Mob Mentality Has Found Its Director

We are thrilled to share a major update for Mob Mentality, the 2025 Kinolime Competition winner: the project has officially found its director.

William Groebe will be stepping behind the camera to bring this bold comedy to life.

For the Kinolime community, Mob Mentality has already been a standout. The script captured attention with its wildly original premise, sharp comedic voice, and unexpected emotional core. At the center of the story is Nate Siegel, a thirteen-year-old suburban kid who has always felt like an outcast within his own family. When Nate becomes convinced that he is the reincarnation of legendary Gambino crime boss John Gotti, he believes he has finally discovered both the answer to why he feels different and the reason he has “returned”: revenge.

His target? Sammy “The Bull” Gravano.

What begins as an outrageous quest for vengeance soon becomes something much deeper. As Nate follows this strange new purpose, he is forced to confront who he really is and where he truly belongs. Is family defined by blood, loyalty, identity, or the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the world?

That blend of comedy, identity, and emotional discovery is exactly what makes Mob Mentality such an exciting project, and William Groebe is uniquely suited to bring its world to the screen.

William is a freelance director with an extensive background in animation, visual effects, and storyboarding. He is known for co-directing Cammy & Mike with Rob McElhenney, which premiered at the Austin Film Festival, as well as directing The Portal, the Emmy Award-winning animated series for Bleacher Report. Across his career, he has directed a variety of commercials and short films, building a body of work that combines visual imagination, storytelling precision, and a strong command of tone.

When not directing, William is also a highly sought-after animation supervisor and storyboard artist. His credits include major film and television projects such as Deadpool & Wolverine, Stranger Things, Matrix: Revolutions, The Fall Guy, Naked Gun, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. He has also contributed to major video game titles, including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.

That range of experience makes this pairing especially exciting. Mob Mentality is a comedy with a premise that demands confidence, style, and a clear visual point of view. It needs a director who can handle absurdity without losing sincerity, who can lean into the humor while still protecting the emotional journey underneath. William’s background across live action, animation, VFX, and visual storytelling brings exactly that kind of versatility to the project.

For Kinolime, this is also an exciting next step in the journey of a winning script. Mob Mentality began by winning over readers and voters. Now, with William Groebe attached to direct, it moves one step closer to becoming a film.

We could not be more excited for the road ahead, and we cannot wait to share more as the project continues to develop.

Congratulations to the Mob Mentality team, and welcome William Groebe to the Kinolime family.

Stay tuned, Kinolimers. This is just the beginning.