Tony Gilroy Slams Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger as 'Tragic'

Tony Gilroy used the world premiere of his new film "Behemoth!" at Alice Tully Hall on Friday to attack the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, calling it a move that will "destroy" a "healthy and beautiful business" in "the name of venture capital."

"People say the movie business is in trouble," Gilroy told Variety. "You go around, you stand anywhere you want, what do people talk about? Did you see this? Did you see that? What episode are you on? The business is solid, and to destroy the architecture that made it so in the name of venture capital, it's tragic."

Gilroy's remarks came at the 64th New York Film Festival, where "Behemoth!" serves as the centerpiece selection, following James Gray's opening-night film "Paper Tiger" and preceding Ava DuVernay's closing-night documentary "14th."

What is at stake for mid-budget filmmaking?

"Behemoth!" was produced on a $36 million budget. That figure places it squarely in the mid-budget, adult-oriented drama category that once sustained Hollywood's theatrical business and allowed filmmakers like Gilroy to build careers spanning more than three decades.

The film stars Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist re-immersing himself in the world of Hollywood film scoring. It marks Gilroy's first major project since completing work on the Emmy-winning series "Andor."

What does the merger change?

David Ellison has announced that both historic studios will come under a company named Skydance. Skydance has tentatively set Tuesday, Oct. 6, to close the merger, consolidating Hollywood's traditional Big Five studios — Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and Paramount — under just four corporate owners.

Ellison has maintained that Paramount and Warner Bros. will retain separate studio identities under Skydance. Industry figures remain skeptical.

"Behemoth!" producer Sanne Wohlenberg said the consolidation will make the "possibilities for a filmmaker alarmingly limited."

"God, it's certainly turbulent and uncertain times, isn't it? It never seems to get any easier," Wohlenberg said. "I do think you have to take a deep breath and keep believing that things will be circular and come back. When you look at history, there have been many, many bad times. Sadly, we are steering into one, which will make the competitive nature of the industry and possibilities for a filmmaker alarmingly limited. And it shouldn't be like that. I think we will survive it and I hope for better times."

Gilroy praises the festival, thanks Searchlight

Introducing his film, Gilroy praised the festival's lineup as a bright spot amid a turbulent Hollywood.

"Thank you for making [the festival] so elegant and glamorous, and for surrounding us with so many amazing films," Gilroy told the crowd. "The way this is curated this year, this is a freakin' lineup! Holy sh*t. And everybody knows it. When so many things go to shit in Hollywood, this is like a thank you. Thank you for letting us bring our soufflé to your groovy party."

Gilroy also thanked Matt Greenfield and his partners at Searchlight Pictures, the Walt Disney Company-owned indie studio that also produced "Andor."

"This is not an easy movie to greenlight, and it's not an easy movie to sell," he concluded. "But here we are. We're here. We got here calmly, gracefully, no drama, and our joie de vivre intact."

Whether films like "Behemoth!" can still find studio homes once the Big Five become four may become clear after the merger's tentative Oct. 6 closing date.