FromJohn Williams’soaring fanfaresin theStar WarsandIndiana Jonesfranchises toDanny Elfman’srecognizable composition stylein films likePee-wee’s Big Adventure,Beetlejuice, andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, with the right touch, music can elevate the greatness of any production. Such is certainly the case in Netflix’s upcoming series,One Piece. A colorful adaptation ofEiichiro Oda’s manga series, the live-action production promises to dazzle the audience’s senses beyond sight. In an interview with Collider’sArezou Amin, composersSonya BelousovaandGiona Ostinellichatted about the importance of the show’s score.
Giving the highest praise that a composer can receive, Amin commented that even if “everything but the music cut out, you’d still be able to follow the narrative.” An incredibly important part of thestorytellingprocess, Belousova said, “It’s so essential to be able to create a strongthematic foundationbecause there is so much happening in a show like that.” For each character and situation, the pair set out to add themes for the audience to audibly return to during each episode. “We have five maincharacters, we have so manyvillains, so many different islands. It’s a lot of information that’s happening at the same time, so having that solid thematic foundation is the key to approaching a project like that.”
With a massive list of credits under their belts, Belousova and Ostinelli have been musical collaborators for a long time, bringing well-defined scores to productions includingThe Witcher,The Romanoffs, Spike’sThe Mistseries,Lying and Stealing,Homeland,Before I Go to Sleep,Dexter,Game Change,Community,New Girl, and many others.
A Passion for Building Worlds
With music playing such an important piece in any production, Belousova and Ostinelli say that the process of “world-building” is their favorite one. Calling their time scoringThe Witcheras “such a joy and such an adventure,” Belousova said they were on the hunt for another gig that would allow them to shape a universe through music. “We lovemusicworld-building,” she explained, adding that the pair has an affinity for “projects that require a very elaborate, very particular, and unique world-building. These types of projects are always the ones on our radar, and as soon as we learned aboutOne Piece… the live-action adaptation, we knew that that was the project for us to get involved.”
Check out the trailer forOne Piecebelow and catch the series when it sails onto Netflix on August 20, 2025.
