“Below” Star Rohan Campbell Plans Directorial Debut for Next Summer

Rohan Campbell plans to direct his first film next summer, though the project still lacks a greenlight. The “Below” star described it as “a very personal story.”

Campbell told Film Updates he is trying to direct his own movie next summer and called the idea a “cute” one. He said the team is working to get all systems go, and that the project is a big part of his focus. He offered no title, plot details, financing or production company, and nothing in the available coverage names a studio attached to the film.

The announcement caps a steady climb. Campbell made his screen debut at 10 and broke out as Frank Hardy on Hulu’s “The Hardy Boys,” which ran three seasons from 2020 to 2023. He has since earned a “scream king” label through roles in “Halloween Ends,” “The Monkey” and “Silent Night, Deadly Night.” That horror run makes a personal first feature a notable change of direction, since the genre has defined his recent career.

His current work is on Netflix. “Below” is a six-episode thriller from creator Jesse McKeown, about a small Canadian town targeted by a mysterious sea creature. Campbell plays Jay Penney, a troubled Newfoundland expat and one of three children of fisherman Calvin Penney, played by Josh Hartnett. The series premiered on Netflix on Oct. 8 after a debut at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The production leaned on its setting. Filming took place on location in Newfoundland and Labrador between July and October 2025. McKeown told Netflix he saw the province as “a great place for something big and something kind of epic.” The cast includes several Canadians besides Campbell, who hails from Cochrane, Alberta.

Actors turning to directing face uncertain odds, and Campbell’s plan remains early. A summer start depends on the greenlight he is still awaiting, and he gave no timeline beyond the season. His comments suggest he wants the story to come from his own experience rather than from a genre template.

Campbell has not said whether he will also star in the film.