Star Wars Main Title

The "Star Wars Main Title" is the theme played at the beginning of every theatrically released Star Wars film so far and almost every other piece of Star Wars media (video games, TV series, etc.). The film scripts refer to this opening theme as "war drums." It was composed by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It quickly became one of the most recognizable theatrical motifs in the history of film.

The "Main Title" segues directly into a piece created specifically for each film. These are: "The Arrival at Naboo" or "Boarding the Federation Battleship" (Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace); "Ambush on Coruscant" (Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones); "The Revenge of the Sith" (Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith); "Rebel Blockade Runner" (Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope), which goes on to quote the ending of "Mars" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets"; "The Ice Planet Hoth" (Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back); "Approaching the Death Star" (Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi); "The Attack on the Jakku Village" (Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens). "Main Title and Escape" (Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi). "Fanfare and Prologue" (Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker).

The theme is described by John Williams as representing the ideas of heroism and adventure, both of which are prominent throughout the films. He used numerous musical phrases to accent certain steps in the hero cycle, depicting the tales of Luke Skywalker, the protagonist in the original trilogy. He used mainly brass to give the theme a majestic feel.

The theme seems to appear in-universe during a celebration of Life Day, in which Princess Leia sings a tune similar to the theme.

Text and facts from the “Star Wars Main Title” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.