Director Tony Gilroy came close to shutting down his upcoming film "Behemoth!" before a decisive three-hour meeting changed the project's fate. Speaking at the Middleburg Film Festival, Gilroy shared the circumstances that led to casting Pedro Pascal as the lead in his first feature directorial effort since 2012's "The Bourne Legacy."
Gilroy explained that the production hit a critical juncture after original lead Oscar Isaac departed due to scheduling overlaps between his work on "Frankenstein" and awards-season commitments. Having pushed the start date as long as possible, Gilroy and producer Sanne Wohlenberg arranged to meet Pascal for lunch. At the time, Gilroy had already mentally prepared a speech to let his crew know that the production would be canceled.
'The Behemoth! Collective' Film Composers
| Composer | Notable Source Credit |
|---|---|
| Michael Abels | Get Out |
| Emily Bear | N/A |
| Lukas Frank | N/A |
| Michael Giacchino | Up |
| James Newton Howard | Michael Clayton |
| Henry Jackman | Captain America: The Winter Soldier |
| Nami Melumad | Dream Productions |
| Brandon Roberts | Andor |
| Alan Silvestri | Forrest Gump |
A Decisive Lunch Meeting and Fast Turnaround
Gilroy recalled that his initial doubts dissolved within minutes of sitting down with Pascal. Describing the encounter as feeling "more of a prenup than a meeting," the filmmaker stated that both sides quickly aligned on mutual expectations without any sales pitch.
By the end of the meeting, Pascal agreed to step into the project immediately, beginning cello training the very next day. Pascal stars as Alex Serian, a cellist belonging to a lineage of studio musicians who returns to Los Angeles after two decades traveling on the road. The character finds work performing on film scores, including a massive, secretive studio venture dubbed "Behemoth!"
Production Demands and Nine-Composer Collective
The origins of the film trace back to Gilroy observing Michael Giacchino's scoring sessions for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." Following that experience, Gilroy spent six months interviewing musicians before turning his attention to the Disney+ series "Andor," which occupied the writer-director for six years. After finishing the demanding series, he aimed to return to feature filmmaking with a focus on music.
Bringing the production to life presented distinct logistical and financial challenges. Rather than moving filming to lower-cost hubs like Atlanta or Australia, Gilroy insisted on keeping production in Los Angeles to capture the local scoring landscape. The production employed 303 union musicians and carried substantial fringe costs, requiring five to six months of extensive prep work prior to a 40-plus-day shoot.
Rather than hiring a single artist to write the film's music, Gilroy assembled nine well-known composers who operate under the collective credit "The Behemoth! Collective." The group consists of Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad, Brandon Roberts, and Alan Silvestri. Every member received identical fees, alphabetical billing, collective-only poster credit, mix approval, and publishing rights.
Themes Beyond Classical Music
Alongside Pascal, the ensemble cast includes Olivia Wilde, Will Arnett, Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, and Hank Azaria. Gilroy noted that Wilde joined the production rapidly, agreeing to play her character, Carol, within 12 hours of being contacted.
Gilroy cautioned against labeling "Behemoth!" as a traditional classical music story or comparing it to films like Todd Field's "Tár." Instead, he described the central narrative as an examination of family history, crisis, and evolving types of personal isolation, characterizing it through what he termed the "new varieties of loneliness" found in modern society. He described Pascal's character as someone who learned to satisfy others' demands without meeting his own emotional needs.
Searchlight Pictures is scheduled to release "Behemoth!" in theaters on Dec. 4, positioning the film and Pascal's central performance for the upcoming awards season.
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Source: Variety
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