Desplat is quite versatile so while he can do Williams’s style (as in the last two Potter films) he can also do otherwise. I’m sort of hoping for a classical score but with a very different tone than we’re used to from Star Wars (darker, grittier, more militaristic). In terms of old themes returning, I’d LOVE to hear the old Imperial Motif again (from 77) and the Death Star motif, and of course a healthy dose of the Rebel fanfare. I don’t think we need to hear the Imperial March but I’m sure we will. Any other themes should be off limits (except maybe the main title).
I don’t think there should be a crawl, at least not like the one we’re used to. That should be reserved for the Episodes. “A long time ago, in a galaxy, far, far away” should be required for every Star Wars film, however.
Oh man, bringing back the Imperial motif never even occurred to me. It seems like ever since Williams penned the March everyone’s forgotten about it. Now I’m really hoping that happens.
This Desplat Harry Potter track actually reminds me of “Attack on Jakku” from the TFA score more than anything else. I’m a huge defender of the TFA score, but I’d hoped going to someone other than Williams for the Anthology films would mean more of a departure from the norm. Ah, well. I have a hard time complaining about such convincing Williams-esque music.
Side note, I’d like to see whoever scored the Neil Degrasse-Tyson Cosmos get a crack at Star Wars. That was some of the best fake Williams I’ve ever heard, with a dash of Horner-era Trek.