Paul Mescal & Josh O'Connor's Delayed Gay Romance Film Is Finally Being Made

Acclaimed South African director Oliver Hermanus’ gay film starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor is finally being made!

In 2021, Hermanus, who directed the Academy Award nominated movie Living, announced he would be making a movie based on the short story The History of Sound. However, that project was delayed by his first TV project, the gay royalty period miniseries Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore.

While we’re super excited for that show, we’ve been waiting for a long time for The History of Sound, and now there’s an update!

“It’s been 3 years in the planning, but here’s what I do next. Get ready,” the director wrote on his Instagram stories about the upcoming movie. The History of Sound is back on!

When it was announced back in 2021, the film was described as “a universal love story” based on Ben Shattuck’s short story of the same name. It follows two men, Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor), who, during the WWI period, set out to record the lives, voices, and music of their countrymen. In this snatched, short-lived moment in their young lives, and while discovering the epic sweep of the USA, both men are deeply changed.”

At the time, Hermanus praised Mescal and O’Connor, calling them “two of the most promising actors of their generation,” and saying they will give “deeply soulful performances.”

“This is an unexpected love story that needs to be told – it is a journey through the life of America, across the 20th century and the traditions of American folk music, all seen through the bond between two men immersed in the history of sound,” he said. “This undeniably powerful story will certainly resonate with audiences the world over.”