LaKeith Stanfield has pulled back the curtain on “Molepeople,” a new horror film set beneath New York City, while revealing that the movie will arrive in theaters on Aug. 27, 2027.

The Oscar nominee announced the release date during a special appearance at New York Comic-Con on Friday evening. Stanfield stars alongside Emmy winner Ben Mendelsohn in the film, which follows a man entering the city’s abandoned underground tunnels and finding a “twisted society lurking beneath the streets.”

Rob Savage will direct “Molepeople” from a screenplay by Nathan Elston. Paramount will handle worldwide distribution.

Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount Primal Join Forces

“Molepeople” will be co-financed and co-produced by Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Paramount Primal, bringing together two companies focused on projects with sharply defined genre identities.

Producers on the film include Blumhouse Atomic Monster chief Jason Blum, Paramount Primal heads J.D. Lifshitz and Raphael Margules, and James Harris. Elston and Savage will also serve as executive producers alongside Ryan Turek and Tracy Rosenblum.

Paramount Primal is a key specialty label within Skydance’s film division. Its approach centers on “smartly budgeted” movies with distinct perspectives and a “pulp sensibility,” making the underground horror premise of “Molepeople” a natural fit for its slate.

The label’s upcoming projects also include “Boys for Life,” starring Alex Wolff and scheduled for theatrical release on April 9, 2027. Other titles in development include “Sweet Spot,” a high-concept thriller spec from writing team Nic Curcio and Kirby Gladstein, and “The Troop,” an adaptation of Nick Cutter’s acclaimed horror novel.

Paramount Primal has also acquired U.S. rights from the Wes Craven estate to adapt the original screenplay for “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” The label is additionally developing “Tower Defense,” an R-rated fantasy from writer Evan Daugherty.

A Horror Company With a Major Track Record

Blumhouse and James Wan’s Atomic Monster merged in 2024. The combined Blumhouse Atomic Monster has generated more than $10 billion at the worldwide box office and represented approximately half of the horror market over the past decade.

The company has produced more than 250 films and television series. Its catalog includes the “Conjuring” universe, identified as the most successful horror franchise in history, as well as entries connected to “Halloween,” “The Purge,” “The Black Phone,” “Annabelle,” “Paranormal Activity,” “The Exorcist,” “Insidious,” “The Nun,” “M3GAN” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”

Its recent commercial run has also included “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” which became the highest-grossing films ever for Focus Features and A24, respectively. Those results helped Blumhouse Atomic Monster reach $1 billion in worldwide box office for a second consecutive year. The company’s latest release, “Other Mommy,” is expected to lead this week’s box office despite negative reviews.

Stanfield’s Third Blumhouse Movie

“Molepeople” will mark Stanfield’s third movie with Blumhouse. He previously had a bit part in 2014’s “The Purge: Anarchy” before taking a key role in Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning 2017 film “Get Out.”

His latest collaboration moves the action beneath New York’s streets, with the Comic-Con preview establishing the central mystery without revealing further details about the society discovered in the tunnels.

ShowBiz Take

“Molepeople” matters as more than another title on the horror calendar. It pairs Stanfield and Mendelsohn with a premise built around an unseen underground world, while formally connecting Paramount Primal’s pulp-minded specialty strategy with Blumhouse Atomic Monster’s extensive genre record.

The project also continues Stanfield’s history with Blumhouse, but on a larger footing than his brief appearance in “The Purge: Anarchy.” With Savage directing, Elston writing and the two companies sharing financing and production duties, the film brings together an established creative and business team around one tightly focused horror concept.

What Happens Next?

“Molepeople” is now set to open theatrically on Aug. 27, 2027. Paramount will oversee its worldwide release, bringing the underground New York horror story to cinemas globally.