Star Wars After Williams: New Sounds of A Galaxy Far, Far Away

When Disney acquired Star Wars in 2012, fans were curious about the franchise’s new direction. While John Williams continued composing the music for the sequel trilogy, his absence was felt in the spin-off films Rogue One and Solo, where Michael Giacchino and John Powell took over. These films still bore Williams’ influence, though. The Disney+ series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Andor marked a significant departure from Williams’ neo-classical style, with composers Ludwig Göransson, Natalie Holt, and Nicholas Britell crafting more organic, raw scores. The distinct sounds of these new scores—ranging from sultry melodies to guttural choral themes—remained unmistakably “Star Wars”. This paper explores the shift in musical style, reflecting on the question: What is Star Wars music without John Williams, and is a new musical identity emerging for the franchise?