Ben Wheatley Set to Direct 'Molepeople' After Savage and Stanfield Exit

Ben Wheatley has taken over directing duties on the horror film 'Molepeople,' replacing Rob Savage and LaKeith Stanfield. Both previously announced talent departed from the project, with Savage citing scheduling conflicts as the primary reason for his exit. Stanfield had been cast as the lead actor but is no longer attached to the production.

The picture is scheduled for theatrical release on August 27, 2027. Paramount Primal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster are co-financing and co-producing the film. Paramount will manage worldwide distribution. The script, written by Nathan Elston, centers on a man who explores abandoned tunnels beneath New York City and encounters a subterranean society.

Savage remains involved as an executive producer. He is joined in that capacity by Ryan Turek, Tracy Rosenblum, and Elston. Jason Blum, chief of Blumhouse Atomic Monster, serves as a producer. J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, heads of Paramount Primal, and James Harris also hold producer credits.

Wheatley is a British director known for the thriller 'Normal,' which starred Bob Odenkirk and was written by Derek Kolstad. That film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and reached theaters in April 2026. His earlier work includes 'Kill List,' which received six British Independent Film Award nominations in 2011, and 'Down Terrace,' his 2009 debut.

His filmography spans independent productions like 'High-Rise' and 'Free Fire' to studio projects including 'Meg 2: The Trench' and 'Rebecca.' Wheatley is represented by WME, Independent Talent Group, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.