John Williams leaves door open for more film work after ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’

By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

Harrison Ford has said he intends to hang up his whip as Indiana Jones after the new film hits theaters, but famed film composer John Williams isn’t so sure “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” will be his own last film adventure.

In an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace for a new episode of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” the 91-year-old Oscar winner, a frequent collaborator of director Steven Spielberg, said while it is possible that the forthcoming fifth installment of the Indiana Jones franchise could be the final film on which he acts as composer, he’s leaving the door open.

“I’m not anxious to go into another film. But…Steven is a hard man to say no to,” he said. “If he should turn around tomorrow with another ‘Schindler’s List,’ you probably have to fight me to keep me away from it.”

Williams and Spielberg first worked together on the 1974 film, “The Sugarland Express.”

Williams went on to compose a litany of iconic scores for the director, including the ones for “Jaws,” “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial” and “Jurassic Park.” He also composed the score for Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated “The Fabelmans,” which was inspired by the director’s life.

Williams said above all, he’s “grateful to be working in music.” He recently finished composing a violin concerto for German violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and, he said, “not doing a film has made that possible.”

“There’s one thing I would say about working in film, a film like Indiana Jones can take six months,” he said. “Six months when you’re 91 is a long time. So, you’re asking somebody to make a commitment from what a large percentage of the time, the earthly time you may have left.”

Luckily, Williams said, he’s feeling “healthy” and, in fact, called this time in his life a special one.

“I like to think that…from 80 to 90 is the best decade of a woman’s or a man’s life. For the reason that from 80 to 90, you lose a little something. You don’t walk quite as fast, you don’t hit a golf ball quite as far. But there are enormous compensations,” he said. “You see the great beauty around us. The music, it means so much more to me every passing day.”

New episodes of “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” premiere Fridays on HBO Max and Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on CNN

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