US filmmaker Ron Howard said he believes Steven Spielberg will be able to tempt Oscar-winning composer John Williams to score another of his hit films.
Howard and Spielberg led the Oscar-winners gracing the red carpet at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for the world premiere of a documentary about Williams which opened the American Film Institute (AFI) film festival.
The documentary, titled Music By John Williams, is billed as an “insightful look at the prolific life and career” of the five-time Academy Award-winning US musician.
Howard, whose company co-produced the film alongside Spielberg, told the PA news agency on the red carpet that the project was “an honour, frankly, to be involved with”.
“I’ve worked with John a couple of times – he’s a gentleman, he’s a genius, and yet people don’t know very much about him so we knew that it was a really great creative opportunity,” he said.
Howard, whose actress daughter Dallas Bryce Howard also appeared at the premiere, directed the 1992 western Far And Away starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise – while Williams wrote the score.
When asked if he thinks 92-year-old Williams can be tempted out of so-called retirement, Howard said: “I think Steve (Spielberg) will, he’ll get him back.”
“John’s a true musical genius,” he told PA.
“He was a great musician before he even began composing. So he also knows how to bring the music to life, and he cares about stories and audiences.
“All he wants to do is find a way for the music to add that extra dimension to the story, to communicate those things that aren’t said in words.
“He’s done it over and over again.”
The documentary features interviews with a host of famous faces including Home Alone director Chris Columbus and Star Wars’ George Lucas and JJ Abrams – all films for which Williams composed the scores.
Meanwhile, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan and director Spielberg also feature.
Spielberg asked Williams to compose the score to his debut feature film, The Sugarland Express starring Goldie Hawn, kickstarting their long-time collaboration in 1974.
“I simply intended to use him on every movie I ever would make,” Spielberg said in the film.
The pair went on to work together on hit films including Jaws, ET and Schindler’s List – which won a host of Oscars.
Meanwhile, other hit films from the pair include Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me If You Can.
In the film, director Spielberg described Williams’ work as “the purest form of art I have ever experienced from any human being”.
Music By John Williams will premiere on Disney+ on November 1.
