Tony Gilroy credits Andor for Behemoth! as film reaches London
Tony Gilroy says Searchlight Pictures backed his cello drama Behemoth! because of Andor.
Making the film was “a little bit of a stretch” for the studio and “has a lot to do with Andor,” he told The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet The Hollywood Reporter. Gilroy was creator, showrunner — the writer in overall charge of a television series — and executive producer of Andor, which ran from 2022 to 2025 on Disney+.
Gilroy spoke alongside star Pedro Pascal at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 13 October 2026. The pair attended the BFI London Film Festival for the film’s European premiere Searchlight Pictures. The 2026 event is the 70th edition of the festival, which listed Behemoth! for an 18:00 screening at Southbank.
Behemoth! is a drama directed by Gilroy for Searchlight Pictures. It is his first feature film in eight years.
Pascal plays Alex Serian, a virtuoso cellist from a musical family who returns to Los Angeles after 20 years away to care for his ill mother. The story follows what happens when he comes home.
The cast includes Eva Victor, Olivia Wilde, Will Arnett, Hank Azaria and Alexa Swinton. The line-up changed during development. Oscar Isaac was originally set for the lead role but pulled out, and Arnett replaced David Harbour The Hollywood Reporter.
Pascal learned to play the cello for the part. He took the instrument everywhere on Gilroy’s recommendation.
Behemoth! had its world premiere as the Centerpiece selection of the 2026 New York Film Festival The Hollywood Reporter. New York came first. London is next.
For audiences, this means a short wait between festivals. A New York launch followed by a London gala is a familiar route for autumn films seeking attention before cinema release.
