First trailer drops for major new John Williams documentary on Disney+

2 October 2024, 16:20 | Updated: 2 October 2024, 23:33

Watch the trailer for Music By John Williams

John Williams has scored many an epic scene for the world’s screens – but now the tables are being turned, with a new documentary about the movie music maestro.

“Music by John Williams” is a refrain that strikes joy into the hearts of all movie lovers. It also forms the title of a new documentary film about the 92-year-old composer.

The documentary features interviews with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, with John Williams himself in front of the camera. A trailer released on Monday features some of the composer’s most iconic scores, from Jaws to Indiana Jones. Watch it above.

Disney+ say the documentary will explore the composer’s life, from his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, looking at his contribution to the concert stage and impact on popular culture, as well as his deep influence on the big screen.

The Disney+ release is directed by filmmaker and author Laurent Bouzereau, with Williams’ longtime artistic partner Steven Spielberg as part of the production team.

Read more: John Williams’ 10 greatest movie soundtracks

John Williams has penned scores for Superman, Schindler’s List, the Star Wars franchise and the first three Harry Potter films. The composer also wrote music to the 1984 Summer Olympics, which took place in the shadow of the famous Hollywood hills.

The composer has also written extensively for the concert hall and collaborated with leading soloists like cellist Yo-Yo Ma and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter.

In the trailer, Williams is pictured at the podium with leading conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The composer is holding a lightsaber in a nod to his much-loved sci-fi score.

The composer is also seen at his grand piano at his Los Angeles home, explaining the moment he first played the famous two notes of the Jaws theme to his long-time friend Steven Spielberg.

“The greatest way to demonstrate how much music affects movies,” the great director says in the trailer, is to “play it absolutely with no music at all. And then go back and so the whole scene again with all the cues and you’ll recognise the absolute brilliance of John Williams.”

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin was also interviewed saying: “The main reason I think it’s important to celebrate him is just to say thank you for that amount of joy.”

Music by John Williams will open the AFI Fest in Los Angeles on 23 October and be released on Disney+ on 1 November.