Ben Wheatley directed the amazing Kill List (and I can’t wait for Sightseers) so I’m stoked that director’s planned cops-and-monsters film, Freakshift, might be acquired in pre-production by Lava Bear who will help co-finance the movie with Film4.

Per Variety, “Lava Bear is in exclusive negotiations to acquire monster action thriller “Freakshift,” which “Kill List” director Ben Wheatley will helm. Rook Films’ Andrew Starke, Claire Jones and Lava Bear will produce. Katherine Butler will exec produce via the Film4 banner which developed and co-financed the project.”

Co-written by Wheatley and Amy Jump, “pic is set in a world where monsters rise from the ground and terrorize citizens when night falls. The Freakshift is a band of government-organized misfits and lawbreakers who hunt and kill the creatures for civic duty, sport and money. Wheatley told me back in February: “It’s like “Hill Street Blues” vs. Monsters. But it’s like 15 million [budget] so it’s quite big. That’s our first kind of American film as well. We’re hoping to start it in the beginning of next year, all things being equal.”

The project is likely to shoot in spring 2013 and I couldn’t be more excited. Usually projects like Freakshift sound great in development, but get watered down along the way. I don’t see that happening here.