As far as I’m concerned, this is a downgrade.
Last week, it was reported that Tony Gilroy’s “Behemoth!” had lost its lead, Oscar Isaac, who was exiting the project, due to prior commitments. This makes sense since I had heard the film was aiming to start production in October, and Isaac’s schedule is packed well into next year.
Enter Pedro Pascal, who seems to be cast in just about everything these days; he’s now set to replace Isaac in the Searchlight-produced “Behemoth!” which is planning a theatrical release for next year.
Pascal, who starred in five movies last year, is coming off an insane summer, kicking off with that viral moment in the second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us,” and continuing with roles in Celine Song’s “Materialists,” Ari Aster’s “Eddington,” and Marvel’s “Fantastic Four: First Steps.” You just can’t avoid him these days.
Honestly, I’m starting to feel completely burned out by Pascal. Every prestige TV show, every big-budget franchise, every buzzy indie seems to have his name stamped on it. The internet’s thirst machine has only amplified the saturation. Not many people seem willing to admit it.
At a certain point, Pascal’s constant casting starts to feel less inspired, especially when there are plenty of other talented actors out there. It’s the same fatigue that comes when Hollywood falls too hard for an actor and just won’t let us breathe between roles, and right now, Pascal is everywhere, all at once.
Regardless, Pascal’s role in “Behemoth!” is that of a cellist who moves back to Los Angeles and decides to make music for movies. The film explores why he came back and why he went away, delivered in a nonlinear, music-driven structure. The whole movie is told through music cues, which trigger flashbacks spanning the last 20 years.
Tony Gilroy kicked off his directing career with one of the best debuts of the 21st century, “Michael Clayton” (2007). “Behemoth!” also comes four years after Gilroy attained massive commercial and critical success on the Disney+ Star Wars series “Andor.”