Ludwig Göransson's THE ODYSSEY (2026)

[thomas_cdvault 225]

According to Film Music Reporter, Ludwig Göransson will be scoring Christopher Nolan's next film, The Odyssey.

 

https://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/12/22/ludwig-goransson-scoring-christopher-nolans-the-odyssey/

 

The film's first official trailer - featuring Ludwig Göransson's music - has also been shared online today.

 

[Bilbo 4,312]

The trailer music is certainly trailer music…

[thomas_cdvault 225]

26 minutes ago, Bilbo said:

The trailer music is certainly trailer music…

Yes, definitely some trailerisation going on… excited to hear LG’s work in its proper context.

[TheUlyssesian 2,767]

I think it is probably from the score?

[thomas_cdvault 225]

39 minutes ago, TheUlyssesian said:

I think it is probably from the score?

 

Yes I'm pretty confident it is - with some trailer hits & effects thrown in towards the end.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,996]

Both Tenet & Oppenheimer had the score by Göransson in the trailer, so the chance of it happening again here is high.

[badbu 197]

The first teaser / trailer from nolan contains always music from the score 

[Edmilson 12,580]

It really sounds like trailer music. I hope the final score is better, because LG is capable of much better than this.

[TheUlyssesian 2,767]

The is a 4 note theme no? I bet it won't get beyond those 4 notes.

[Cameron1138 49]

Wasn't a huge fan of the track in the trailer... I'd been hoping it was just a generic piece and not a sample of the score tbh. I'm sure it'll be better without all the 'trailer-ization' though, so I'll keep an open mind. Ludwig's collaborations with Nolan are a very hard 1/2 for me (loved Oppenheimer, hated Tenet) so this could go either way for me.

[Jay 46,747]

A featurette is now available

 

 

[tomsmoviemadness 4,996]

‘The Odyssey’ Soundtrack Album Announced

 

Quote

Back Lot Music will release the official soundtrack album for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming action epic The Odyssey. The album features the film’s original music composed by Academy Award winner Ludwig Göransson (Oppenheimer, Sinners, Black Panther, The Mandalorian, Creed, Tenet, Turning Red, Community, Venom). The soundtrack will be released digitally on July 17. Mutant will release a 2-CD and triple vinyl edition (click here to pre-order).

 

A 2-CD release, so probably means a lot of music.

[Jay 46,747]

Yeah

 

2xCD: https://madebymutant.com/products/the-odyssey-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-2xcd

 

3xLP: https://madebymutant.com/products/the-odyssey-original-motion-picture-soundtrack

 

[Toillion 437]

Ludwig banging on air conditioning units? Oscar locked.

 

But jokes aside, I'm excited to hear what he came up with. 

[MedigoScan 427]

How Silly, they didnt even have ACs in those times.

...

Oppenheimer was already an improvement from Tenet at least.

[Edmilson 12,580]

Yeah, I thought Tenet was borderline unlistenable, but Oppenheimer was pretty good.

 

I have a feeling that The Odyssey will be more Dunkirk and Tenet and less like Oppenheimer, though.

[Richard P 5,327]

Using all sorts of unusual instruments and no orchestra is exactly the sort of gimmick the academy loves.

 

But what's heard in that featurette does sound good - quite organic. I like them trying something unusual.

[Edmilson 12,580]

I dunno, the music in the featurette sounds decent... I'm glad if it's not a cacophony of electronically manipulated sounds, like Dunkirk or Tenet.

[Muad'Dib 2,095]

We're so screwed.

 

Sounds good, though!

[Yavar Moradi 4,459]

Sure there's no traditional orchestra, but very familiar vocals (both soloists and cliched choir). I know Hans Zimmer has been doing this forever, but this kind of puff piece For Oscar Consideration still cracks me up.

 

“something completely unique for this film…no familiar sounds that we’ve heard before in a movie like this” (immediately we hear sounds very much like what we’ve heard before in movies like this… lol)

 

I mean, the reconstructed ancient instruments are really cool! Just don’t act like this is going to be some wholly original thing unlike anything we’ve ever heard before. 🤦‍♂️

 

Yavar

[NewBlueEyes 250]

3 minutes ago, Yavar Moradi said:

Sure there's no traditional orchestra, but very familiar vocals (both soloists and cliched choir). I know Hans Zimmer has been doing this forever, but this kind of puff piece For Oscar Consideration still cracks me up.

 

“something completely unique for this film…no familiar sounds that we’ve heard before in a movie like this” (immediately we hear sounds very much like what we’ve heard before in movies like this… lol)

 

I mean, the reconstructed ancient instruments are really cool! Just don’t act like this is going to be some wholly original thing unlike anything we’ve ever heard before. 🤦‍♂️

 

Yavar

If I was doing a Greek story of a film, I'd never ask for a score with just percussions and soloists and choirs, it'll feel too queer. I'd prefer to have a great symphonic score to bring out the emotions and the action of the story.

[Parker Luciani 10,294]

54 minutes ago, NewBlueEyes said:

I'd never ask for a score with just percussions and soloists and choirs, 

So Miklos Rozsa's Something of Value is gay?

[leeallen01 2,382]

I have to admit that the music heard in that featurette sounds promising. Of course is sounds just like we always gets from those types of films; ethnic woodwinds and vocals.

 

Just give me Horner's Troy. Big, lyrical, sweeping, epic. 

 

I have a feeling that this film will be compared heavily to Troy upon release. Side by sides of similar shots etc. 

 

I know I prefer a lush, colourful, grand, heart on its sleeve, scenary chewing epic if I'm getting an ancient mythical story. Not an overly grounded, bleak, washed out event in the pretentious olympics.

 

Please Nolan and Ludwig, let it be great.

 

 

[Edmilson 12,580]

I love the score to Troy. It's beautiful, exciting, and has everything I love about his music.

 

But being honest, Göransson isn't the kind of composer who will write something like Horner's Troy. It's just isn't his thing. Nolan also isn't the kind of director who will ask for something like this. He will always go for more "modern" and "envelope-pushing" alternatives.

 

Also, in December of last year, when the prologue to The Odyssey was being shown at the theaters, someone recorded the audio and used AI to extract the music as best as possible. It wasn't ideal, but from what I could hear it was just the same cacophony of unpleasant sounds from various types, utterly unlistenable.

 

[crocodile 9,792]

This isn't something I am particularly excited for but Ludwig has surprised me before, especially on second Black Panther where he also chose to diminish the approach traditional film score writing with some great results.

 

It's funny that with his two summer scores one increases the size of orchestra and one completely abandons it. 😆

 

Not sure if I'll regret it but I pre-ordered the CD album.

 

Karol 

[Stark 1,038]

Ludwig has the sensibilities to write something in the grand vein (if not as classical) as Horner's Troy, he just isn't likely to when the film is directed by Christopher Nolan

[Alex 3,158]

Oooh look at me, I am so original. I am not using an orchestra.

Yawn.

[Edmilson 12,580]

1 hour ago, Stark said:

Ludwig has the sensibilities to write something in the grand vein (if not as classical) as Horner's Troy, he just isn't likely to when the film is directed by Christopher Nolan

While I agree about the Nolan part, what other works from Ludwig convinced you that he could write something as classical as Horner's Troy? The only thing he has done so far that makes me think he has the "chops" to write a Horner-style epic is some parts of Black Panther.

 

 

[Stark 1,038]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

While I agree about the Nolan part, what other works from Ludwig convinced you that he could write something as classical as Horner's Troy? The only thing he has done so far that makes me think he has the "chops" to write a Horner-style epic is some parts of Black Panther.

 

 

you misread my message  Ludwig will be as grand (and thematic) but NOT in a classical way. Plenty of music in Mando, Black Panther, and Creed bears this up

[crocodile 9,792]

2 hours ago, Edmilson said:

While I agree about the Nolan part, what other works from Ludwig convinced you that he could write something as classical as Horner's Troy? The only thing he has done so far that makes me think he has the "chops" to write a Horner-style epic is some parts of Black Panther.

 

 

Posted this before...but how about his LOTR spoof in Community?

 

 

 

Karol

[Mephariel 670]

In some ways I love this because it exposes the ridiculous hypocrisy of film score reviewers. 

 

"Gladiator uses the guitar and it sounds too modern!" 

 

By that logic, Nolan is right. The Odyssey shouldn't have an orchestra at all. You ask for authenticity, you get it. Just don't complain when you don't like the outcome.

[Mysterio 127]

4 hours ago, Mephariel said:

In some ways I love this because it exposes the ridiculous hypocrisy of film score reviewers. 

 

"Gladiator uses the guitar and it sounds too modern!" 

 

By that logic, Nolan is right. The Odyssey shouldn't have an orchestra at all. You ask for authenticity, you get it. Just don't complain when you don't like the outcome.

It's just a gimmick mate "you've never heard music like this In a film, it's UNIQUE!" Very much Oscar Bait. By Nolan's logic, those Giants shouldn't have steel armor, since it didn't exist back then, yet they're wearing it. It's not the authenticity, it's the inconsistency, either make an authentic film that respects that period OR make something that in inspired by the poems, like Troy. Troy only had the characters and some plot points from the poems, anything else (story wise) was new and true to the film, or at least true to a "hero's journey" that you've seen in many films and stories throughout human history. (I used the steel armor as an example, I could've used others...)

[crocodile 9,792]

I love orchestral music and would love to see it come back big way. I would certainly love Ludwig to write a score like this for this specific film. Not because it's a correct way to do it but because it's to my taste. And it would help to bridge a bridge between Nolan's dense narratives and emotional response. For me. Granted, the PR work behind some of these scores pushes it beyond ridiculous but I also cannot understand how different approaches are invalid. There are probably vast amounts of people who cannot relate to orchestral music on emotional level and find it an inauthentic tool for effective storytelling. If it's well conceived music that also helps the film, I'm all for it. I like variety.

 

Karol

[MedigoScan 427]

On 12/06/2026 at 3:39 AM, Edmilson said:

I love the score to Troy. It's beautiful, exciting, and has everything I love about his music.

I still prefer the score they rejected

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,622]

Thats excellent. But I can understand why the test audience found it distracting 

[Mephariel 670]

10 hours ago, Mysterio said:

It's just a gimmick mate "you've never heard music like this In a film, it's UNIQUE!" Very much Oscar Bait. By Nolan's logic, those Giants shouldn't have steel armor, since it didn't exist back then, yet they're wearing it. It's not the authenticity, it's the inconsistency, either make an authentic film that respects that period OR make something that in inspired by the poems, like Troy. Troy only had the characters and some plot points from the poems, anything else (story wise) was new and true to the film, or at least true to a "hero's journey" that you've seen in many films and stories throughout human history. (I used the steel armor as an example, I could've used others...)

 

I agree with you. But I don't think it is a consistency issue; it is just creativity. I don't think there is anything wrong with using rock music in a period fantasy or a guitar in a ancient Rome film. Or use orchestral music. To me it is all a creative choice. 

 

The problem is, it is usually the orchestral crowd that cries foul the most. They complain about anachronism in music but never complains when the music is orchestral. 

[Parker Luciani 10,294]

Because linearly, orchestral music is closer to early period music than Rock music  

[Mysterio 127]

1 hour ago, Mephariel said:

 

I agree with you. But I don't think it is a consistency issue; it is just creativity. I don't think there is anything wrong with using rock music in a period fantasy or a guitar in a ancient Rome film. Or use orchestral music. To me it is all a creative choice. 

Oh yeah absolutely but my point is if it's a creative decision just say so, don't try to use the "there was not orchestra back then" excuse, because there other flaws that rise with that statement. 

[Mephariel 670]

2 hours ago, Rachael Foley said:

Because linearly, orchestral music is closer to early period music than Rock music  

 

Orchestral music as we know it was invented 2,000+ years after the events of The Odyssey. Orchestral music has far closer ties to rock music than anything in ancient Greece. Saying orchestral music is closer to ancient Greece is like saying we are closer to Alpha Centauri than Mercury is. Is that really meaningful? 

 

If rock music is anachronistic, so is orchestral music.  

1 hour ago, Mysterio said:

Oh yeah absolutely but my point is if it's a creative decision just say so, don't try to use the "there was not orchestra back then" excuse, because there other flaws that rise with that statement. 

 

I agree, but why is ok for the orchestral crowd to do this? Gettysburg and Dunkirk were ripped for using electronics. I remember Clemmensen wrote reviews on Pearl Harbor and Pirates criticizing how they are too "modern." Yet, did anyone criticize James Horner for using Enya-inspired music for Titanic? Was Horner's music authentically 1910?

[Parker Luciani 10,294]

49 minutes ago, Mephariel said:

 

did anyone criticize James Horner for using Enya-inspired music for Titanic? 

Yes?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 12,622]

Fuck yes! People moaned about it.

[tomsmoviemadness 4,996]

I think the muskc featured here is from the score.

 

 

 

[Jay 46,747]

Should probably post the final trailer in this thread too

 

 

[Jay 46,747]

If you don't want to talk about Gorannson's score, you don't have to play in the thread at all. Thanks!

[p0llux 443]

Without an orchestra, what is he left with?

 

Chorus

Percussion

Synths / Pads

Ethnic instruments

 

That's basically what I heard in the 15mins of music in the premiere video. I have no opinion so far.

 

 

[thomas_cdvault 225]

@Jay should we merge these two threads?

 

 

[Jay 46,747]

Done

[PrayodiBA 1,102]

I like what I’m hearing.

Well it’s not truly inventive like they tried to promote with the “no-orchestra” thing. The progression and style is more or less what we’ve often heard before.

 

But the music progression itself is nice. And surprisingly melodic. I like the main theme, which has that Nolan-y simplicity that he presumably demanded, but still has that long-lined melody.

 

The choir is also nice. In some part in the video, it reminds me of James Horner.

 

And I also like how the whole music has that kind of “calm” feel that you often found in “ancient temple documentary video” or “secluded tropical resort full walkthrough video”

 

It’s safe to say Ludwig Goransson is indeed the “second coming” in the world of modern movie score. The Zimmer of this era.

( Well in fact, during that Euphoria season 3 music fiasco, i read this one comment “….I love Zimmer, but he is too old now; better give this to someone younger like Goransson…” …oh the double irony 🤣 )

[Romão 2,484]

So that theme heard in the very trailer is indeed from the score. It does remind me quite a bit of this theme from Zimmer's Interstellar:

 

 

[theeaglesfan005 44]

23 hours ago, tomsmoviemadness said:

I think the muskc featured here is from the score.

 

 

 

too bad the audio is very choppy 🙃