‘Disclosure Day’: John Williams Recorded Two Hours of Music Over a Six Month Period for his 30th Collaboration with Steven Spielberg (Exclusive)

John Williams has reunited with Steven Spielberg to compose the score for "Disclosure Day," marking their 30th joint cinematic venture. This iconic creative alliance, which first came together in 1974 with the road movie "The Sugarland Express," now spans more than five decades of film history. At 94 years old, Williams has suggested this could potentially be his final contribution to the big screen, though Spielberg has reportedly already pitched ideas for a 31st collaboration. The composer had previously indicated that his work on "The Fabelmans" (2022) might serve as his farewell, but Spielberg convinced him to take on this latest assignment—even after Williams recommended four other composers as possible substitutes. Notably, Williams has stopped giving press interviews; a spokesperson explained that he prefers "to conserve his energy for writing commitments." Spielberg was not available for comment on this report.

According to multiple insiders, Spielberg went to great lengths to secure Williams' participation in "Disclosure Day." The director arranged seven recording sessions spread across six months—a remarkable luxury in an industry where most composers are typically given only one or two weeks of studio time, often with just a few weeks to write an entire score. Williams, who has faced unspecified "health challenges" over the past two years and now uses a wheelchair in public, approached the project with notable enthusiasm, beginning his compositional work last summer. An orchestra of 96 musicians was assembled for the first session on September 11, 2025, held at Sony's newly renamed "John Williams Music Building." The ensemble was largely traditional, though one particularly dark cue required four bassoons; keyboards included piano, celeste, and synthesizer, and two harps were used instead of the standard single harp. While the film credits list the score as "orchestrated and conducted by" Williams alongside longtime colleagues William Ross and Randy Kerber, insiders insist that Williams personally orchestrated the entire score and conducted most of it, often seated but occasionally standing. Ross and Kerber handled occasional "adaptations" of Williams' material to accommodate film revisions, sources say. For context, Williams' career includes iconic scores for "Jaws," "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones," and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," making him arguably the most recognizable film composer in history. His influence extends beyond cinema; his concert works have been performed by major orchestras worldwide, and his 54 Oscar nominations make him the most nominated living person in Academy Awards history.

Recording stretched across autumn and winter, with two sessions in October, two in December, one in January 2026, and a final session on February 20. This extended timeline allowed Williams to compose at a leisurely pace, with the score evolving organically over months. "John was in amazing spirits," one musician reported. "He was very acutely aware of rhythmic flaws and nuances, and sometimes obsessed a little. Spielberg was delighted with everything." The director remained actively involved throughout the process. "He had a lot of input," added another musician. "That relationship felt so special to witness. There was even a moment when he made a musical suggestion and they tried something a little bit different. They actually ended up going with that. It just felt like an encapsulation of their relationship, how well they know each other, and how well they understand each other's craft. It was almost magical." On December 19, the orchestra was joined by a 30-voice female choir, evenly split into sopranos and altos, plus a solo voice for several cues. The selection of the singer involved experimentation and auditions with several candidates, including children, but the final choice—credited as "vocal soloist"—was Holly Sedillos, whose voice appears briefly in the film and more prominently during the end credits. Notably, the choir recorded their wordless vocal sounds alongside the orchestra, another unusual aspect of the sessions. Most composers record choir separately and mix it with the orchestra later, but Williams prefers everyone in the same room simultaneously, a technique that enhances the live, organic feel of the music. This approach reflects his belief that capturing the energy of live performance is essential to film scoring, a philosophy he has maintained since his early days working with Spielberg.

All sessions were closed to outsiders, with minimal personnel present. Spielberg sat in the cavernous studio just a few feet from Williams, alongside music editor Ramiro Belgardt, sharing a small screen to watch the film as cues were recorded. No film was projected onto the big screen behind the orchestra, as is typical, ensuring no musician or technician could see the then-super-secret footage. Across seven sessions, Williams recorded over two hours and 20 minutes of music, with the final film containing 82 minutes of score. Some extra music was reserved for the soundtrack album. Spielberg is quoted in the film's press notes as saying, "'Disclosure Day' is probably the most restrained score he has ever written for one of our collaborations—at least until it is not. But until those moments, he holds back in a way that is subtle and beautiful and enriches the experience. It is like he is accompanying the film from slightly behind it, pushing it forward." Much of the score sets the mood in an undeniably sophisticated way. Williams' main theme is contemplative yet powerful, tinged with Americana, as much of the film takes place in middle America. Eerie string passages and occasional dissonances subtly recall his score for "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," which now seems a precursor to this film. Darker moments reflect government forces trying to stop the release of secret UFO footage, while faster-paced sections help propel Margaret (Emily Blunt) and Daniel (Josh O'Connor) on the run. At the end of the final session, cake and champagne were served behind engineer Shawn Murphy's mixing board, with Spielberg remarking, "this is our 30th movie together, and we're still in love." Williams responded with a line he's used before: "Steven's a man you can't say no to." It was then that Spielberg told the small group he has an idea for his next film, "and John just said yes." A Williams associate adds: "So long as he's able, he'll do the next movie." This moment underscores the deep personal bond between the two artists, which has survived decades of creative collaboration and personal challenges.

"Disclosure Day" is the 105th theatrical film to feature an original John Williams score. His first was in 1958, and since then, he has earned 54 Oscar nominations, winning five, and 76 Grammy nominations, winning 27. His latest concert composition, the six-minute "Bravo Gustavo," was debuted last week by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall as Gustavo Dudamel, a close friend of Williams, prepares to leave for his new role with the New York Philharmonic. Mike Knobloch, president of NBC-Universal Music and Publishing, told Variety after Monday's New York premiere: "John and Steven were allowed to take time, the months that they needed from September to almost March, a rare luxury that most filmmakers wouldn't get. This legendary composer, the godfather of modern film scoring, did what we hoped he would do, which was to create a distinctive, unique, original and transcendent score for this Spielberg movie in the way that only he can. It's a character in the movie—exhilarating, scary, poetic." This sentiment underscores the enduring impact of a partnership that has shaped the sound of cinema for generations. As Williams approaches his 95th birthday, his continued productivity defies expectations, offering a masterclass in artistic longevity and creative passion.