John Williams has returned to the Star Wars fold with the theme for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, according to Variety. Although Williams is of course famous for his Star Wars scores, he rarely composes music for television. So, there was no guarantee that he would be providing any music for the Disney Plus spin-off which sees Ewan McGregor back as the beloved character.
Williams reportedly recorded the theme with a Los Angeles-based orchestra just last week, under tight security. With the show premiering on May 25, they sure are cutting it fine! Williams celebrated his 90th birthday on February 8, but is showing no signs of retiring, with several upcoming film scores and live concerts on the books.
Obi-Wan Kenobi picks up ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith and ten years before A New Hope. Hayden Christensen is also returning to his role of Anakin Skywalker, as is Joel Edgerton who plays Uncle Owen. New cast-members include Moses Ingram, Kumail Nanjiani, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Benny Safdie. It is directed by Deborah Chow, who worked on The Mandalorian.
Williams won the Oscar for his score for 1977’s Star Wars, as well as for his iconic scores for Jaws and ET. Unbelievably, he has been nominated for over 50 Academy Awards across seven decades. It is not yet known if the Obi-Wan theme will be a variation of an existing Star Wars theme or something brand new.
Williams is equally well-known for his Steven Spielberg collaborations as he is for his Star Wars music. He is scoring Indiana Jones 5 which is now expected to come out in June 2023, and The Fabelmans – Spielberg’s autobiographical film, expected to release later this year.
While we wait for more Obi-Wan Kenobi news, find out what we know so far about The Mandalorian season 3 and The Book of Boba Fett season 2.