New York tunnel horror Molepeople gets new director after star exits

Ben Wheatley has been tapped to direct Molepeople, a horror film currently in production for Paramount Primal and Blumhouse Atomic Monster. The appointment comes as Rob Savage steps away from the director’s chair.

Savage, who previously directed The Boogeyman and Other Mommy, cited scheduling conflicts for his departure. He will remain on the project as an executive producer. He joins Ryan Turek, Tracy Rosenblum, and screenwriter Nathan Elston in that capacity.

LaKeith Stanfield, who was announced as the lead, is also leaving the production. The film’s plot centers on a man who explores abandoned tunnels beneath New York City and encounters a twisted society lurking below the streets.

The project was unveiled earlier this month at the Blumhouse Atomic Monster presentation during New York Comic-Con. Elston wrote the script. Jason Blum serves as producer alongside J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, and James Harris.

Paramount will handle worldwide distribution. The movie is slated for theatrical release on August 27, 2027. Wheatley, a British filmmaker, is known for the thriller Normal, which starred Bob Odenkirk and was written by Derek Kolstad.

Wheatley made his feature debut in 2009 with Down Terrace. His subsequent work includes Kill List, High-Rise, and the experimental film Bulk. He has also directed studio projects such as Meg 2: The Trench and Netflix’s Rebecca. He is represented by WME, Independent Talent Group, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.