But all that is about to change. In a conversation with Vanity Fair, Obi-Wan Kenobi composer Natalie Holt revealed that Williams specifically requested to write a theme for the Jedi Master. “Obi-Wan is a legacy character that John hadn’t written a theme for because he died quite early on in A New Hope,” Holt explained. When word of the new series reached Williams, the legendary composer contacted Kathleen Kennedy and said (in Holt’s words), “I just want to write Benny a theme.” To which Holt responded, “Who can deny him that?” The new theme fits the tone of the series, which finds Obi-Wan at a low point while living in exile after Order 66, as portrayed in Revenge of the Sith. Hiding from Inquisitors and watching the Empire tighten its grip on the galaxy, Obi-Wan deals with regret while accepting the next phase of his life. For that reason, the “reflective” theme Williams gave the character is “entirely appropriate,” Holt says. “It’s wistful, but there’s an element of hope to it.” For the Star Wars series, Holt decided to stick to the musical tradition Williams established for the Skywalker Saga. Unlike Ludwig Göransson, whose Ennio Morricone-influenced music for The Mandalorian fits that show’s Western vibe, Holt brought in an impressive array of brass and woodwinds. “We had a collection of 250 horns and flutes, and I used this hunting horn in the score,” Holt says. But those standard instruments do not mean that Holt is stuck in the past, as she’ll also be using synthesizers and other pieces of modern equipment. Holt will need these instruments to capture the otherworldly feel integral to Star Wars. Holt promises worldwide influences in the music she’s creating, drawing from Latin, Thai, and Hong Kong traditions. “You’re on Star Wars, you’re scoring a planet, it has to have scale,” she explains. Still, no matter how far, far away she goes while working on Obi-Wan Kenobi, Holt finds herself coming back to Williams. “For me, the tentpoles are set out by John Williams,” Holt declared. With a new theme coming for Obi-Wan, Holt has the rare opportunity to expand from those tentpoles, even as they are being established. Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi hits Disney+ on May 27.
