In celebration of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ 10th anniversary this year, StarWars.com has shared a special featurette celebrating and looking at the making of “Rey’s Theme.” John Williams, the composer behind the track, cited the piece as part of the reason why he kept coming back to work on the series.
Williams said that he had to think first before committing to making the score for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. What brought him back, he said in a 2016 concert, was his special connection to “Rey’s Theme”
“Disney asked me if I would do the next episode of Star Wars. I thought I wanted to think about it for a minute, but then I made up my mind – because I didn’t want anybody else writing music for Rey.”
Much like many fans, Williams stated that he felt an immediate connection to the character. Part of that is because of his warmth towards Daisy Ridley. But he also points to Rey’s isolation as being part of the reason why he loves the character and the theme so much, once telling the Los Angeles Times:
“I fell in love immediately with Daisy Ridley. She is just a superstar born. [The theme] suggests a female adventurer, but with great strength. She’s a fighter, she’s infused with the Force, and it needed to be something that was strong but thoughtful.”
“This is a girl who’s been a scavenger, she’s been alone and without her parents. I felt a lot of empathy,” said Williams, who even gifted Daisy Ridley the original copy of the sheet music for “Rey’s Theme.”
Williams isn’t the only one in love with the character and her theme. C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels cited the piece as his favorite Star Wars music track of all time, as stated in an issue of Star Wars Insider:
“[The theme] absolutely captures Rey’s youthfulness. And then of course it develops into a much deeper orchestral thing that takes us part way through her story. I absolutely love it.”
Daisy Ridley will be making a return to Star Wars and the character of Rey in a new movie, given the nickname “New Jedi Order.” It was announced back in 2023 with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy set to direct. While it’s been a minute since we’ve been given an update, the latest was that filmmaker George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau, Elevation) was working on the latest version of the script. It has not begun filming as of writing.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Jay Goodearl runs the YouTube Gaming channel “Good Games, Dude” His channel aims to open up video games to beginners and immediate players and help them understand what makes games the art form that it is.