Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson has shared a special May the 4th message to the fans with the one and only John Williams as he works on Episode VIII post-production. Today is an unofficial holiday for the Star Wars community, as the date offers an amusing pun on the saga's most famous phrase. Many viewers were hopeful that the festivities would bring about new reveals about the upcoming movie, and indeed we did learn more about Johnson's contributions to the series and his approach to an elder Luke Skywalker.
One of the greatest aspects of the Disney era of Star Wars is that the creative teams behind the movies enjoy the process as much as audiences do. It's evident that J.J. Abrams, Gareth Edwards, and Johnson are massive fans of the property, as they typically exhibit joy about the opportunity to play in such an expansive sandbox. During Celebration, Johnson even mingled with those waiting in line for the Last Jedi panel, showing appreciation for their support. Now, as he continues to edit Star Wars 8, he's taking part in the celebration of Star Wars Day.
The official Star Wars Twitter account posted a short video of Johnson with surprise guest John Williams from what appears to be a sound studio. Both men wish all the fans watching a happy May the 4th before resuming the task at hand. It's short and sweet, but provides viewers with a fun glimpse behind-the-scenes. You can check it out below:
A #MayThe4thBeWithYou message from @RianJohnson for #StarWarsDay. pic.twitter.com/JlnWRZyn4g— Star Wars (@starwars) May 4, 2017
Those who have been following The Last Jedi's development know that Williams was conducting the score very early on, beginning back in December of last year. Johnson is doing something a little different with Episode VIII, as he wanted to edit the picture to Williams' original music. Typically, a director will assemble the cut to a temp track that provides the composer with a template on which to base their score off of. This technique has become quite prevalent over the years, and arguably does more harm than good (see: the Marvel Cinematic Universe). Music is such an integral part of Star Wars' DNA, so it's only fitting Johnson broke the mold for Last Jedi. Williams proved with The Force Awakens he can still craft a memorable cue or two, so hopefully this method will yield the desired results and deliver some emotionally compelling scenes.
Given that the teaser trailer debuted less than a month ago, it will likely be a while before moviegoers get another real look at the sequel and maybe hear some of Williams' new material. In the meantime, this message shows fans that all the pieces are coming into place, which is a nice change following the hectic reshoots Rogue One endured last year. Star Wars is known for troubled productions, but The Last Jedi is a rare instance where it's gone rather smoothly. If Johnson is with Williams seven months away from release, they must be making great progress.
MORE: Rian Johnson Changed The Force Awakens' Ending
Source: Twitter
