Skeleton Crew: What we can look forward to with Mick Giacchino's music

With every Star Wars project, a major factor in anticipation is waiting to hear how the movie or TV series is scored. Not only does the music enhance the viewing experience and stay with fans long after release dates, but it also hints at what we should know about the characters. Who can forget the Imperial March's authoritarian melody or the trundling strings that introduced the Ewoks in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi? I remember speculating on hearing a snippet of "Across the Stars" when Rey talks about family in Episode VII: The Force Awakens and realizing two movies later that I should have recognized the Emperor's theme in her leitmotif. We have now learned the composer for Skeleton Crew, and there is a lot to be excited about.

Mick Giacchino is the composer for Skeleton Crew

Mick Giacchino is the son of Michael Giacchino, the composer of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, whose music brought nobility to Jyn Erso's story and tremulous intensity to the Battle of Scarif. It's great to see father and son share a common profession and even more interesting to hear how their styles differ. As reported by Starwars.com, Michael was very supportive of Mick's involvement with Skeleton Crew:

"From the beginning, he said essentially, 'Just remember to have fun with it,' especially given the nature of the show. He was very supportive."

- Mick Giacchino

Mick has expressed the desire for "a show where you get to really put yourself in these characters' shoes because." One of his past credits is as the composer for the trackless ride Zootopia: Hot Pursuit. This attraction at Shanghai's Disneyland park combines frenetic adventure and the day-to-day events of a police beat. Mick's music matches that perfectly, especially when the chase begins, and we can hear a bit of what to expect in the music's ability to raise our heart rate and keep us focused on the scene at hand.

You may also be familiar with him from the HBO series The Penguin. The music of this Gotham-based crime series is foreboding and emotionally gritty at times, often building the bones of a scene with low strings and close harmonies. His "Scherzo for a Flightless Bird" is one of the most striking pieces to come out of that project and begins with simple harmonies and a violin solo that then speeds up and forms a backdrop to an intense and slightly warped piece that is joined by percussion and a piano. It manages to do a great deal of communicating with music that does not branch out from the core music. This makes the music seem to come from the character's most personal views of the world.

For an insight into where this upcoming series will fall on this musical spectrum, it's worth paying attention to Mick's comments on the theme. "I found this chord sequence that was very simple and easy to use as a musical motif as well" is how he describes it. "Jon Watts... quickly associated the opening four chords with the four chords." I have received some training in composition as part of my musical education, and I was taught to maintain a connection between each chord and its progression. Certain notes can be carried from one chord to the next and tie together a musical phrase by what each part of the music has in common with the rest. This seems like a wonderful thing to use when distinguishing each character while still giving them a sense of community.

Mick Giacchino's work definitely has the power to work wonders on a simple level. Still, I personally hope to hear a bit of the intensity he gave us for The Penguin reflected in more intense parts of the series.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew arrives on Disney+ on December 3, 2024.