LaKeith Stanfield exits Molepeople as Ben Wheatley takes over from Rob Savage

LaKeith Stanfield has exited Paramount’s upcoming horror film Molepeople, while Ben Wheatley is replacing Rob Savage as director, Deadline reported on October 28. The two departures change the cast and the filmmaker behind a movie currently scheduled for theaters in August 2027.

Deadline attributed Savage’s departure to scheduling conflicts and said the reason for Stanfield’s exit has not been disclosed. It reported that the changes were amicable. Variety separately reported the cast and director changes.

Who is still involved in Molepeople?

Elston wrote the script, which follows a man into abandoned tunnels beneath New York City and a society living below the streets. Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount Primal are co-financing and co-producing the film, with Paramount handling worldwide distribution, Variety reported. Its listed producers include Jason Blum, Paramount Primal heads J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, and James Harris.

How did the film reach this point?

Savage was first announced as director in October 2024, Deadline reported. The project was developed independently before Margules and Lifshitz brought it to Paramount after being tapped to lead the studio’s genre-focused Paramount Primal label. Elston had previously collaborated with Savage on Other Mommy, the Jessica Chastain horror film released earlier this month.

Wheatley’s previous films include Kill List, High-Rise and Meg 2: The Trench. Variety reported that his recent action thriller Normal, starring Bob Odenkirk, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness program before its April 2026 theatrical release. Molepeople puts him in charge of a project that had already announced its director and lead actor.

When is Molepeople due in theaters?

Paramount has scheduled Molepeople for theatrical release on August 27, 2027. Deadline said it was unclear whether the personnel changes would affect that date; reports had placed the start of UK production as early as the end of November. Neither a revised release date nor a new production start was announced in the two reports.