Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth!' Debuts at NYFF, Sparks Oscar Talk for Pedro Pascal

Tony Gilroy's new film "Behemoth!" opened the New York Film Festival as its centerpiece, featuring Pedro Pascal in the role of a cellist confronting a midlife crisis. The movie was screened to a full house at Alice Tully Hall and received generally positive reviews, with critics noting Pascal's restrained performance that anchors the film.

While Pascal has earned acclaim for his television work, particularly on HBO's "The Last of Us," this marks his first major leading role in a feature film. Industry observers note that the Best Actor category is highly competitive, with nominees such as Matt Damon, John Malkovich, Andrew Scott, Ryan Gosling and John Turturro also in contention.

The film's distinctive element is its music, built around a series of Hollywood scoring sessions that trigger the protagonist's memories. Gilroy assembled a group of nine composers, including James Newton Howard, Michael Giacchino and Alan Silvestri, referred to as the "Behemoth! Collective." Searchlight Pictures hopes the Academy's music branch will make an exception to the usual limit of three composers for original score consideration.

Searchlight also plans to submit the song "Your God Is Sleeping" by Lukas Frank for award eligibility. In addition, Gilroy, who earned nominations for original screenplay and directing for "Michael Clayton," may be a contender for the original screenplay award for "Behemoth!" The film is scheduled for a wider release on December 4.