The History of Sound: Release date news, cast details, and everything we know so far about the Josh O’Connor film

The History of Sound, directed by Oliver Hermanus, stars Paul Mescal as a young man from Kentucky who falls for a charming musical composing student at the dawn of the 20th century.

It's an elegant romance drama, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor as two men who find comfort in each other's presence. So, even after years of drifting apart, they find themselves drawn to the memories of their brief relationship. The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or and Queer Palm.

The film is written by Ben Shattuck, based on a story he wrote with the same name. Mubi holds its North American distribution rights. The company has slated it for a theatrical release in early fall this year.

---

When can we watch The History of Sound?

In June, Mubi revealed that they will release The History of Sound in US theaters on September 12. The streamer acquired the film's distribution rights in February 2025, ahead of its world premiere at Cannes.

Focus Features (a part of Universal Pictures International) holds the film's international distribution rights. We are yet to receive an update on the film's release overseas.

---

What to expect from The History of Sound? Here's what we know about the plot so far

Set in 1917, the film revolves around Kentucky-based singer Lionel, who moves to Boston to be a part of the local music conservatory. That's where he lays eyes on David, who plays a tune he's familiar with.

It's love at first sight, at least for Lionel. They reunite in 1920, after David returns from the war, and travel through Maine listening to folk tunes, hoping to preserve their memories. Soon, their lives take different turns. Lionel spends the next part of his life moving through Europe, finding love and seeking new experiences.

Yet, despite several years of distance, he can't shake the connection he felt with David. His life unravels in this tender romance drama as he traces his memories to understand what they mean to each other.

---

What did Paul Mescal say about the film at Cannes?

The film is about two gay lovers, but director Oliver Hermanus didn't want their sexuality to be the focus of the story. Instead, he wanted "to portray the passing of youth, through its passions and its regrets," as per his conversation with Cannes. Even before, he shed light on this topic in a Vanity Fair feature piece, where he said,

“I didn’t want the s*x of it to be the transgression, or the big idea, like, ‘Oh, it’s 1917, and these two men are taking the risk of being s*xual.’”

He further added,

"We’re not going to make a movie about the problematizing of their relationship or their sexuality.”

Still, some viewers drew parallels between The History of Sound and Brokeback Mountain, which starred Hollywood stars like Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. However, Paul Mescal found these comparisons "lazy and frustrating." While speaking at Cannes, he said, in jest:

“I personally don’t see the parallels at all with ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ other than we spent a little time in a tent,”

He further added,

“Brokeback is a beautiful film but it is dealing with the idea of repression … I find those comparisons relatively lazy and frustrating, but for the most part I think the relationship I have to the film is born out of the fact that it’s a celebration between these men’s love and not the repression of their sexuality.”

---

Who else is part of the cast?

The co-stars, Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor, got their big break in television. Mescal starred in Normal People, which O'Connor did in The Crown. Later, they found success in films, Mescal with Aftersun (2022) and Gladiator II (2024), while O'Connor with Challengers (2024) and La Chimera (2023), among others.

Apart from them, the cast of The History of Sound also includes

• Hadley Robinson as Belle
• Chris Cooper as Older Lionel
• Emma Canning as Clarissa
• Molly Price as Lionel's mother
• Briana Middleton as Thankful Mary Swain
• Alessandro Bedetti as Vincent
• Raphael Sbarge as Lionel Sr.
• Alison Bartlett as Samantha
• Gary Raymond as William
• Peter Mark Kendall as Nathan
• Michael Schantz as Bob

Director Oliver Hermanus co-produced this film with Lisa Ciuffetti, Sara Murphy, Andrew Kortschak, Zhang Xin, and Thérèsa Ryan.

---

You can watch The History of Sound when it arrives in theaters on September 12, 2025, in the US.