LaKeith Stanfield Drops Out of MOLEPEOPLE as KILL LIST Director Ben Wheatley Steps In

Paramount’s upcoming horror thriller Molepeople is getting a major shake-up, with LaKeith Stanfield dropping out of the film and Ben Wheatley stepping in to direct following the departure of Rob Savage.

Stanfield’s reason for leaving hasn’t been revealed, while Savage’s exit is reportedly due to scheduling conflicts. Both departures are said to be amicable, but the changes leave the project with a new director and a major role to fill as production approaches.

Molepeople follows a man who ventures into the abandoned tunnels beneath New York City, only to discover a twisted underground society living beneath the streets. It’s a creepy premise with plenty of potential, especially with Wheatley now taking charge.

Wheatley has built an impressive career making unusual, often violent genre films. His credits include Kill List, Free Fire, and High-Rise, an adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel. He also directed Netflix’s Rebecca and the giant shark sequel Meg 2: The Trench.

His latest film, Normal, stars Bob Odenkirk. Wheatley’s ability to mix disturbing material with unpredictable storytelling makes him an interesting choice for a horror movie about a society hidden beneath New York.

Savage was originally attached to Molepeople back in October 2024, when the project was being developed independently. He broke out with the pandemic-era screenlife horror film Host before directing Dashcam and The Boogeyman.

His latest horror movie, Other Mommy, stars Jessica Chastain, and despite a rough reception from critics, the film topped the domestic box office earning nearly $100 million worldwide.

Savage will remain attached to the project as an executive producer alongside screenwriter Nathan Elston, who also worked with him on Other Mommy.

The film still has Ben Mendelsohn attached to star, although there’s no word yet on who might replace Stanfield. The actor has recently appeared in Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters and the Neon comedy The Wrong Girls. His upcoming projects include the Taylor Sheridan-written F.A.S.T. for Warner Bros. and John Lee Hancock’s Monsanto film for Netflix.

Molepeople is being co-produced by Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount Primal, Paramount’s genre-focused label led by producers Raphael Margules and J. D. Lifshitz of BoulderLight Pictures. Jason Blum is also producing.

Paramount currently has Molepeople scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on August 27, 2027. Production was reportedly expected to begin in the UK as early as late November, but it’s unclear whether the casting and directing changes will affect that timeline.

While losing Stanfield is disappointing, Wheatley taking over makes this a horror project worth keeping an eye on. The filmmaker has a knack for making things genuinely uncomfortable, and an underground civilization hiding beneath New York City sounds like the kind of material he could have a lot of fun with.

Source: Deadline