"If a film came along that I was greatly interested in... I wouldn’t want to rule anything out."
John Williams (Source: Supplied)
John Williams, the man behind some of the most successful and recognised movie scores of all time, shocked film fans back in June 2022 when he shared that Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny could be his final film score.
However, despite that announcement (and turning 92 next month), the Star Wars composer may not be so ready to hang up his illustrious career.
In a new interview with The Times Of London, Williams declared, “I don’t care much for grand pronunciamentos, statements that are firm and finished and surrounded by closed doors. If I made one without putting it in context, then I withdraw it.”
He continued, “If a film came along that I was greatly interested in, with a schedule that I could cope with, then I wouldn’t want to rule anything out. Everything is possible. All is before us. Only our limitations are holding us back. Or, to put it more simply: I like to keep an open mind.”
As well as creating the iconic scores we know and love from the most memorable moments of Indiana Jones and Star Wars films, Williams’ magic touch has also been applied to Harry Potter, Jaws, Home Alone, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, Schindler’s List and many more. This year, Williams could be up for his sixth Academy Award win after making the shortlist for this year’s nominations.
In January 2023, Williams walked back his comments on retirement on one condition – if he was making music for another Steven Spielberg film. “Well, Steven is a lot of things,” Williams explained in a Variety interview. “He’s a director, he’s a producer, he’s a studio head, he’s a writer, he’s a philanthropist, he’s an educator. One thing he isn’t is a man you can say no to.”
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Williams continued to note that he’d “stick around for a while”, claiming that “you can’t retire from music.” He added, “I said earlier, it’s like breathing. It’s your life. It’s my life. And so a day without music is a mistake.”
Last year, it was reported that Williams would receive the documentary film treatment courtesy of his friend and legendary director Steven Spielberg.