Shawn Levy Says Composer Thomas Newman Is Scoring STAR WARS: STARFIGHTER, Which Is Amazing!
Shawn Levy is gearing up to take fans into a new corner of the galaxy with his upcoming film Star Wars: Starfighter, and he has secured a legendary composer to help bring it to life.
The director revealed that 15 time Oscar nominated composer Thomas Newman has officially joined the project, and I’m actually very excited about this! I’m a huge fan of Newman’s work, and I’m so pumped up to hear what he brings to the Star Wars universe.
During an appearance on the On Film… with Kevin McCarthy podcast, Levy confirmed the news and shared his own excitement.
“I know, bro. I don’t know if that’s public, so now it is. Yeah, I think we’re breaking news here,” he said. “You don’t understand. If you ask me to name my favorite scores, five of the top 10 are Tom Newman: Shawshank, Road to Perdition, Nemo, American Beauty. The guy is a maestro.”
Newman’s involvement signals an awesome creative swing for Starfighter. Levy explained that the film’s musical identity has been a major focus for him as he shapes this standalone adventure. He continued:
“And I was thinking about this movie and what I need the music to be, because it wants to be sort of classically inspired. But no, it’s not gonna be remixes of Williams cues. It may be inspired by some of that, but I knew that I needed a big-hearted movie score from a composer, who like John Williams, doesn’t shy away from themes.”
John Williams’ iconic work defined the original Star Wars for decades and set the musical foundation for the entire franchise. Levy clearly hopes Newman will bring his own emotional power to this new chapter.
Levy went on to describe how the collaboration came together. “So, I called up Tom Newman. You don’t understand, I’m a fan,” said Levy. “And I said, ‘Hey, it’s Shawn Levy. Would you ever consider—?’ And he said, ‘Send me the script, and describe your vision.’ And I did both those things, and it was yes. And I’m so stoked. … I’m so excited about it.”
Some other films that Newman has composed include The Green Mile, Skyfall, Saving Mr. Banks, Spectre, Bridge of Spies, Wall-E, Cinderella Man, Meet Joe Black, The Player, and so many more.
Set five years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Starfighter stands apart from the Skywalker saga and charts a fresh direction for the franchise. Written by Jonathan Tropper, the film features a ast that includes Ryan Gosling, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings, Flynn Gray and Amy Adams.
With Levy’s enthusiasm, Newman’s emotional musical style, and a story that explores new territory in the galaxy, Starfighter is shaping up to be an awesome new addition to Star Wars. Fans will get to experience it for themselves when the movie hits theaters on May 28, 2027 in the United States.