Wheatley Says Young Filmmakers Have New Paths to Success
8 reported
Director Ben Wheatley, known for films including "Bulk" and "Meg 2," stated at the Transilvania International Film Festival that it is "a great time to be a young filmmaker." He pointed to the box-office success of "Backrooms" and "Obsession" as examples of emerging directors finding new ways to reach audiences. Wheatley, who was 37 when he released his feature debut "Down Terrace," joked that he is "a really bad advert" for making it in the industry. He praised the "democratization" of moviemaking through technologies like YouTube, noting that 21-year-old Kane Parsons ("Backrooms") and 26-year-old Curry Barker ("Obsession") went from viral online creators to box-office sensations. However, Wheatley cautioned that distribution has not advanced alongside technology, saying the industry still uses a distribution system from 20 years ago. He added that while making a film is now straightforward, there are fewer ways to earn money from it at the grassroots level.
What’s reported
Ben Wheatley appeared at the Transilvania International Film Festival to promote his 2025 psychological thriller "Bulk."
Wheatley was 37 when he released his feature debut "Down Terrace," which he shot in eight days for £6,000.
He cited 21-year-old Kane Parsons ("Backrooms") and 26-year-old Curry Barker ("Obsession") as examples of young directors succeeding.
Wheatley said "as much as the technology has advanced, the distribution has not," and that the industry still uses a distribution system from 20 years ago.
"Bulk" premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival's Midnight Madness strand last year.
Wheatley directed the 2023 Warner Bros. blockbuster "The Meg 2: The Trench," which earned nearly $400 million at the global box office.
Wheatley stated that having more money on a film means "you get to do much less than you want" and that a filmmaker's responsibility is to get the money back.
The Transilvania International Film Festival runs June 12-21.
Key figures
Ben Wheatley, director of "Bulk" and "Meg 2"
Kane Parsons, 21-year-old director of "Backrooms"
Curry Barker, 26-year-old director of "Obsession"
Guy Lodge, Variety chief film critic
Owen Gleiberman, Variety critic
Bob Odenkirk, actor in "Normal"
Sources: Variety
