Tony Gilroy blasted ‘tragic’ nature of Paramount-Warner Bros. merger at the world premiere of his new film, “Behemoth!” Produced on a budget of $36 million, “Behemoth!” is representative of the mid-budget, adult-oriented drama that once sustained Hollywood’s theatrical business – and allowed filmmakers like Gilroy to make a name for themselves in the industry. He fears that the impending merger (which David Ellison just announced would bring the two historic film studios under a company called Skydance) threatens to dismantle the “very healthy and beautiful company” he has worked at for more than three decades.
“People say the movie business is in trouble,” Gilroy said. Variety Friday evening at Alice Tully Hall. “You go around, you stand wherever you want, what are people talking about? Did you see this? Did you see that? What episode are you in? The business is strong, and to destroy the architecture that made it in the name of venture capital is tragic.”
Starring Pedro Pascal as a talented cellist diving back into the world of Hollywood film music, “Behemoth!” marks Gilroy’s first major project since finishing his work on the Emmy-winning series “Andor.” It was also selected as the centerpiece of the 64th New York Film Festival, following James Gray’s opening film, “Paper Tiger,” and preceding Ava DuVernay’s closing documentary, “14th.” Introducing his new film, Gilroy hailed the festival’s lineup as a bright spot amid an increasingly turbulent Hollywood landscape.
“Thank you for making (the festival) so elegant and glamorous, and for surrounding us with so many incredible films,” Gilroy told the crowd. “The way it’s set up this year, it’s a fucking lineup! Holy shit. And everyone knows it. When so many things go wrong in Hollywood, it’s like a thank you. Thanks for letting us bring our soufflé to your groovy party.”
Gilroy also thanked Matt Greenfield and his partners at Searchlight Pictures, the independent studio owned by the Walt Disney Company, which also produced “Andor.”
“It’s not an easy film to greenlight, and it’s not an easy film to sell,” he concluded. “But here we are. We are here. We arrived here in calm, grace, without drama, and our joy of living intact.”
Skydance has tentatively set Tuesday, October 6, for the closing of the merger, which will consolidate Hollywood’s big five traditional studios (Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and Paramount) under just four owners. While Ellison argued that Paramount and Warner Bros. would maintain their separate studio identities under Skydance, industry figures including “Behemoth!” Producer Sanne Wohlenberg – fears that consolidation will alarmingly limit the “possibilities for a filmmaker”.
“My goodness, it sure is a time of turbulence and uncertainty, isn’t it? It never seems to get easier,” Wohlenberg said. “I think you have to take a deep breath and continue to believe that things are going to go circular and come back. When you look at history, there have been many, many bad times. Unfortunately, we are heading towards such a moment, which will alarmingly limit the competitive nature of the industry and the possibilities for a filmmaker. And it shouldn’t be like that. I think we will survive it and I hope for better times.”
Gn entert
