John Williams Says ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’s Score Is Finished

“The old material works very well as a touchstone of memory, but I had great fun, and I have a theme that I’ve written for Phoebe Waller-Bridge.”

The 2023 movie season has kicked it into high gear, but adventure only has one name: Indiana Jones. The iconic archeologist played by Harrison Ford is returning to the big screen one final time this June in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. While it’s exciting to think about Ford back in the fedora or what director James Mangold will bring to the action set pieces, the most recognizable thing about Indiana Jones would be his theme song, composed by the legendary John Williams. Now the composer has revealed the score for Dial of Destiny is finished and that it’s going to be a long one.

In an exclusive interview with Variety centered around his Oscar nominated work in Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, the composer looked ahead to his return to Indiana Jones. “It’s certainly got to be an hour and a half of music, maybe more,” Williams said, “But I’m quite happy with it. There’s a lot of new material. The old material works very well as a touchstone of memory, but I had great fun, and I have a theme that I’ve written for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the wonderful actress.” Waller-Bridge plays Indy’s Goddaughter Helena in the latest film and Williams debuted her theme at the Hollywood Bowl last summer. Williams would go even further teasing the full score saying the music is:

“Unified by Indy’s theme, and the general style of the film, which is in my mind a kind of action-comedy, because you never take the action seriously. It’s certainly a swashbuckling affair from beginning to end, fashioned more like movies of the ’30s and ’40s where the orchestra is racing along with the action, which you wouldn’t do in contemporary films very much.”

The Final ‘Indiana Jones’ Adventure

The story for any Indiana Jones adventure is also very important, but it looks like fans of the iconic franchise won’t have to worry about Dial of Destiny losing the classic feel of what came before. Williams has assured fans of that and had nothing but praise for Dial of Destiny’s script along with both Ford and Waller-Bridge’s performances. “Harrison is wonderful in it. He looks great, he moves beautifully.” Williams said. “The best part of it for me is the writing and the interplay of dialogue between Harrison and Phoebe, like the old-style Hepburn-and-Tracy kind of bickering. It’s witty and bright and snappy, like a duet that goes on for two hours.” This final film will see Indy on a race against time in 1969 against a former Nazi scientist named Voller played by Mads Mikkelsen during the height of the space age.

RELATED: ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’: Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Everything We Know So Far About

John Williams’ Legacy

While Williams might be better known for his iconic scores for Superman, Star Wars, and E.T., the four Indiana Jones films up to this point arguably showcase the composer’s best work. The “Raiders March” and “Marion’s Theme” in Raiders of the Lost Ark are what fans think of when William’s weighty name is brought up in a conversation. The combination of adventure, intrigue, and romance is next to none. Then there’s his work for the then trilogy capper The Last Crusade. What he added to the emotional weight of Indy and his father’s rekindled relationship in the film, on top of the epic sounds associated with the quest for the Holy Grail, is so emotional it would bring a group of grown men to tears. Williams redefined the modern action adventure sound that has influenced so many other now iconic franchises like Tomb Raider and Uncharted. That’s why it will be so exciting to hear what the composer has in store for the last Indiana Jones adventure.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny releases in theaters everywhere on June 30. While we anxiously wait to hear Williams’ final Indy score, you can watch Dial of Destiny’s teaser trailer down below.