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RJ Trilogy Who Should Score Rian Johnson's New Trilogy?

Discussion in 'Star Wars: Future Films - Spoilers Allowed' started by Chained Prometheus, Dec 28, 2017.

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Who Should Score Rian Johnson's Trilogy?

  1. John Powell

    9 vote(s)
    12.2%
  2. Michael Giacchino

    23 vote(s)
    31.1%
  3. Alexandre Desplat

    4 vote(s)
    5.4%
  4. Howard Shore

    4 vote(s)
    5.4%
  5. Other

    32 vote(s)
    43.2%
  6. A Different Composer for Each Film

    2 vote(s)
    2.7%
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  1. Chained Prometheus

    Chained Prometheus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2013
    Before I even begin with the main topic at hand, I want to get this out of the way: This thread is acting under the logical assumption that Rian Johnson will in fact make the new trilogy he and Lucasfilm announced last month, regardless of whatever controversies or personal opinions that members here might have on whether or not he should get to make it in the first place. I implore anyone that posts in this thread to respect that position and not put in a cheap shot of how a) the trilogy isn't going to happen, b) the trilogy shouldn't happen, c) Rian Johnson ruined Star Wars, d) et cetera.

    With that out of the way, here we go...

    So let's be honest here: John Williams almost definitely won't be scoring any more Star Wars films after Episode IX is finished and released. Lucasfilm have already hired other composers to score the two anthology films made thus far and with Rian's new trilogy looming over the horizon of the coming decade, it's hard to imagine that Williams will score any part of that, save for maybe the first entry.

    So who should score this new trilogy? Do you think the whole trilogy should be scored by one composer, like all of the trilogies to date? Should Lucasfilm try to mix things up a bit and hire a different composer for each entry in the trilogy, dependent on who the director of each film wants to score their work?

    At the moment, I'm leaning towards the idea of having John Powell score the whole trilogy. We won't hear his score for Solo: A Star Wars Story for another five months, but his work on the How To Train Your Dragon films is quite superb.




    Provided that Powell nails it with Solo, I think he'd be the perfect pick to succeed Williams as the next musical visionary to map and score the films that Rian will oversee throughout the 2020's.

    But enough of what I think- Who do you think should score the Rian Johnson trilogy?
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2017
  2. IlhamKamaruddin

    IlhamKamaruddin Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2017
    Any 4 of the names listed above could do it but I am leaning towards John Powell or Alexandre Desplat. Nonetheless, those are tremendously huge shoes to fill.
     
  3. The Legions of Lettow

    The Legions of Lettow Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 14, 2015
    I voted for Nathan Johnson.
     
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  4. Chained Prometheus

    Chained Prometheus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2013
    I'd love to hear Desplat's take on a Star Wars score! It was a shame things fell through with him on Rogue One. But yeah, the void Williams will be leaving behind is massive. I think Powell's got what it takes to fill that void though.

    I actually debated whether to single Nathan out as a fifth option, but decided against it. I quite like his work for Rian's first three films, but his musical style seems out of place for Star Wars. He generally seems to have more of a minimalist approach to soundtracks that I think is generally at odds with the musical tapestry of the franchise.

    Granted, you never really know for sure. If Rian were to bring Nathan onboard, I would bet he'd end up proving himself worthy and deliver a solid score.
     
    The Legions of Lettow likes this.
  5. BalanceOfTheForce

    BalanceOfTheForce Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2016
    John Williams is scoring the main theme for Solo so maybe he'll score the theme for the main character of this trilogy
     
    Mostly Handless likes this.
  6. ShaneP

    ShaneP Ex-Mod Officio star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2001
    Voted for Shore because I love his LOTR score but someone else would work too.
     
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  7. Yora

    Yora Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 17, 2016
    I voted for Desplat. He is my favorite composer and his scores are always memorable and eerie.
     
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  8. B99

    B99 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 10, 2014
    I'd go with either John or Michael. Any of those will due though!
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2018
  9. AndrewPascoe

    AndrewPascoe Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2014
    Michael or Desplat for me. I loved what Michael did within 4 weeks for Rogue One but still want to hear what Desplat has to offer Star Wars.
     
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  10. Straudenbecker

    Straudenbecker Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 2015
    John Ottman, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer comes to my mind.
     
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  11. Darth_Bertie

    Darth_Bertie Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2014
    I love both RO and Solo scores. However, I believe Giacchino offers a tone more similar to the one Williams gives. I would use Giacchino for the "Force related" SW movies and Powell for the movies like Solo, which have little to do with the standard SW themes.
     
  12. Darth Smurf

    Darth Smurf Small, but Lethal star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 22, 2015
    Yes, and please give him a bit more time this time
     
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  13. PymParticles

    PymParticles Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 2014
    Whoever it is has a really tough time ahead of them. I was in Disney Springs last night, and the speakers were playing nothing but Star Wars themes. Duel of the Fates. The Cloud City music. Across the Stars. Rey’s theme. One iconic John Williams composition after another, spanning decades. If Disney wants to position this as the “main” Star Wars thing after the ST, I think truly iconic music is going to be key to its success.
     
  14. Seagoat

    Seagoat Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 25, 2013
    I wasn't too blown away by Powell's music in Solo. I liked it, but eh. Giacchino did a better job of imitating Williams' style for SW, in my opinion. I'd like to hear a few more Anthology films with different composers, but right now, I'd say Giacchino, but Desplat also has potential to be a good choice. He did a great job with the Harry Potter movies, following the first three being scored by Williams, and I think he could pull off SW as well
     
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  15. Blobofat

    Blobofat Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 2000
    Powell is a good choice but there are some off the radar composers who would be good. One is Thomas Bergersen - the Two Steps from Hell composer. You might not know it from his work with that label but he can imitate Williams style brilliantly, he works very quickly and is more than capable of writing catchy leitmotifs and themes.

    Personally, once the saga is finished I'm happy for a new approach to the scores to commence. Just as long as it's not Hans Zimmer (nothing against his music - I love his Gladiator score - but there are a lot of other composers out there).
     
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  16. Bor Mullet

    Bor Mullet Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2018
    Desplat is easily the best on this list.

    But if he's too non-traditional for LFL, I'd prefer Giacchino over Powell.
     
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  17. Darth Nave

    Darth Nave Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 27, 2015
    I say Howard Shore. His style fits within the Star Wars universe while also being distinct enough from Williams.
     
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  18. BadCane

    BadCane Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2015
    I really enjoyed Giachinno's take on R1. I'm going with him.
     
  19. Chained Prometheus

    Chained Prometheus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2013
    I'm hoping Rian picks either John Powell or Bear McCreary. I loved the score for Solo, even if the film itself wasn't quite as good, and a big part of it was because Powell was able to stay true to the Star Warsian style of composition while adding his own spin to it. John Williams would have never used percussion the way Powell does in the Solo score, for instance. I think that's going to be an important factor for future composers in the franchise- being able to stay true to the roots of Star Wars, while also offering a bit of a new perspective on things too.

    And Bear McCreary's recent soundtrack for the new God of War game is nothing short of brilliant. Between that and his recent scores for the two latest Cloverfield movies, McCreary is shaping up to be a modern day blend of Howard Shore and Bernard Hermann.
     
  20. DARTH_BELO

    DARTH_BELO Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003
    Alexandre Desplat would be a good choice, but IMO Michael Giacchino really seems to grasp that SW feel in his compositions. Rogue One was fantastic.
     
  21. WriterMan

    WriterMan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2012
    Nobody, other than Williams himself, has done Star Wars like Jeremy Soule. He might have been composing video games for the last two decades, but if they gave him a shot I bet he'd make one hell of a film soundtrack.
     
  22. Bor Mullet

    Bor Mullet Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Apr 6, 2018
    Desplat is my first choice, if this series is going to have a more typically RJ tone. Otherwise, giving Giacchino another go wouldn't be bad.
     
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  23. Leoluca Randisi

    Leoluca Randisi Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 2014
    Hans Zimmer
    [​IMG]

    I loved John Powel's take on Star Wars, ight and magical if Rian Johnson is going for a more mystical fantasy type story then Powel wouldn't be a bad choice either!
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2018
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  24. PymParticles

    PymParticles Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 1, 2014
    I think this is the most likely option, honestly. Same as working with Ram Bergman as producer and Steve Yedlin as cinematographer on all his films, Nathan scored all his movies save for TLJ, for obvious reasons. He obviously feels comfortable working with him, and that counts for a lot in collaboration.
     
  25. The Legions of Lettow

    The Legions of Lettow Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 14, 2015
    Just listening to various themes of his. He’s a maestro. Thought he’d join RH for Solo.

    Yeah. And Giacchino/Abrams, Williams/Spielberg.

    I should check him out. I like Kevin Kiner a lot.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2018
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