or even if someone else conducts it and Williams is able to be there, he could probably still be more involved than some other non-conducting composers.

[Luke Skywalker 2,186]

Didnt william ross conduct most of the star wars sequels and probably dial of destiny? 
 

i dont mind anymore if williams doesnt conduct. Any new music he writes will be an unexpected miracle

[Will 2,324]

Yeah Ross has gotten co-conductor credit for all JW's non-Spielberg scores starting with Force Awakens in 2015, I believe. But based on recording session footage it still seems like JW conducted a pretty good portion (maybe the vast majority) of those scores. Still, the broader point stands -- JW clearly trusts Ross to conduct his work when necessary. And one would certainly have to think Ross' role will increase in any future score(s), even if JW recovers enough to return to the podium.

[Bellosh 4,249]

On 03/04/2025 at 3:13 PM, Edmilson said:

Williams every time he tries to listen the Rogue One OST:

 

 

Legendary post

[mrbellamy 7,283]

4 hours ago, Luke Skywalker said:

Didnt william ross conduct most of the star wars sequels and probably dial of destiny? 

 

52 minutes ago, Will said:

Yeah Ross has gotten co-conductor credit for all JW's non-Spielberg scores starting with Force Awakens in 2015, I believe. But based on recording session footage it still seems like JW conducted a pretty good portion (maybe the vast majority) of those scores. 

 

Ross definitely conducted portions of these scores but I don't think we know everything specifically or how much? Maybe Williams only conducted when the cameras were on! I only remember one clip from the behind the scenes which ever showed Ross getting on the podium, can't remember which. 

 

But yeah JW has had our beloved "Music Composed and Conducted by" credit on the Spielberg album covers from the last decade, just not these four Disney/Lucasfilm scores. And he actually does have it in the TLJ and TROS liner notes, not sure about DOD.

 

What I've always found weird is this discrepancy in the Last Jedi credits: 

 

Quote

 

Album cover and single-card film credits: Music by John Williams

 

Liner notes: Music Composed and Conducted by John Williams / Additional Conducting: Bill Ross

 

Film credits scroll: Music Conducted by John Williams • William Ross

 

 

What's going on with the liner notes? Why the "additional conducting" separation? Why is he suddenly now "Bill"??

 

Also Ross actually doesn't have any conducting credit on the Rise of Skywalker album or film. Not sure if he did do some and went uncredited for some reason (maybe they wanted to give Williams all the flowers on his last one? Or he actually did insist on doing it all?) 

[Marian Schedenig 10,139]

15 minutes ago, mrbellamy said:

What's going on with the liner notes? Why the "additional conducting" separation? Why is he suddenly now "Bill"??

 

Maybe it's "bill" as in: "They can bill me" - William Ross promised them money to be allowed to conduct a portion of the film credits role, so it's a prompt to bill him for doing it.

[mrbellamy 7,283]

Hmm then the check must not have cleared on Rise of Skywalker 

 

[GerateWohl 5,935]

11 hours ago, mrbellamy said:

Maybe Williams only conducted when the cameras were on!

This makes absolutely sense. 

I think, at the age of about 90 years you earned yourself some help from an assistant you trust.

[mrbellamy 7,283]

To be clear, I don't really believe that he only conducted for promotional purposes. But the reverse is undoubtedly true that the cameras were only ever on when he was up there. 

 

Thinking about the "composed and conducted by" liner notes credits in TLJ and TROS, it could mean nothing but if there is anything at all behind it, it does make me wonder if actually TFA is the one where Ross did the lion's share of podium work, given the pacemaker situation. And that they brought in Dudamel for a little extra novelty.