Tony Gilroy Casts Pedro Pascal in New Film After Oscar Isaac Departure

Director Tony Gilroy was ready to cancel his new feature film until a last-minute lunch meeting with Pedro Pascal saved the project. Oscar Isaac had dropped out of the movie titled "Behemoth!" due to a scheduling conflict with "Frankenstein" and awards season obligations. Gilroy and producer Sanne Wohlenberg drove to meet Pascal while Gilroy practiced a speech to dissolve the crew and find them alternative work. Ten minutes into the lunch, Gilroy realized Pascal was a natural fit for the lead role. A three-hour meeting followed, and Pascal began learning the cello the very next day.

The Production

The film marks Gilroy's first directorial work since the 2012 release "The Bourne Legacy" and follows his multi-year stint on the Disney+ series "Andor." Pascal portrays Alex Serian, a musician from a family of studio players who returns to Los Angeles after two decades away and records film scores, including a massive studio production with the secret title "Behemoth!" The supporting cast features Olivia Wilde, Will Arnett, Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, and Hank Azaria. Gilroy conceived the story after watching composer Michael Giacchino during scoring sessions for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," followed by six months of interviewing working musicians. The production required shooting in Los Angeles rather than Atlanta or Australia and employed 303 union musicians on stage. Searchlight Pictures has scheduled the theatrical release for December 4.

The Music Collective

Financing the film proved challenging given its complex structure and reliance on nine distinct composers. These musicians share identical terms, including equal pay, alphabetical credits, collective poster billing, and shared publishing rights under the name "The Behemoth! Collective." The nine contributing artists are Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad, Brandon Roberts, and Alan Silvestri. Gilroy rejected comparisons to Todd Field's film "Tár," describing his work instead as a story about family and modern loneliness. Searchlight Pictures will open the movie in theaters on December 4.

Context

Studio films with multiple credited composers traditionally rely on a single lead artist with additional contributors listed in subordinate roles. Gilroy's collective approach bypasses standard hierarchical crediting by treating all nine participating composers as equal partners. The production also emphasizes physical recording stages in Los Angeles and union musicians, reflecting ongoing industry discussions around scoring practices and labor agreements.