John Williams isn’t retiring from composing film scores after Indiana Jones 5 after all

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Strike up the orchestra because John Williams isn’t retiring after all.

The legendary composer previously announced his intention to retire from composing film scores after the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, for which he wrote new music. That and Steven Spielberg’s highly personal The Fabelmans were said to be his final two scores.

But now the 90-year-old composer is reversing course. Williams and Spielberg are currently making the rounds through awards season for their work on The Fabelmans. While sitting down with Spielberg at a special event reminiscing about their 50-year collaboration as director and composer on Thursday night, Williams revealed he’s not actually retiring.

“I’ll stick around for awhile,” he said. “I can’t retire from music. A day without music is a mistake.”

Ambassadors For Humanity Gala Benefiting USC Shoah Foundation

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Williams also cited his longtime partnership with Spielberg as a reason not to retire. “One thing Steven isn’t is a man you can say no to,” he quipped, which drew a laugh from the director, who added, “I just found out he’s not retiring.”

The composer then went on to explain how Spielberg’s father worked at the Shoah foundation until he was 101 or 102. “I’ve got ten years to go,” Williams joked, expressing a desire to match the director’s father in output and enduring work ethic.

This all prompted Spielberg to say he has to figure out what he’s directing next to make sure he gives Williams a project to work on. Currently, the director is developing a new take on the Frank Bullitt story, previously told in Bullitt in 1968 starring Steve McQueen. Bradley Cooper has been named as the potential star.

Perhaps Williams will have a car chase through the streets of San Francisco to score for his next undertaking.

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