Tony Gilroy's new film "Behemoth!", starring Pedro Pascal, will have its world premiere as the centrepiece selection of the 2026 New York Film Festival, festival organisers have confirmed. It marks Gilroy's first feature since completing his Emmy-nominated Disney+ series "Andor", and gives the festival a high-profile star vehicle at its heart, with Gilroy calling the invitation a long-held ambition after decades of attending NYFF screenings.

The Searchlight Pictures production, due in cinemas in December, casts Pascal as a former child-prodigy cellist who leaves a Chicago orchestra job and a troubled relationship (with Olivia Wilde) to return to Los Angeles, where he records film scores and confronts family matters. The supporting cast includes Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, Kaya Ralls, Erik Griffin, JoBeth Williams, Margarita Levieva, Hank Azaria and Will Arnett; festival organisers described the film as "a thundering, savvy tribute to the power of music." The 64th New York Film Festival runs from 25 September to 12 October, opening with James Gray's "Paper Tiger" and closing with Ava DuVernay's documentary "14th".