I'll believe it when a contract is signed and a formal announcement is made. We're still well over a year away from the time when a composer will need to actually start writing music. To me, this just smacks of Abrams paying due respect to Williams' achievements and what he means to the franchise.
This all reminds me of the hoopla leading up to the final Harry Potter films; Williams said he wanted to return, the producers and director all would say good things about Williams, but in the end it didn't happen.
Don't get me wrong, I would love another Star Wars score by Williams, but I am not holding my breath.
That actually confirms my feeling Abrams wanted Giacchino. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Williams, though I can understand his loyalty to Giacchino. But that's a relief for me to hear that somebody above him must be deferring to Williams. If true, I'm excited to have a different interpretation of Star Wars by Williams. For better or worse, all of the prequels had a lot of the same flaws and strengths. It produced scores that are relatively more similar to each other compared to the original triology where you had 3 different directors and 3 very distinct scores. I'm more excited about the non-Lucas aspect of this than I am the Star Wars aspect.
That actually confirms my feeling Abrams wanted Giacchino. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Williams, though I can understand his loyalty to Giacchino.
I honestly don't know how you're getting that from what he said.
He said Giacchino is one of his most important collaborators but Williams got to Star Wars first. The implication being if Williams hadn't gotten to it first, he'd rather have Giacchino. There's also an implication that it isn't his call. He also said it is early, so I'm not committed to the idea either way. I'm just hopeful that he's right about the direction this is heading.
That actually confirms my feeling Abrams wanted Giacchino. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of Williams, though I can understand his loyalty to Giacchino.
I honestly don't know how you're getting that from what he said.
Come now, Schiffy, don't act completely baffled by that comment. While I do think that it is somewhat of a leap at this early stage of the game to make that assumption, it is also easy enough to infer from Abram's comments that he wanted Giacchino but was not given the choice by the higher powers that be.
I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but you're treating this like he's on the witness stand. He's just doing international press about a non-"Star Wars" movie. He's praising his collaborator on the movie he's promoting. He's saying it's early on "Star Wars" because it is, not because he's undecided (though it may in fact be undecided in any official capacity). If Williams is not signed on yet, he absolutely cannot say he'll be scoring it. In fact, he's reluctant to speak in any concrete terms about "Star Wars" in any form (as is standard at this point). The "he was there long before I was" was, to me, a good-natured stab at humility, not an expression of reluctant compliance.
If you've ever done a press event like that (and I have, though I'm certainly no J.J. Abrams), you know that there are lights in your face and anonymous people demanding answers of you. You're never prepared for all of them. I heard Abrams say, basically, "Nothing is set in stone yet, but I'm pretty sure it'll be Williams, because this is his franchise."
I think a collaboration (between JW and MG) would be the best outcome...a passing of the torch - maybe it's mostly JW for the first one, than most of it going to MG for the next, etc. And if Disney is serious about doing one every summer (as they announced a few wks ago) than we're going to have at least a couple new composers working in the SW universe. (one of which will certainly be MG imo)
Of course I'll take 100% JW if that's an option, just trying to think practically...as I'm sure the producers are as well.
Also... it's a strong possibility that each new director will be given their choice of composers...just look at the Marvel films for example. The SW themes are already established...and I'm sure certain ones will be mandated to be in each film, but beyond that... a change of composer, no matter who it is, will not make any impact on ticket sales.
I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but you're treating this like he's on the witness stand. He's just doing international press about a non-"Star Wars" movie. He's praising his collaborator on the movie he's promoting. He's saying it's early on "Star Wars" because it is, not because he's undecided (though it may in fact be undecided in any official capacity). If Williams is not signed on yet, he absolutely cannot say he'll be scoring it. In fact, he's reluctant to speak in any concrete terms about "Star Wars" in any form (as is standard at this point). The "he was there long before I was" was, to me, a good-natured stab at humility, not an expression of reluctant compliance.
If you've ever done a press event like that (and I have, though I'm certainly no J.J. Abrams), you know that there are lights in your face and anonymous people demanding answers of you. You're never prepared for all of them. I heard Abrams say, basically, "Nothing is set in stone yet, but I'm pretty sure it'll be Williams, because this is his franchise."
All I'm saying is his words confirm more or less where I thought he'd be coming from on this project. No, I can't see into his soul and, yes, there could be more to the picture but his words do, in fact, suggest where I thought he'd be coming from and I'm just registering my reaction. My general sense from the beginning is that Abrams wants to work with his main collaborators, including Giacchino. In this case, Williams has a history so there may be an expectation from "above" that Williams be allowed the project or maybe even deference from Giacchino himself. This comment from Abrams just reinforces that possible interpretation and he's definetely the source I'd like to hear form regarding this question.
I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but you're treating this like he's on the witness stand. He's just doing international press about a non-"Star Wars" movie. He's praising his collaborator on the movie he's promoting. He's saying it's early on "Star Wars" because it is, not because he's undecided (though it may in fact be undecided in any official capacity). If Williams is not signed on yet, he absolutely cannot say he'll be scoring it. In fact, he's reluctant to speak in any concrete terms about "Star Wars" in any form (as is standard at this point). The "he was there long before I was" was, to me, a good-natured stab at humility, not an expression of reluctant compliance.
If you've ever done a press event like that (and I have, though I'm certainly no J.J. Abrams), you know that there are lights in your face and anonymous people demanding answers of you. You're never prepared for all of them. I heard Abrams say, basically, "Nothing is set in stone yet, but I'm pretty sure it'll be Williams, because this is his franchise."
I understand where you're coming from, I honestly do. You are simply looking at (or listening to, in this case) the facts, and the words coming from Abrams mouth, which is the only thing we have to go by. And I agree with most of the points you make. However, I do feel the need to give you somewhat of a hard time for your amusing bewilderment at the comment made by Adam about Abrams and the composers. While Adam's comments are pure speculation, again, it is not too far-fetched to draw the conclusion that the choice of composer is not up to Abrams, and that if it were, he most likely would go with his pal Giacchino.
I do feel the need to give you somewhat of a hard time for your amusing bewilderment at the comment made by Adam about Abrams and the composers.
I accept the hard time you're giving me, but I stick to my amusing bewilderment. I truly believe it is reading an awful lot into what he said to hear "I wanted Giacchino, but I was overruled." (Is it still amusing?)
I do feel the need to give you somewhat of a hard time for your amusing bewilderment at the comment made by Adam about Abrams and the composers.
I accept the hard time you're giving me, but I stick to my amusing bewilderment. I truly believe it is reading an awful lot into what he said to hear "I wanted Giacchino, but I was overruled." (Is it still amusing?)
Yet, I have to believe that you are astute enough to fully understand what others may be hearing between Abrams' carefully selected words (most notably after one full minute of praise after gushing praise upon his composer friend), and that is that he (i.e. Abrams) "believes" that the composing honor is going to John Williams because... he is one the greatest film composers we have ever had and is indelibly linked to the Star Wars franchise?...Umm, no, sorry, Abrams didn't say that, he said something like... oh yeah!, "he was there long before I was". Wow, overwhelmingly unenthusiastic, at best.
So I say again, it should not be entirely difficult to understand that it is within the realm of possibility that Abrams had no choice in the matter. Your inability to at least acknowledge this is baffling, to say the least. Oh, yes, and amusing.
I think Adam S. is reading way too much into Abrams' answer as well. The bigger point, however, is what difference does it make? The bottom line seems to be that Williams appears to be the composer they're planning to have score the movie (which I think is the right move). You're acting like this is a hostage video and J.J. is giving an answer he doesn't want to give because there's someone with a gun pointed at him just outside of frame. Jeeze.
Keep in mind that he's something of a "guest director" on this film... he has only been announced as the director on the first of the new movies... as far as I know, no one has said that he's doing all three. Screenwriter Michael Arnt and consultants Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinsberg were already part of the project before J.J. joined it, although it is known that he is bringing along his regular editors and that his regular producer Bryan Burk will be producing. Kathleen Kennedy has worked with John Williams for over 30 years... why would she deny a living legend - the musical voice of the franchise - a chance to return if he wanted to?
Yet, I have to believe that you are astute enough to fully understand what others may be hearing between Abrams' carefully selected words (most notably after one full minute of praise after gushing praise upon his composer friend), and that is that he (i.e. Abrams) "believes" that the composing honor is going to John Williams because... he is one the greatest film composers we have ever had and is indelibly linked to the Star Wars franchise?...Umm, no, sorry, Abrams didn't say that, he said something like... oh yeah!, "he was there long before I was". Wow, overwhelmingly unenthusiastic, at best.
But your interpretation of this is still suspect and relies on a lot of heavy assumptions. Is it possible that JJ gushed so much about MG because as you said they are indeed friends and he didn't want the following news to be seen as a public slight or an indication that he was unhappy with his work on STAR TREK 12? In short, that he wanted to let him down easy? There's no real evidence to back up THAT interpretation either... just as there is no evidence to support the "forced at gunpoint" read.
And let's also do a reality check while we're at it... Every director who fantasized about being Spielberg or Lucas (and J.J. clearly modeled himself after both to some degree), also dreamed about getting to work with John Williams. Now that it looks like he's going to do just that - on a Star Wars movie, no less - do you really think he's doing so under protest? Do you think he's privately complaining to friends and colleagues that he's being forced to work with this geriatric old hack whom he hates? Seems unlikely to me.
And if J.J. was so dead-set on not being forced to use a composer he didn't want to use, why didn't he make that part of his negotiation like Sam Mendes did when he was hired to direct SKYFALL?
I agree with Schiffy M.... You can't look at an impromptu, stumbly answer that JJ gave at a press conference for a different movie entirely and claim it as evidence for your conspiracy theories about whatever might be going on behind the scenes. I suppose there's a chance that you're right... but the reality is that none of us really know anything, and it's foolish to behave otherwise.
Your inability to at least acknowledge this is baffling, to say the least. Oh, yes, and amusing.
Funny how? I mean, funny like I'm a clown? I amuse you? I make you laugh? I'm here to fuckin' amuse you?
In all seriousness, I suppose you're right. I should acknowledge that it is possible to completely misread and be totally wrong about what Abrams said.
Still, what I'm seeing is a guy saying "I love my working relationship with my friend who just finished scoring the movie I'm here to promote. Oh, and I haven't even met John Williams, who is not yet signed to the movie I'll be talking with you about in two years." That's a far cry from "Dammit, they're forcing Williams on me."
And let's also do a reality check while we're at it... Every director who fantasized about being Spielberg or Lucas (and J.J. clearly modeled himself after both to some degree), also dreamed about getting to work with John Williams. Now that it looks like he's going to do just that - on a Star Wars movie, no less - do you really think he's doing so under protest? Do you think he's privately complaining to friends and colleagues that he's being forced to work with this geriatric old hack whom he hates? Seems unlikely to me.
Your inability to at least acknowledge this is baffling, to say the least. Oh, yes, and amusing.
In all seriousness, I suppose you're right. I should acknowledge that it is possible to completely misread and be totally wrong about what Abrams said.
That's all I wanted to hear from you! Ok, I'll leave you alone.
