In a recent interview published today in Variety, John Williams has confirmed that he will write the score for Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, which he plans to begin working on in November, and that he “expects” to do Star Wars: Episode VIII. The maestro also revealed that he wrote two hours for Spielberg’s The BFG, and that he plans to compose a new concert work this summer:
Williams, who says he has no thought of retiring [“Steven expects me to work until I’m 100”], still spends every day writing music, whether for film or the concert hall. After a heavy schedule over the past 14 months, writing three hours of music for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and another two for Spielberg’s “The BFG,”
“I could use a little break,” he says.
He plans to begin work on Spielberg’s next film, “Ready Player One,” in November, and then next year expects to do the next “Star Wars” film. “If I can do it, I certainly will. I told Kathy Kennedy I’m happy to do it, but the real reason is, I didn’t want anybody else writing music for Daisy Ridley,” he quips.
Williams may also compose a concert work [“for one of my favorite European artists,” whom he declined to name] this summer. Concert work has increasingly occupied him between films, including concertos for cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Gil Shaham and others. He is also committed to writing “a couple of minutes of music” for an animated version of retiring L.A. Laker great Kobe Bryant’s poem “Dear Basketball.”
Williams will receive the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award tonight from director Steven Spielberg. It will be the first such honor given to a composer in the 44-year history of the award.