Disney has released the first original track from the forthcoming Indiana Jones film: “Helena’s Theme,” composed by John Williams and performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Williams wrote the track for Indiana Jones’ goddaughter Helena, who will be played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. During a preview of the track at the Hollywood Bowl in 2022, Williams said of the character, “She’s a combination of an adventuress and a femme fatale at the same time. And she has music that is very romantic and kind of the Old Hollywood style.”
For “Helena’s Theme,” Williams teams up with German violinist Mutter, who previously featured on a 2019 compilation of his film work titled Across the Stars. Williams has praised Mutter for her “infectious rhythmic swagger,” which appears in her performances of “Rey’s Theme” from Star Wars and “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter. On the Indiana Jones’ track, however, she leans into a velvety legato that lends to its richness and charm.
Williams has composed every Indiana Jones score since the franchise began in 1981. The series is “certainly a swashbuckling affair from beginning to end, fashioned more like the movies of the 30s and 40s where the orchestra is racing along with the action, which you wouldn’t do in contemporary films very much,” Williams said in an interview with Variety.
On June 20, Disney also released a featurette on Williams’ history with Indiana Jones. In addition to interviews with the cast and crew, the mini-film showcases a surprise performance from Williams, including an early listen of “Helena’s Theme.” Beyond the archaeological adventure series, the 91-year-old is known for his work on the Star Wars trilogies and 29 films with Steven Spielberg.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will see Harrison Ford reprise his role as the titular character alongside franchise newcomer Waller-Bridge. Directed by James Mangold and based on the original characters created by George Lucas and Philip Kauffman, the film will premiere in U.S. theaters on June 30.
