Rogue One Will Be First Star Wars Film Not Scored by John Williams

As the Star Wars universe expands, so does the palette of creative minds behind it. Now, with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, that change includes the mind behind the series’ music.

For the first time in Star Wars history, John Williams will not provide the score for an installment in the epic saga. That duty will fall instead to Alexandre Desplat, known for his acclaimed work on The Grand Budapest Hotel (for which he won an Academy Award), The Imitation Game, Argo, Zero Dark Thirty and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This now marks Rogue One as a Star Wars trailblazer in two ways: as the first stand-alone film in the franchise, and as the first film where the music comes from someone other than Williams.

For those who are fans of Williams’ legendary work, don’t fret—the composer is by no means out of the Star Wars music-making business. Williams is still set to provide the scores for Episodes VII, VIII and IX.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is set for a Dec. 16 release. Watch the film’s first teaser here.