LaKeith Stanfield and Ben Mendelsohn will headline Molepeople, a horror thriller from Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount Primal, The Hollywood Reporter reported exclusively. Paramount has dated the film for Aug. 27, 2027.
The Deal and the Story
Under the arrangement, Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount will co-finance and co-produce the film, and Paramount will handle distribution around the world. Rob Savage is directing from a script by Nathan Elston. Savage's Other Mommy is set to open this weekend, according to the trade.
The logline follows a man who goes down into abandoned tunnels beneath the streets and finds a twisted society hiding there.
The project began as an independent effort in development. It shifted to Paramount after J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules started Primal, their genre label, per the report.
Cast, Crew and Schedule
Producers are Jason Blum, Lifshitz and Margules of Primal, and James Harris. Ryan Turek, Tracy Rosenblum, Elston and Savage are executive producers.
The Hollywood Reporter's sources say cameras should roll at the end of November or in early December.
Stanfield's recent credits include Boots Riley's I Love Boosters and Amazon's Play Dirty, where he starred opposite Mark Wahlberg. Mendelsohn arrives fresh from the Venice Film Festival, where Casey Affleck's thriller Company, which counts Scoot McNairy in its cast, had its premiere.
Why It Matters
Molepeople pairs two horror-oriented banners on one release, with Paramount's new Primal operation now carrying a project that started life outside the studio system. With a date already fixed and a start of production reportedly weeks away, the film is moving quickly.
Reporting sources: The Hollywood Reporter, “LaKeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn to Star in ‘Molepeople’ for Atomic Monster, Paramount Primal (Exclusive)”.