Ben Wheatley Takes Over 'Molepeople' as Rob Savage and LaKeith Stanfield Exit
Ben Wheatley will direct the horror film Molepeople, after the project lost both its original director and its previously announced star within weeks of being unveiled, Variety reported on 28 October.
Rob Savage, who was announced as director earlier in October, has left the film because of scheduling conflicts, Variety reported. LaKeith Stanfield, who had been announced to star, has also exited, although Variety did not give a reason for his departure. Deadline reported that the split was amicable and that Ben Mendelsohn, the other previously announced star, remains attached to the project.
The changes were reported by several genre outlets on 28 October, all citing Variety, including Rue Morgue and Dread Central. The film was only announced earlier this month, at Blumhouse and Atomic Monster’s Blumfest presentation during New York Comic Con.
A director steps aside, but stays involved
Savage will remain involved with Molepeople as an executive producer, Variety reported. He had directed Other Mommy, which opened in cinemas on 9 October, the same day the Molepeople announcement was made, and took the top spot at the box office on its opening weekend with $27.8 million, MovieWeb reported.
What the film is about
Nathan Elston, who wrote Other Mommy, wrote the Molepeople script, Variety reported. The story follows a man who descends into the abandoned tunnels beneath New York City, where he discovers a twisted society lurking beneath the streets. That logline was the basis of the original announcement, and Variety’s reporting indicated that the premise itself has not changed with the change of director.
The film is co-financed and co-produced by Paramount Primal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster, with Paramount handling worldwide distribution, Variety reported. It is scheduled for theatrical release on 27 August 2027, and Dark Horizons, citing Variety, reported that filming is slated to begin at the end of November or in early December in the United Kingdom.
Who Ben Wheatley is
Wheatley arrives with a long and varied record in genre filmmaking. His credits include the acclaimed horror film Kill List, High-Rise, Free Fire and Meg 2: The Trench, Rue Morgue reported. His most recent film, the action thriller Normal starring Bob Odenkirk, premiered in the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival, Variety reported.
What happens next
The immediate question is who will replace Stanfield in the leading role. No replacement had been reported when Variety’s story appeared, and no change to the release date was reported either. With filming reportedly due to start within weeks, a casting announcement would be expected soon, and Starlight will report it when it is confirmed rather than speculating on names.
Sources: Variety, Deadline, Rue Morgue and Dark Horizons, 28 October 2026.