Tony Gilroy used the world premiere of “Behemoth!” to deliver a stark warning about the planned Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, arguing that the consolidation threatens the filmmaking system that supported his career for more than three decades.

Speaking Friday night at Alice Tully Hall, Gilroy rejected the idea that audience interest is the fundamental problem facing movies and television. Instead, he pointed to the corporate architecture surrounding the business.

“People say the movie business is in trouble,” Gilroy said. “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.”

David Ellison has announced that the merger would bring Paramount and Warner Bros. under a company named Skydance. The deal has been tentatively scheduled to close Tuesday, Oct. 6.

If completed, the merger would reduce the number of corporate owners controlling Hollywood’s traditional Big Five studios from five to four. The group currently consists of Disney, Universal, Sony, Warner Bros. and Paramount.

Ellison has maintained that Paramount and Warner Bros. will continue to operate with separate studio identities under Skydance. Even so, Gilroy and others involved with “Behemoth!” are concerned about what further consolidation could mean for filmmakers and the range of projects that receive backing.

“Behemoth!” embodies Gilroy’s concerns

Gilroy’s new film arrives as a particularly relevant example of the kind of production he fears could become harder to make. Produced for $36 million, “Behemoth!” is a mid-budget, adult-oriented drama in the tradition of films that once helped sustain Hollywood’s theatrical business and provided a path for filmmakers including Gilroy.

The movie stars Pedro Pascal as a gifted cellist who re-enters the world of Hollywood film scoring. It is Gilroy’s first major project since he completed his work on the Emmy-winning series “Andor.”

“Behemoth!” was chosen as the centerpiece of the 64th New York Film Festival. It followed the festival’s opening-night selection, James Gray’s “Paper Tiger,” and came before Ava DuVernay’s closing-night documentary, “14th.”

Introducing the movie, Gilroy celebrated the festival and its slate as a welcome bright spot during a turbulent period for Hollywood.

“Thank you for making [the festival] so elegant and glamorous, and for surrounding us with so many amazing films,” he told the audience. “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 acknowledged Matt Greenfield and his partners at Searchlight Pictures, the Walt Disney Company-owned indie studio. Disney also produced “Andor.”

The filmmaker made clear that getting “Behemoth!” to the screen was no simple proposition.

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

Producer warns of fewer possibilities

“Behemoth!” producer Sanne Wohlenberg expressed similar unease about the changing studio landscape, saying the merger could further restrict both competition and filmmakers’ options.

“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.”

She added that the industry has endured repeated difficult periods but warned that another one appears to be approaching.

“When you look at history, there have been many, many bad times,” Wohlenberg said. “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.”

What Happens Next?

The Paramount-Warner Bros. merger remains set for a tentative Oct. 6 closing. While the studios are expected to retain separate identities under Skydance, Gilroy and Wohlenberg’s comments underscore the unresolved concern over how the combined ownership could affect competition and the prospects for ambitious, mid-budget films such as “Behemoth!”