‘Succession’ Composer Nicholas Britell: No One Knew It Was the Final Season Until Post-Production
The L to the O.G. is now meeting the E.N.D.
“Succession” Season 4 marks the final installment of the Emmy-winning HBO series, as creator Jesse Armstrong announced in February 2023. However, composer Nicholas Britell exclusively revealed to IndieWire at the Season 4 red carpet premiere that the announcement came as a surprise to the cast and crew.
“I only recently knew for sure that it was officially the end,” Britell told IndieWire’s Vincent Perella. “I know Jesse was really keeping an open mind, actually, and I love that he’s so passionate about the show and cares so much. Everyone knows this. Jesse wants it to be the best version of itself. So I think he basically gave himself shooting the season to be like, ‘Is this the summation?’ So I trust Jesse on that. But I recently found it was officially.”
Britell added that he still does not know how “Succession” will conclude, and which Roy offspring will take over Logan Roy’s (Brian Cox) throne.
“I still as of this moment don’t know the end of the series. I’m midway through scoring it, and I purposefully keep myself in the mystery of it because I like getting surprised and having that audience reaction myself,” Britell, who recently scored “Andor,” “She Said,” and “Succession” producer Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” said.
“Succession” creator Armstrong said earlier this year that the end of the series was in his mind since Season 2, but it became evident during production of Season 4.
“The decision to end solidified through the writing and even when we started filming: I said to the cast, ‘I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I think this is it,'” Armstrong said. “Because I didn’t want to bullshit them, either.”
Actor Jeremy Strong shared that the ending “will feel like a death” while co-star Nicholas Braun said the cast was “pretty bummed” by the news of “Succession” officially wrapping. “I was sad as hell [on] my last day,” Braun said.
Co-star Cox added that the best approach is to look “upward and onwards” for next projects, as Matthew McFadyen told The New York Times that there was “grief” finishing the series. “It’s sort of awful and heartbreaking but at the same time, there’s a slight relief — a complicated mélange of feelings,” McFadyen said.
The “Succession” Season 4 after party included cocktails cheekily named “Checkmate” and “Fuck Off,” in honor of Logan Roy’s signature catchphrase. Guests were gifted monogrammed credit card holders with the “Succession” branding.
