Pedro Pascal stars in Behemoth

Searchlight Pictures drama Behemoth!, directed by Tony Gilroy and starring Pedro Pascal as a former child prodigy cellist, will have its world premiere as the Centerpiece selection of the 64th New York Film Festival on October 2, ahead of a December 4 theatrical release.

The fall film festival landscape gets a little bit clearer as Venice’s complete lineup is announced, Toronto’s trickles out one day at a time, and expert observers use that information to fill in the gaps about Telluride. The New York Film Festival has locked down a major premiere for its upcoming 64th edition. Tony Gilroy’s first feature directing gig since 2012 has secured the festival’s coveted Centerpiece slot, bringing Hollywood star power and an ambitious musical canvas to the event.

Pedro Pascal Leads Gilroy’s Classical Music Drama

Pedro Pascal anchors the Searchlight Pictures feature as Alex, a cellist picking up the pieces of a fractured life in the Searchlight Pictures drama. A former child prodigy living in the shadow of a storied musical family, Alex has left his position with an orchestra in Chicago, fleeing a soured relationship with a manic ex (Olivia Wilde), and returned to LA to resolve unfinished family business and record Hollywood film scores. Pascal stars in the film, which notably uses its score as both musical accompaniment and an in-world story element, looking back on his life through flashbacks.

The cast surrounding Pascal features a sprawling ensemble. Olivia Wilde also stars in a cast that includes Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, Kaya Ralls, Erik Griffin, JoBeth Williams, and Margarita Levieva, with Hank Azaria and Will Arnett.

A Star-Studded Soundtrack and Composer Collective

Music is not merely background accompaniment in the production. The production employs a panoply of original movie compositions in a soundtrack featuring some of the industry’s leading musicians. Nine of Hollywood’s top composers are credited on the film, including Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad, Brandon Roberts, and Alan Silvestri. The NY Film Festival calls the movie, a thundering, savvy tribute to the power of music.

Andor Creator Tony Gilroy And Pedro Pascal’s Behemoth! Trailer Arrives

Tony Gilroy’s Anticipated Return to the Director’s Chair

For Gilroy, the premiere marks his first time directing a feature film since 2012’s The Bourne Legacy. The award-winning writer, director and producer made his feature directorial debut with Oscar-nominated Michael Clayton, going on to write and direct Duplicity. Gilroy wrote the first three Bourne films and co-wrote RogueOne: A Star Wars Story, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Other writing credits include Beirut, State of Play, Armageddon, The Devil’s Advocate, Dolores Claiborne, Proof of Life, Extreme Measures and The Cutting Edge. He created Lucasfilm’s Emmy-nominated, Peabody-winning Andor series for Disney+, the second season of which released in 2025.

I have been orbiting NYFF for the great majority of my life, said Gilroy. “I was baptized by Fitzcarraldo. I was tending bar across the street and a customer tipped me a single ticket. It was a bad seat to the most remarkable screening I’d ever attended. There were many memorable nights to follow. The Centerpiece invitation is a fantasy I’ve conjured more times than I care to admit. NYFF has always been the benchmark for me; the opportunity to premiere a film I cannot wait to show, in that hall, to that audience, feels every bit as thrilling as I’d imagined. I’m honored.”

Festival Schedule and Theatrical Release Timeline

The 64th New York Film Festival runs from September 25 through October 12. James Gray’s Paper Tiger will open the fest with its North American premiere, and the world premiere of Ava DuVernay documentary 14th is the closing night film.

There is so much to savor in this immaculately crafted film, from its creative use of music to its note-perfect ensemble cast. Holding it all together is a tour de force by Pedro Pascal, one of the performances of the year from one of our true movie stars, NYFF Artistic Director Dennis Lim

Following its screening on Friday, Oct. 2, Searchlight Pictures will release Behemoth! in theaters on Friday, December 4.

Worth a look