'Behemoth!' trailer: Pedro Pascal leads Tony Gilroy drama
Searchlight Pictures has dropped the first trailer for Behemoth!, Tony Gilroy's music drama starring Pedro Pascal as gifted cellist Alex Serian. The studio also set a December 4, 2026 theatrical release, positioning the behemoth movie squarely in the late-year awards corridor alongside Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, and Will Arnett. The debut look arrives as Gilroy returns to feature filmmaking after Andor, trading galactic rebellion for the concert hall in a story built around music, memory, and homecoming.
Key Takeaways
- Searchlight dated Behemoth! for December 4, 2026, in the awards-season window.
- Pedro Pascal leads as Alex Serian, a cellist returning to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road.
- Tony Gilroy wrote, directed, and produced the drama; music comes from The Behemoth! Collective.
- The cast includes Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Will Arnett, Hank Azaria, and a larger ensemble.
- Early coverage compares the film's tone to prestige music dramas such as Maestro and Tár.
What Is the Behemoth Movie About?
According to Searchlight's official synopsis, Behemoth! follows Alex Serian, a gifted cellist who returns home to Los Angeles after two decades touring the country. Music has been the constant, all-consuming river of his life, and the trailer suggests that rhythm now carries him into an adventure that will change him forever.
Variety describes the project as a drama about a family of Los Angeles musicians, framing Gilroy's latest work as a personal turn after the space-opera scale of Andor. That earthbound shift aligns with how A.V. Club characterized the teaser: Gilroy is back on Earth and into the concert hall.
Why Is Pedro Pascal's Role a Big Deal?
Pascal plays Alex as a classically trained cellist, not a spotlight-chasing rock star. In a recent interview cited by Variety, the actor said he connected to the story cerebrally and emotionally, calling it a love letter to music, movies, family, legacy, and healing.
For Pascal, the behemoth movie represents a different kind of star turn at a moment when he has been nearly everywhere on screen. Gilroy, whose directorial credits include Michael Clayton and The Bourne Legacy, wrote the script and shares producing duties with Sanne Wohlenberg and John Gilroy.
Who Else Appears in Behemoth?
Beyond Pascal, the ensemble includes Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Will Arnett, Hank Azaria, Alexa Swinton, Kaya Ralls, Erik Griffin, JoBeth Williams, and Margarita Levieva. Executive producers listed by Variety include Cameron Chidsey, Katie Goodson, DanTram Nguyen, Jeremy Reitz, and Rayne Roberts.
Deadline notes that the score comes from The Behemoth! Collective, underscoring how central live musicianship is to the film's identity. On first glance, trade coverage has likened the project's feel to a meeting of Maestro and Tár.
When Does Behemoth! Open in Theaters?
Searchlight has scheduled Behemoth! for December 4, 2026, placing it deep in the fall awards corridor. That date gives the film a late-year launch path as studios jockey for prestige attention.
For more on Pascal, Gilroy, and other Hollywood first looks, follow our celebrity breaking news coverage as the fall release calendar fills in.