Movies
‘The History of Sound’: Everything You Need to Know About Paul Mescal & Josh O’Connor’s Romance Movie
Get ready to be entranced by The History of Sound. After being announced almost four years ago, the Paul Mescal– and Josh O’Connor-led film is almost here. To tide us over until its fall release, we finally got our first real glimpse of the World War I rom-dram through its trailer, which dropped on July 24. The day before, Mubi released the official poster for the film, which features Mescal and O’Connor intimately leaning into each other with their faces touching. Swoon.
Mescal and O’Connor are no strangers to the romance genre — the former’s breakout role was in Normal People, and the latter recently starred in Challengers, which is why we’ve been chomping at the bit for more information. If you’re in the same boat, you’ve come to the right place. We put everything you need to know about The History of Sound below, including the full cast, plot synopsis, and more.
When is The History of Sound coming out?
Good news, romance fans. You don’t have to wait much longer to see The History of Sound because it comes out on September 12. The movie had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or. Mubi hasn’t released any news about when The History of Sound will hit streaming.
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Who is in The History of Sound cast?
In addition to Mescal and O’Connor, the cast list includes: Molly Price (Third Watch), Alison Bartlett (Sesame Street), Michael Schantz, Samuel H. Levine, Chris Cooper (American Beauty), Peter Mark Kendall (Watson), Raphael Sbarge (The Guardian), Hadley Robinson (Moxie), Emma Canning, and Alessandro Bedetti (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy).
In May 2025, Mescal opened up about his connection with O’Connor and establishing a powerful romantic relationship for the screen. “I think that we knew each other very well, that we were comfortable, but also we got to build mine and Josh’s relationship in real time with Lionel’s and David’s,” he told Deadline. “So there was a real sense of going to work, although the material is quite heavy, the feeling I equated to is like Friday after school going to your friend’s house. Do you know that feeling when you’re a child? That’s what it felt like going to work with Ollie… It felt very creative, and the chemistry, I suppose, is real, it is true.”
What is The History of Sound about?
Mescal’s Lionel is a singer who leaves his home in rural Kentucky for the Boston Music Conservatory. That’s where he encounters O’Connor’s David, a music-composing student, for the first time.
David is drafted into the war, and in 1920, the two take a trip to Maine to collect and preserve folk songs. Their time together is brief, and afterward, Lionel finds success and new loves in his twenties and thirties. Still, he reminisces about David and their relationship. (Sounds like we’re probably going to weep.)
Mescal revealed that what moved him so much about the film’s message is that “it doesn’t say: I should have done this. It was, what if I didn’t meet him? But instead, I did meet him. It’s a sadness, but it’s also an acceptance. And I think if you could get to the point in your life where you accept the fact that there is pain, you’re also accepting the fact that there was a great love, and I find that concept very complicated, but also very moving.”
Who is making The History of Sound?
South African director Oliver Hermanus (Moffie and Living) is at the helm of the film. Ben Shattucks, who wrote the book it’s based on, penned the screenplay. Mescal executive produced — it’s his first production credit — alongside Walter Kortschak, Ryan Zacarias, and Andrea Roa.
More producers hail from End Cue, Fat City, Film4, Closer Media, Tango Entertainment, and Storm City Films, since those companies financed the film. After it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, Mubi took North America rights and Focus Features took international.
The History of Sound, In Theaters, September 12
