The Sound of ‘The Odyssey’: Composer Ludwig Göransson Used Ancient Greek Instruments, Scrap Metals and Gongs

Composer Ludwig Göransson has joined forces with director Christopher Nolan for a third time, this time building the auditory landscape for "The Odyssey." Their prior joint efforts include the time-bending thriller "Tenet" and the biographical drama "Oppenheimer," the latter of which secured Göransson his first Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2024. Göransson, whose recent projects include "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" where he utilized heavy synthesizers and guitar-driven orchestrations, is now exploring completely new sonic terrain for this epic adaptation. His versatility has made him one of Hollywood's most sought-after composers, with a career spanning from the Emmy-winning "The Mandalorian" theme to the vibrant Afrobeat-infused score for "Black Panther."

For this interpretation of Homer's ancient Greek poem, Nolan gave an unusually specific directive: avoid using a conventional orchestra entirely. Reflecting on this challenge, Göransson told Time Magazine, "It's not like the orchestra existed back then.… It was a challenge and also an opening to try to make something unique." The director elaborated in a featurette, explaining, "We wanted the film to feel like a recognizable world to people, even though it was going to be ancient Greece. We don't want it to look and feel like previous movies that take on this kind of classical world. What can we do that's more timeless than that?" This instruction pushed the composer well beyond his usual methods, leading him to experiment with sounds he had never previously considered. To evoke the Bronze Age setting, Nolan suggested using bronze as a core sonic element. Göransson subsequently rented 35 bronze gongs of various sizes, testing them in unconventional ways. "Hitting walls, hitting railings, hitting any things you could find outside, like scrap metal or air conditioning units," he describes. The score also integrates ancient instruments like the lyre and aulos, along with vocals that Göransson notes "adds some of the more emotional pacing of the score." Notably, the film's soundtrack includes an original song, "When I'm Home," co-written by James Blake, Travis Scott, Göransson, and Nolan himself. This collaboration marks a rare instance of Nolan contributing lyrics to a film project, highlighting his extensive involvement in every production aspect. The composer's willingness to embrace such experimental techniques underscores a broader trend in modern film scoring, where directors increasingly seek authentic, period-specific sounds rather than relying on traditional orchestral conventions.

The film brings the classic tale of Odysseus's perilous journey home to life with a star-studded ensemble. Matt Damon takes on the title role of the seafaring hero, with Anne Hathaway portraying his faithful wife, Penelope. Tom Holland plays their son, Telemachus, while Robert Pattinson appears as the suitor Antinous. The cast also includes Zendaya as the goddess Athena, Charlize Theron as the witch Circe, and a host of other notable actors such as Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Will Yun Lee, Mia Goth, Jimmy Gonzales, and Elliot Page. "The Odyssey" is Nolan's 13th directorial feature, making it a milestone in his career. He wrote the screenplay based on Homer's epic poem and produced it alongside Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner, with distribution handled by Universal Pictures. The soundtrack is available for streaming below, offering listeners a first glimpse into this audacious reimagining of an ancient myth. Given Nolan's track record for pushing cinematic boundaries, early industry buzz suggests "The Odyssey" could become a major awards contender when it releases later this year.