It looks like there’s a major shake-up creatively with the upcoming Blumhouse and Paramount Primal horror flick “Molepeople“. Variety reports that both star LaKeith Stanfield and director Rob Savage have exited the picture, with Ben Wheatley taking over behind the camera; no word on whether Ben Mendelsohn, who’s been attached to the project since 2024 when Anthony Ramos had Stanfield’s role, is still attached to the project. The news comes just weeks after Stanfield’s involvement was announced at New York Comic Con.
As per Paramount‘s NYCC announcement, “Molepeople” follows a man who descends into abandoned tunnels beneath New York City and discovers a “twisted society lurking behind the streets.” The script comes from “Succession” alum Nathan Elston, with producers including Blumhouse Atomic Monster chief Jason Blum, Paramount Primal heads J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, and James Harris. Harris remains an executive producers despite his exit as director alongside Elston, Ryan Turek, and Tracy Rosenblum.
Fans of British director Wheatley know he’s no stranger to the horror genre. Previous forays into the genre include 2011 cult favorite “Kill List,” 2014’s experimental “A Field In England,” and 2021’s “In The Earth.” But Wheatley’s unique talents make him a versatile filmmaker, with other work ranging from indie adaptations of J.G. Ballard novels (“High Rise“) to schlocky big-budget creature features (“Meg 2: The Trench“). The director’s coming of a twofer in 2025: the sci-fi film “Bulk” and the Bob Odenkirk-led actioner “Normal.”
Will there be any more creative shifts for “Molepeople” after Wheatley’s takeover? We’ll see. Paramount still has it set for an August 27, 2027 theatrical release.
