Paul Mescal, Josh O’Connor Gay Romance ‘History of Sound’ Bought by Mubi for North America as Focus Takes International (EXCLUSIVE)

“The Substance” and “Queer” distributor Mubi is continuing its acquisition streak, picking up “The History of Sound,” the anticipated gay romance drama starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, for North America. Focus Features and Universal Pictures International, meanwhile, have acquired international rights for the film.

Directed by Oliver Hermanus (“Living,” “Moffie”), the feature finished production earlier this year. Mubi says it’s planning a theatrical release for 2025, following a world premiere to be announced in the coming months.

Announced back in 2021, “The History of Sound” became the first project Mescal shot after his starring role in “Gladiator II” and follows two young men, Lionel (Mescal) and David (O’Connor), in the shadows of WWI who are determined to record the lives, voices and music of Americans. As they begin to log the events, the two fall in love.

The film was penned by Ben Shattuck, adapted from his own award-winning short story. Mescal has been involved as an exec producer from the outset, marking his first production credit.

“The History of Sound” is produced by End Cue’s Andrew Kortschak and Lisa Ciuffetti alongside Fat City’s Sara Murphy, as well as Thérèsa Ryan-van Graan, Zhang Xin and Hermanus. Film4, Closer Media, Tango Entertainment and Storm City Films are financing the film. Executive producers are Ollie Madden and Farhana Bhula for Film4, William Horberg and Richard Lewis for Closer Media, Tim Headington, Lia Buman and Neil Shah for Tango, and Dennis Masel and Gabrielle Nadig for Storm City. Alongside Mescal, Walter Kortschak, Ryan Zacarias and Andrea Roa exec produce.

“This film is a true passion project. It has been a part of my life, and the lives of Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, for the past five years, and I could not be more thrilled to have found partners in MUBI in North America and Focus and UPI internationally, said Hermanus. “They champion the cinema I love, and having our film as part of their family of films has made this journey all the more fruitful.”

Mubi, led by indomitable cinephile Efe Cakarel, has been assembling a prestige auteur-driven slate for 2025, including Jim Jarmusch’s “Father Mother Sister Brother,” starring Cate Blanchett and Adam Driver.

Mubi is also a strong presence in this year’s awards season with Coralie Fargeat’s “The Substance,” which it released in the U.S. and internationally, and has earned five major Oscar nominations, including best picture, director and actress for Demi Moore; it also distributed Magnus von Horn’s “The Girl With the Needle,” which is nominated for best international feature.

Hermanus is repped by UTA and LARK, Mescal by Curtis Brown Group and CAA, and O’Connor by Independent Talent Group, CAA, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

UTA Independent Film Group negotiated both deals.