The name of actor David Harbour has gone viral on social media after his decision to step back and cancel his participation in “Behemoth!”, a drama film written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the mastermind behind productions such as “Andor” and “Beirut.”

According to Variety, the actor who played 'Jim Hopper' in Stranger Things chose to leave the project despite being one of the key cast members alongside Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde.

“Multiple people close to the production said Harbour felt overwhelmed by the cancellation of Stranger Things,” the American website stated. According to the report, the intense media pressure due to the global impact of this production took its toll, forcing him to "take some time to rest." Alongside the significant emotional burden of saying goodbye to the story that premiered on Netflix in 2016, David Harbour also faced intense media scrutiny as a result of his divorce from singer Lily Allen, amidst rumors of infidelity. For its part, the production company Searchlight Pictures confirmed that the actor "stepped aside" from the film, although it made no mention of the reasons behind his decision. It should be noted that while Harbour was originally announced as a co-star, specific details about his character remained under wraps. Meanwhile, Deadline confirmed that Harbour's role will be taken over by Will Arnett (Is This Thing On?, 2025).

What is “Behemoth!” about?

According to the synopsis from Searchlight Pictures, the project directed by Gilroy is “a love letter to film music and the people who create it.”

The film follows the story of a musician (Pedro Pascal) who comes from a family of artists and returns to Los Angeles in an attempt to rediscover himself. Olivia Wilde will play a former love interest of the protagonist,while Eva Victor is also part of the cast.