Industry Titan Tony Gilroy Warns Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Will 'Destroy' Business!
Filmmaker Tony Gilroy decried the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger at the premiere of his new film 'Behemoth!', fearing it will dismantle Hollywood's healthy business. Joined by producer Sanne Wohlenberg, Gilroy criticized the consolidation for threatening mid-budget dramas and limiting opportunities for creators, despite the inherent strength of the movie industry.
At the world premiere of his new film, “Behemoth!,” acclaimed filmmaker Tony Gilroy voiced strong criticism against the impending Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, labeling the development as "tragic." Gilroy, known for his work on the Emmy-winning series "Andor," highlighted how "Behemoth!," produced with a $36 million budget, represents a type of mid-budget, adult-oriented drama that was once a cornerstone of Hollywood's theatrical business and crucial for filmmakers to establish their careers.
Gilroy expressed profound concern that the merger, which David Ellison's Skydance is poised to finalize, threatens to dismantle the very "healthy and beautiful business" he has contributed to for over three decades. Speaking at Alice Tully Hall during the 64th New York Film Festival, he challenged the notion that the movie business is in trouble. "The business is solid," Gilroy stated, arguing that to "destroy the architecture that made it so in the name of venture capital, it’s tragic." The merger is tentatively set to close on Tuesday, October 6, and will effectively reduce Hollywood's traditional "Big Five" studios to four corporate owners, consolidating Paramount and Warner Bros. under Skydance.
Despite David Ellison's assurance that Paramount and Warner Bros. will maintain their individual studio identities, industry figures, including “Behemoth!” producer Sanne Wohlenberg, share Gilroy’s apprehension. Wohlenberg described the current climate as "turbulent and uncertain times," fearing that the consolidation will lead to "alarmingly limited" possibilities for filmmakers. While acknowledging the cyclical nature of industry downturns and expressing hope for better times, she underscored the detrimental impact on the competitive landscape for creators.
“Behemoth!” itself features Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist re-immersing himself in the world of Hollywood film scoring. The movie marks Gilroy's first major project since "Andor" and was selected as the centerpiece of the New York Film Festival, following James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” and preceding Ava DuVernay’s “14th.” Gilroy took the opportunity to commend the festival's lineup, calling it a "freakin’ lineup" and a "bright spot" amidst the turbulence in Hollywood, a sentiment echoed by many who see such curation as a vital contribution to cinema.
In his introduction, Gilroy also extended gratitude to Matt Greenfield and his partners at Searchlight Pictures, an indie studio owned by the Walt Disney Company, which also produced "Andor." He emphasized the difficulty in getting a film like “Behemoth!” greenlit and sold, reflecting on the challenging landscape for independent and mid-budget productions. "This is not an easy movie to greenlight, and it’s not an easy movie to sell," Gilroy concluded, celebrating the film's presence at the festival with its "joie de vivre intact."