‘Andor’ Creator Tony Gilroy Returns to Film With ‘Behemoth!’ Trailer Starring Pedro Pascal as a Cellist

Tony Gilroy has spent the last several years building one of the most acclaimed runs in television with ‘Andor,’ but before any of that, he made his name as one of Hollywood’s sharpest writer-directors behind films like ‘Michael Clayton.’ Now, after more than a decade away from the director’s chair, Gilroy is finally stepping back behind the camera for his first feature since 2012.

That long-awaited return has fans buzzing this week, especially with the film’s leading man drawing plenty of attention of his own. Pedro Pascal has spent the past few years becoming one of the industry’s most in-demand actors, jumping from prestige television to blockbuster franchises, and this new role marks a genuine departure from anything he has tackled before.

The first trailer for that film, titled ‘Behemoth!’, has now arrived, giving audiences their first real look at Gilroy’s passion project. The story follows Alex Serian, played by Pascal, a gifted cellist who returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road, with music serving as the constant thread carrying him through a journey that promises to change him forever.

Beyond Pascal, the film features a stacked ensemble cast that includes Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Will Arnett, and Hank Azaria, with Arnett playing Alex’s brother and Azaria stepping into the role of his father. Victor appears as Nadia, a fellow cellist and love interest Alex meets while working in Dallas, while Wilde plays Carol, an ex-girlfriend from Alex’s past. The film also stars Matthew Lillard, Alexa Swinton, and Margarita Levieva, among others, rounding out its sprawling cast of musicians and family members.

This marks a major milestone for Pascal specifically, since Alex appears in nearly every scene of the film, making it his first true solo leading role on the big screen. To prepare, Pascal underwent intensive cello training that he has described as more demanding than any physical stunt work he has done in his career.

He explained that learning to hold a bow correctly and play convincingly turned out to be literally the hardest thing he had ever had to learn to do, he told Vanity Fair, adding that even his most physically taxing roles paled in comparison.

Pascal also opened up about what drew him to the character in the first place, describing Alex as someone whose first language is music rather than someone chasing the spotlight. He called the film a love letter to both music and movies, one centered on themes of family, legacy, and healing, and said he had wished for this kind of experience as an actor long before he ever got the chance to have it.

The film’s musical ambitions extend well beyond a typical score as well. Gilroy enlisted nine different composers, known collectively as the Behemoth Collective, including major names like Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, and Alan Silvestri, each contributing music for the fictional films Alex composes throughout the story. Gilroy has said that hiring just one composer would have been a mistake given how differently each fictional project needed to sound, and the deeply personal project reportedly stems from his own early ambitions as a musician before he became a screenwriter.

Searchlight Pictures has set ‘Behemoth!’ for a December 4 theatrical release, positioning it squarely within the heart of awards season. Given Gilroy’s pedigree, Pascal’s growing star power, and the film’s ambitious scale, early buzz already suggests the project is being eyed as a strong contender heading into the fall festival circuit.

With Gilroy stepping back into features after such a celebrated run on ‘Andor’ and Pascal taking on his most personal role yet, ‘Behemoth!’ looks poised to be one of the more distinctive awards season releases of the year. The combination of a deeply personal script, an accomplished ensemble, and an unconventional approach to scoring gives the film a genuinely unique identity heading into its release.

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