War Season 1 Soundtrack

Created, written, and executive produced by acclaimed showrunner George Kay—the mastermind behind international blockbusters like Lupin, Hijack, and The Long Shadow—War is an eight-part anthology legal thriller set deep within the cutthroat ecosystem of London's elite commercial and family law practices.

Unlike conventional procedural courtroom dramas, War operates with the vicious intensity of a geopolitical standoff. The core conflict pits two historic, fiercely combative London law firms against each other: the established, aristocratic powerhouse Cathcarts & Sons and the aggressively modern, media-savvy disruptors Taylor & Byrne.

Season 1 centers around a headline-dominating, multi-million-pound legal cataclysm: the vicious divorce between British tech mogul Morgan Henderson (portrayed with calculated intensity by Dominic West) and his estranged wife, international cinema star Carla Duval (played by Sienna Miller). As fortunes, corporate secrets, and catastrophic personal revelations surface, both legal teams abandon etiquette to wage all-out psychological warfare.

The choice of the indie-dance anthem "Heads Will Roll" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as the centerpiece of HBO's promotional campaign signals a sharp departure from standard legal drama tropes. Rather than leaning on stately strings or somber piano motifs, War adopts an electric, predatory pulse.

With Karen O's biting delivery and Nick Zinner's razor-sharp synthesized arpeggios, the track serves as both a literal omen and a thematic thesis: in high-stakes London litigation, reputations and empires will be ruthlessly decapitated before a settlement is reached.

Contrasting Boardroom Polish and Underground Tension

Early production notes indicate that the series score seamlessly shifts between two stark auditory worlds: cold, immaculate neoclassical arrangements mirroring the glass-and-steel boardrooms of Mayfair, contrasted against aggressive contemporary rock, post-punk, and alternative electronics whenever legal maneuvers move into the shadows.

The eight-episode series boasts one of the most formidable British and international ensemble casts assembled for a television legal drama:

• Dominic West as Morgan Henderson: A billionaire tech visionary whose public prestige masks ruthless business machinations and marital turbulence.
• Sienna Miller as Carla Duval: An internationally celebrated actress determined not to be steamrolled by Henderson's legal empire.
• Phoebe Fox as Serena Byrne: Senior partner at Taylor & Byrne, whose tactical brilliance makes her one of the most feared litigators in London.
• James McArdle as Nicholas Taylor: Byrne's sharp-witted partner, adept at navigating high-profile press cycles and hostile negotiations.
• Nina Sosanya as Beatrice 'Queen Bea' Ubosi: A formidable legal tactician whose counsel can make or break Cathcarts' boardroom strategy.
• Pip Torrens as St John Smallwood: The embodiment of old-money London legal aristocracy, fiercely protecting establishment privilege.
• Archie Renaux as Jonathan 'Johnny' Warren: An ambitious young lawyer whose moral compass is severely tested as the Henderson-Duval trial escalates.

Each episode of War will premiere Thursday nights on HBO and stream concurrently on Max in the United States, followed by its UK transmission on Sky Atlantic and NOW. SoundtrackOST will update verified songs, artist credits, and timestamps immediately following each broadcast.