Tony Gilroy almost scrapped Behemoth! after losing Oscar Isaac to Frankenstein commitments
Behemoth! writer-director Tony Gilroy said that he was prepared to tell his team that the movie wasn't going to be made, but then he had a lunch meeting with Pedro Pascal that changed everything.
Tony Gilroy, the writer-director of Behemoth!, revealed that the film might not have been produced if Oscar Isaac hadn't left the project due to Frankenstein and awards season commitments. Gilroy admitted, "When Oscar left, there was a traffic jam between Frankenstein and awards and I tried to push again." He stated that he didn't want to lose his team, but also didn't want to push any further.
With the backing of producer Sanne Wohlenberg, Gilroy found Pedro Pascal to step in as Alex Serian, a musician returning to Los Angeles after years on the road. Pascal was initially booked, but after a three-hour meeting, both parties agreed to collaborate. Meanwhile, David Harbour was initially set to play Alex's brother, Andy Serian, but he had to step down due to personal reasons, with Will Arnett later taking the role.
Pascal, who was learning to play the cello for the role, said the instrument became his focus for weeks before filming. Pascal's performance, according to Gilroy, breathed life into the character and prevented Alex from being seen as passive.
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