Composer John Williams has been with the Indiana Jones series since its beginning with 1981’s Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Now, 42 years later, Williams returns to finish the series out with a score mixed with new themes and iconic classics.
On Tuesday, Disney released a featurette, “The Final Score,” which documents Williams’ journey with the series, which culminated with Williams pulling off a surprise performance of some of the music with full orchestra during the film’s North American premiere last week in Los Angeles (watch that performance above).
“His music gave such detail to every single heart-stopping moment, and bonded all of these films together and gave these films a musical identity,” says Steven Spielberg in the featurette. Adds Williams: “I’ve been fortunate enough to be associated with the films for quite a long time and to, with each film, add more to the collection of musical material.”
Watch the featurette here.
At the L.A. premiere, which came after the James Mangold-directed pic bowed at the Cannes Film Festival, Williams was introduced by Spielberg as a surprise for the audience, calling him “the great maestro” and “the glue to all five of these films.” Williams played three compositions, including the classic “Raiders March,” written for the first film, and the new “Helena’s Theme,” written for Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character Helena in the new film.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which hits theaters June 30, marks the return of the legendary archeologist, played by Harrison Ford, for a final adventure. Jones must race against time to save a legendary artifact from the hands of an old enemy, with the help of his goddaughter Helena.
