Tony Gilroy calls Paramount-Warner Bros. merger 'tragic' at 'Behemoth!' premiere
Tony Gilroy called the planned Paramount-Warner Bros. merger "tragic" at the world premiere of his new film "Behemoth!".
The writer-director spoke to Variety at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Destroying the architecture behind the movie business in the name of venture capital is tragic, he said.
The comments landed days before a possible closing date. Skydance has tentatively set Tuesday, Oct. 6 to close the merger, according to Variety.
David Ellison has said Paramount and Warner Bros. would sit under a company named Skydance, the same report said. He has maintained that the two studios will keep separate identities.
The deal would reshape Hollywood's old Big Five — Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and Paramount — leaving them under four corporate owners.
Gilroy was not alone in his criticism. Producer Sanne Wohlenberg said consolidation will make possibilities for a filmmaker alarmingly limited, according to Variety. Days earlier, actor Mark Ruffalo said the merger will stifle creativity, weaken free speech and cost people their jobs, according to Variety.
The merger has faced legal scrutiny. In July, a federal judge granted a bid from a coalition of 12 states to temporarily stop Paramount from closing its $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Behemoth!" was the reason for the night. The 127-minute film is a 2026 U.S. memory drama, and the centrepiece selection of the 64th New York Film Festival, a high-profile slot in the middle of the event, according to Film at Lincoln Center.
It is Gilroy's first major project since finishing work on the Emmy-winning series "Andor". He wrote and directed the film, which was produced on a $36 million budget, according to Variety.
Pedro Pascal stars as Alex, a gifted cellist from a musical dynasty who is re-immersing himself in Hollywood film scoring. The film co-stars Olivia Wilde, and David Harbour was in talks to join the cast, according to The Playlist.
For audiences, this means two stories in one. One is a festival premiere. The other is the business around it.
"Behemoth!" will close the 27th annual Newport Beach Film Festival on Oct. 22, according to Variety. Gilroy is set to attend that screening.
