At his first major theatrical premiere in years, Tony Gilroy chose to say what a lot of filmmakers won't.

Tony Gilroy brought his new film, Behemoth!, to the 64th New York Film Festival on October 2 as the Centerpiece selection. He also brought something else: a direct critique of the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, set to close on October 6.

At the premiere, Gilroy addressed the deal that will fold both studios under David Ellison's Skydance. "The business is solid," he said, according to Variety, "and to destroy the architecture that made it so in the name of venture capital, it's tragic."

Behemoth! stars Pedro Pascal as Alex, a classically trained cellist who leaves a Chicago orchestra to write scores for Hollywood films. The film uses non-linear storytelling, weaving between Alex's adult career and his childhood inside an intensely musical family. Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, JoBeth Williams, Hank Azaria, and Will Arnett round out the ensemble. Searchlight Pictures distributes the film, which is set for release in December 2026.

Gilroy's point had a specific resonance. His career, which includes Michael Clayton, the Bourne franchise, and Andor, has been built on exactly the kind of mid-budget, adult-driven theatrical film that consolidation tends to deprioritize. A studio environment shaped by venture capital logic, he suggested, would not have greenlit the films that defined his career.

Behemoth! continues its NYFF run through October 12.