Ben Wheatley is one of the United Kingdom’s most unpredictable and pragmatic filmmakers. With works like Down Terrace, A Field In England, and In the Earth, he has consistently showcased a knack for crafting modestly budgeted, resourceful genre movies that seemingly spring out of nowhere. His latest feature BULK, which is set to receive its world premiere at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, looks set to continue that tradition.
According to Deadline, BULK was shot in secret, with plot details and casting information being kept under wraps for now. However, festival goers can look forward to another Wheatley feature that combines action-packed mayhem with harder genre elements. Check out that the Kill List director had to say about his mysterious new project:
“I’m very excited and proud to be premiering BULK at Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness. This is a midnight film through and through. Car chases, gun fights, sci-fi, and romance. Thanks to Edinburgh for having us. It’s going to be a wild night.”
BULK has also been compared to A Field In England and In the Earth — two very independent and homegrown movies that Wheatley shot out in the wild with his actor mates. Film4, Wheatley’s long-time collaborator, is producing the feature.
This isn’t the only Wheatley-directed project that is currently in the pipeline. The Brighton-based filmmaker is also set to helm a crime thriller called Normal, which will see him switch gears and return to the Hollywood mainstream for the first time since helming Meg 2: The Trench. Details about this one are also minimal at the moment, but it is said to be an action flick with Hitchcockian suspense and mystery elements — fitting for Wheatley, then, given that he directed Netflix’s Rebecca remake in 2020.
Normal centres around a small-town sheriff who uncovers some sinister secrets while investigating a bank robbery. The script was penned by Derek Kolstad, the screenwriter best known for Nobody and the John Wick franchise. Bob Odenkirk, who co-wrote the story, will star in the project alongside Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, and Brendan Fletcher.
All told, it seems that Wheatley has been busy making the types of films he is known for. The mysterious nature of BULK makes it the more intriguing project of the two, though Normal could further cement his standing in the Hollywood mainstream. That said, let us hope that he continues returning to his independent and DIY sensibilities — because that version of Wheatley is one of Britain’s most exciting directors.
This year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival will commence on August 2.