Update: John Williams may retire after scoring Star Wars: Episode IX.
John Williams is returning to write the score for Star Wars 9. Disney and Lucasfilm are still seeing the results from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but it won't be long before the conclusion of this trilogy starts moving. While audiences are divided on what Last Jedi director Rian Johnson brought to this franchise, it is by no means going to stop the Disney machine. Instead, the franchise is going back to familiar hands with J.J. Abrams set to direct Episode IX, a role he takes after Colin Trevorrow departed last year.
Even though Star Wars 9 will gain some familiarity with the return of Star Wars: The Force Awakens' director, it will continue on without some major characters. This should put the focus firmly on the new characters, and possibly open the galaxy up for many more stories. The focus on Episode IX may be on the new, but the franchise won't completely let the past die like Kylo Ren may want, as John Williams is going to return.
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Williams told Variety that he will return to score Star Wars 9 and made his intentions known to Abrams. While the entire conversation was not detailed, Williams did say, "I would very much like to complete that." By scoring the ninth installment of the Skywalker saga, Williams will be the sole composer on all three Star Wars trilogies.
Considering Williams scored the last eight episodes, it is hardly a shock to see him return for one more. He is Star Wars royalty after all, so it would be hard to imagine Lucasfilm going in another direction as long as Williams is willing and able. He has already crafted memorable scores for Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in the new trilogy, so knowing he is returning to close this out is reassuring.
Williams previously cited the desire for no one else to score music for Rey as a reason why he returned to do The Last Jedi in the first place. That same desire may still stand as he moves into the ninth movie, but it also will present him with the opportunity to do even more. True themes for Finn (John Boyega) or Poe (Oscar Isaac) could be on the way, as well as the opportunity to tackle big emotional moments. Depending on how Episode IX deals with Carrie Fisher's passing or the inevitable Kylo vs. Rey fight, Williams' scores playing through the closing chapter will hopefully be just as great as the several that came before.
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Source: Variety
