Ben Wheatley Replaces Rob Savage on 'Molepeople'

Ben Wheatley has taken over as director of the horror film Molepeople, replacing Rob Savage, who exited the project due to scheduling conflicts. The change was announced for the upcoming movie, which is being co-financed and co-produced by Paramount Primal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster.

LaKeith Stanfield, who had been announced as a star earlier, is also leaving the production. Savage will remain involved as an executive producer. He will be joined in that capacity by Ryan Turek, Tracy Rosenblum, and screenwriter Nathan Elston.

The film was first revealed to the public earlier this month during a Blumhouse Atomic Monster presentation at New York Comic-Con. The script, written by Elston, follows a man who explores abandoned tunnels beneath New York City and discovers a twisted society living in the depths.

Wheatley, known for the thriller Normal, is a British filmmaker with a career spanning independent and studio projects. His recent work includes Normal, an action thriller starring Bob Odenkirk and written by Derek Kolstad. The film premiered in the Midnight Madness program at the Toronto International Film Festival before its April 2026 theatrical release.

His earlier career highlights include the 2009 debut Down Terrace and the 2011 film Kill List, which received six British Independent Film Award nominations. He has since directed projects such as High-Rise, Free Fire, and the experimental feature Bulk. His studio credits include Warner Bros.' Meg 2: The Trench and Netflix's Rebecca.

Paramount will handle worldwide distribution for the film. It is currently scheduled to reach theaters on August 27, 2027. Jason Blum, J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, and James Harris are serving as producers on the project.