M. Night Shyamalan has had one of the strangest and most fascinating bodies of work in Hollywood. Few filmmakers can claim one of the best horror movies of all time as beloved as The Sixth Sense, a pop culture phenomenon as divisive as The Village, a late-career comeback as satisfying as Split, and also the maligned Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation. The director contains multitudes, and apparently, his next movie is already testing extremely well, and one hot fact has me so hyped.

Shyamalan revealed during Warner Bros. Discovery’s upfront presentation (via ScreenRant) that his upcoming psychological thriller Remain is the highest-testing movie of his career. That is a very bold thing to say when your career includes not only The Sixth Sense, which remains one of the great theatrical crowd-pleasers of the last several decades, but also Unbreakable, Split, and Knock at the Cabin.

Remain stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Tate Donovan, an architect struggling with depression who relocates to Cape Cod and meets a mysterious woman named Wren, played by Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor. Julie Hagerty is also part of the cast, but the movie is unfortunately not slated for the 2026 movie calendar. If you're as excited to catch the flick in cinemas as I am, we have a bit of a wait, as it is currently set to hit theaters on February 5, 2027.

That premise already sounds like prime territory for the Signs filmmaker. Give him an isolated coastal setting, a grief-haunted protagonist, a mysterious woman and the promise of supernatural dread, and I’m going to start sniffing around for hidden clues like a raccoon in a movie theater dumpster. But the real hot fact here is the testing claim. Shyamalan’s movies are often engineered around the audience experience, whether that means the slow dawning horror of The Sixth Sense, the chamber-piece pressure of Signs or the gleeful genre trap of, well, Trap.

The other fascinating wrinkle is that Remain is not just an upcoming Shyamalan movie, but is also tied to a novel he co-created with Nicholas Sparks, the author behind The Notebook. Sparks wrote the book version, while the Knock at the Cabin director developed the movie, meaning both artists are telling the same core story in different mediums rather than simply adapting one version into the other.

On paper, that pairing sounds almost genetically engineered to scramble my brain. It is also such a strange idea that it just might work. Interestingly, the approach is not without precedent. Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke developed 2001: A Space Odyssey in a similar way, with the film and novel evolving side by side. Fans of both know the two versions are different, but each works on its own terms.

Maybe that is what makes Remain so intriguing. Shyamalan brings dread, mystery and the possibility of a rug-pull. Sparks brings romance, longing and big emotional swings. Together, those sensibilities could make Remain too much of a movie, or exactly enough of a movie. Either way, I’m excited to sit in a theater and find out.

There is also something exciting about the writer-director talking this confidently before the movie is even out. Test screenings are not destiny. Plenty of movies test well and vanish, while others stumble early and find their people later. But “highest-testing movie of my career” is not a small flex. It suggests audiences may be responding to the exact blend of romance and dread he and Sparks were aiming for.

Jake Gyllenhaal is another reason this has my attention. He is one of the better actors at playing men who seem one bad night away from unraveling completely. Dynevor, meanwhile, has the kind of screen presence that can make a mystery feel elegant rather than gimmicky. If Remain uses both performers well, this could be more than another twisty thriller.

For now, there is still a long wait before Remain reaches theaters. But M. Night Shyamalan saying this is the highest-testing movie of his career is enough to move it way up my radar. I do not know what the twist is, or if there even is one, but I do know I’m already suspicious of everyone in Cape Cod. Heck, maybe I'll pick up the novel while I wait for the page-to-screen adaptation.

M. Night Shyamalan. Whether you love his movies or loathe them, he is a director who will evoke at least some emotion out of you if you’re a fan of motion pictures. The Village is no exception.

Personally, I…like his work. For the most part. I’ve seen all of his movies, and I think some of them are MUCH better than others. In fact, not too long ago, I wrote about how I rewatched Signs, which I always thought was just okay. But now, I think it’s one of his - dare I say? - masterpieces. This got me thinking. If I could be so wrong about Signs, could I also possibly be wrong about The Village?

I do know some people who think THAT’S his last masterpiece, even though I outright hated the movie upon release. So, was I wrong about The Village all this time? Well…

The Village, Unlike Signs, Unfortunately Doesn’t Get Better With A Rewatch

Okay, so do you want to know an M. Night Shyamalan movie that I think gets a bad rap (Well, besides After Earth?) Lady in the Water. Honestly, I think that’s Shyamalan’s hidden gem. The reason why I like it (and After Earth) so much is because it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s a fantasy, and by the end of the film, the fantastical elements make sense because the rest of the film fulfilled that promise.

Promise, I say. That’s important, because The Village is not what it promises to be. From the onset, we are led to believe that there’s a community of people who live in a small village, and that the story is taking place in the past. This community has a legend that there are monsters (known as “Those We Do Not Speak Of”), and that they are attracted to the color red, which is why I suppose everybody wears yellow (I guess this is a community that favors mustard over ketchup).

Anyway, just as Moana is not allowed to go beyond the reef, the characters in this film are not permitted to go through the woods, even if it means there might be important medicine that can be found out there. However, after a child dies, Joaquin Phoenix's character, Lucius Hunt, disobeys the rule and actually goes into the woods, and that’s when the monster attacks arise.

That said, there are no monsters, which is fine. I’m not upset about that, as that alone would have been a clever swerve. The elders are trying to scare people not to leave their village, so they’re pretending to be the creatures. But, no. Shyamalan did NOT stop there, which I’ll get into next.

The “Twist” Honestly Makes This Movie Worse Upon A Second Viewing

The ending of The Sixth Sense is still honestly one of the greatest plot twists in cinema history. It’s a twist that truly solidifies that film as one of the best modern movies, and it helped make 1999 one of the best years for horror in general, as it was nominated for Best Picture, a rare feat for the medium. It’s a twist where once you know it, you rewatch the movie and search for any inconsistencies, only to find that there aren’t any. Shyamalan just got it completely correct.

You have to remember, after The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan kind of became the “twist” guy. Unbreakable (my favorite Shyamalan movie) had one, and I guess Signs had one as well, in that the aliens were allergic to water. So, when The Village came out, we were all expecting it to have a twist, too. And, boy, does it have one…whether it’s good or not, though, is debatable. In fact, when I saw this movie on opening weekend with my friends, my buddy leaned over to me and whispered, “I bet this is taking place in our time,” and I said, NO WAY.

But, yes, way, because that’s exactly what the twist is. Once you know that, it totally destroys the rest of the movie. All of the events leading up to that reveal feel meaningless when you are aware that it’s all a lie. Unlike Signs, where I now take great value in the deeper meanings of faith and guilt found in the film, I get none of that with The Village.

All of the effort that went into creating this setting feels wasted, and it’s actually pretty frustrating. Even so…

It’s Not All Bad, Though. The Acting Is Actually Much Better Than I Remember It Being

Another thing I remember when I first saw this movie was being unimpressed by Bryce Dallas Howard, who I hadn’t seen in anything prior to this film. She plays a visually impaired woman, and I remember thinking that she wasn’t pulling it off very well. However, upon a rewatch, she’s actually very good. It’s the little things that I didn’t catch upon my first viewing, like how her distant stare really does give the impression of visual impairment that I guess I overlooked the first time. So, that’s my bad.

The other acting is excellent as well. Adrien Brody plays a man with a developmental disability, and when he ends up stabbing Lucius with a knife, you feel both upset by his actions but also sad for his character. It’s mostly all in the eyes. Joaquin Phoenix, as always, gives an earnest performance, and you get a sense that he genuinely believes he’s doing the right thing by disobeying the elders, which includes his mother (Sigourney Weaver).

Speaking of the elders, William Hurt and Brendan Gleeson do a superb job of showing the lengths they would go through to maintain the lie, and I think that if anything, this movie is even more infuriating because the acting in it feels like it goes to waste once the truth is revealed.

So, in that way, if this one movie has any highlights, it’s definitely the performances.

All The Same, I Think The Village Signaled The End Of Shyamalan’s Hot Streak

You can try to tell me otherwise, but I was there, man. I remember. The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs were the talk of the town when they came out, but The Village? Well, it kind of fell flat. Sure, it made A LOT of money ($256.7 million worldwide, which was down from the $408 million that Signs made), but I remember audience reception being not as rosy as it was for the other three films.

Then we got Lady in the Water (which again, I like!). Then The Happening (Oh, God!), followed by The Last Airbender (Great mother of mercy!). So, in a lot of ways, The Village signaled the beginning of the end for Shyamalan. That’s not to say that he hasn’t made a well-received film since. In fact, Shyamalan is fascinating in that every time you think he’s done for, he pops up with The Visit, or Split, or even Trap, which I actually like a lot. That said, The Village definitely seemed like the movie that cooled the red-hot streak that he’d been on.

Which is why I really hoped that a rewatch would change that perception for me, but nope. I still feel the same, and might actually dislike it more going into it knowing the twist. Is it a bad movie? No. It’s perfectly competent. But, is it a masterpiece like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, or Signs? Not even close.

Still, if he keeps making movies, I’ll keep seeing them. His next one is based on an idea by Nicholas Sparks and is titled Remain, so we’ll see how that goes.

Are you a fan of The Village? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Look, I know. Some of you think that M. Night Shyamalan only made one true masterpiece, that being The Sixth Sense, which is still one of the very few horror movies to ever be nominated for Best Picture.

Personally, I always thought that Shyamalan made two masterpieces, those being The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, which is my favorite Shyamalan movie, but I’m with most of you. When looking back at Shyamalan’s best films, I think many will agree that he peaked early on (Though I know some people really love Split).

That said, an even smaller segment of people believe that Shyamalan actually made three masterpieces, with the third being Signs. I never thought that before, but after a rewatch, I think I’m now a believer. Here’s why.

Signs Builds Its Alien Premise Slowly, Effectively, And Perhaps, Even Metaphorically

Nobody else seems to remember this, except possibly me (and maybe I even dreamed it), but I distinctly recall a special featuring M. Night Shyamalan before the movie came out, in which he said that Signs wasn't about aliens. Now, maybe he did say this (since I do remember it distinctly), but since I was quite young back then (around 19), I might not have fully understood that he meant the movie was deeper than just being about aliens.

However, that did not help my first experience seeing the movie back in 2002, because I felt cheated. Like, HEY! He said this movie wasn't about aliens, and what's that right there? It's an alien! But, upon a rewatch, I realize that the movie isn't actually about aliens, like say, the Alien or the Predator series, but rather, it features aliens. I’ll explain.

Mel Gibson plays a former priest who gives up the cloth after his wife died in a car accident. He watches over his two kids, and his younger brother, played by Joaquin Phoenix, has been helping out ever since his sister-in-law’s death. The premise I just gave is a movie in itself. However, crop circles have been showing up around the world, and it looks like aliens have invaded our planet. But this “invasion” is done gradually, which builds tension effectively.

That said, in a lot of ways, I believe the aliens are a metaphor for how things in life might be outside of our power or understanding (like a wife dying in a car accident, or a child having asthma), but we still have to find ways to manage our lives around them, just like with the aliens in this film.

This Movie Also Still Has Shyamalan's Scariest Moment To Date

A lot of people tend to think that movies can’t be scary if they’re not rated R, but that isn’t the case at all. The Ring, The Grudge, and even Shyamalan’s own, The Sixth Sense, are all examples of movies that are PG-13, but also legitimately scary.

Well, even though I do find The Sixth Sense to be scary in many ways, the scariest moment out of any M. Night Shyamalan film still comes out of this movie.

I actually liken the fright that Shyamalan pulls from this one scene to the Winkies' moment in Mulholland Drive, which I consider a horror movie. Anybody who’s seen Signs knows exactly which moment I’m talking about. Yep, it’s the party scene with the alien. Because when watched by itself, it isn’t all that scary, but in the context of the film, it’s terrifying!

This goes back to what I said earlier about how the movie builds the alien premise so well. Because it’s not like the family has encountered the aliens firsthand yet. Joaquin Phoenix is actually watching a news report on television, and THAT’S what makes it so scary. We put ourselves in his shoes and can only imagine what it would be like to actually witness something like that on TV. Goosebumps, I tell you. Goosebumps!

The Sense Of Grief In This Movie Is Palpable

Now, as I mentioned earlier, I think that Signs is a movie with aliens, rather than being about aliens. I think a major reason why I feel this way upon a rewatch is because of how much I think I better understand the aspects of grief that this movie is getting across.

Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess, a former priest who sees no desire in practicing the faith anymore, as why bother when his wife was killed in a car accident? No matter how much he prayed and believed in God prior to the incident, it still didn’t protect his wife, or the mother of his children. All throughout the film, we see Graham moping about until he finds purpose again, which strangely comes from above, though not in the way he ever imagined.

Then, we have Shyamalan’s character, Ray Reddy. Ray is actually the one who accidentally killed Graham’s wife, and his grief is palpable, too. Ray fell asleep at the wheel after leaving a party, and tragedy ensued. He has an alien trapped at his house, and it’s almost like he feels trapped within his own guilt, which is why he’s just sitting in the same car that he killed Graham’s wife with.

It’s all deep stuff, and definitely much better than I ever remembered it being.

I Actually Don't Hate The "Swing Away, Merrill" Climax Anymore, Either

Two things really irked me about this movie upon the first viewing. One was that water was actually lethal to the aliens (Seriously?), and the other was that the alien was beaten with a baseball bat like he was Joe Pesci in Casino (watch the movie if you don’t get that reference).

Upon a repeat viewing, I don’t hate it. It fits Joaquin Phoenix’s character arc. As a failed baseball player, the whole idea that he “swings away” connects back to his sister-in-law, whose dying words were to do just that. Now, is this a bit contrived? Yes. Does it still pull me out of the movie? Sadly, yes again.

However, I don’t think it ruins the movie altogether. You can see Graham’s faith returning to him in that moment when he gives that thousand-yard stare and says, “Swing away, Merrill.” And, even though I think the water spilling on the alien and killing it is still dumb, I don’t think it’s as catastrophic to the whole movie as I once did.

This might be because I know what would come later in Shyamalan’s career, but that’s an article for another day.

I Like Most Of Shyamalan Films, But After Rewatching Signs, I Think This Is His Last Masterpiece

So, even though I just made a snide remark about Shyamalan’s later films, I still do like a great many of them. I’ve already written about how I think Lady in the Water is Shyamalan’s “hidden gem,” and I even defended After Earth, which nobody seems to like.

That said, I enjoy those movies, but I don’t think either of them is a masterpiece. I now think Signs is after a rewatch.

It’s spooky in the best sort of way, the build-up to the aliens is unique (Though the pay-off could have been better), and it has a lot to say on getting through grief.

So, yeah, I now think Signs is a masterpiece. Do you agree? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Notebook has got to be one of the best movies of the 2000s. With the fiery chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, as well as the heart-wrenching story of star-crossed love, you can’t go wrong. However, there was one horror director who was approached to adapt the period romance flick, and I couldn’t believe who it was.

Nick Cassavetes, who previously directed movies like Blow and John Q., took on the Nicholas Sparks adaptation of The Notebook. But before the American director was approached, the best-selling author spoke on Good Morning America about who else was offered to direct. This answer has about the same level of twist as what’s seen in this horror director’s movies:

My mind is blown right here! One of the most romantic movies of all time could have been directed by the director who gave us chilling flicks like Signs and Split. Before delving into horror, M. Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut was the AFI Fest release Praying with Anger, followed by the dramedy Wide Awake. Even though Wide Awake was a box office bomb, maybe New Line Cinema liked the director’s approach to lighthearted movies.

When you discover fun facts like these, it makes you think about how if M. Night Shyamalan took on The Notebook, there would be no The Sixth Sense. Given that the 1999 film is one of the seriously scariest ghost movies around and got six Oscar nominations, movie fans like myself cannot be without that one. So I think Shyamalan made the right call with The Sixth Sense, as it became one of his best movies.

On the other hand, I’m really curious if M. Night Shyamalan would have incorporated one of his signature twists into The Notebook. I would have loved it if the real twist in the book-to-movie adaptation had been if audiences didn’t know that the old nursing home couple was an older Noah and Allie until the very end. That would have thrown audiences for a loop. Or maybe in the Noah vs. Lon fan debate, Allie chose Lon instead. I guess we’ll have to make do with fanfics or videos to see what the Nicholas Sparks novel would have been like if the director of Unbreakable took on the project.

M. Night Shyamalan going with The Sixth Sense proves that everything happens for a reason. After all, Nicholas Sparks continued to tell GMA that Shyamalan's psychological thriller inspired him to write a mysterious character in his novel Safe Haven. I’m assuming he’s talking about the character of Jo, whose twist revealed she was the ghost of the main character’s deceased wife, who encourages a new woman to pursue a relationship with him. That was a twist I didn’t see coming when I read the book.

Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan may not have collaborated on The Notebook movie, but they’ll be working together on the upcoming movie Remain. Based on an idea conceived by the romance writer, the plot of the 2026 movie release follows an architect who builds a house for a friend in New England, only for things to take an unexpected turn when he ventures inside. With the promise of a romance story and “big twists,” it sounds like the beginning of a beautiful collaboration.

It’s still unbelievable to me that M. Night Shyamalan came very close to directing The Notebook. But hey, at least Remain will be the chance to see how the romance and horror stylings of Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks will blend. We’ll all have the chance to check out the supernatural romantic thriller in theaters on October 23rd.

While it may seem kind of random to some that M. Night Shyamalan would team up with beloved romance author Nicholas Sparks for a movie, their collaboration for Remain, a book-to-screen adaptation makes a lot of sense to me.

M. Night Shyamalan made a name for himself with horror movies and thrillers, but the filmmaker has explored other emotions beyond fear and suspense in his movies, and that very much includes love. Though romance has played a role in some of his best films, none of those movies would be described as romances first and foremost, so I'm looking forward to what these two have in store. Let's get into what we know about both the book, which came out in 2025, and the movie, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor, and is set to release in 2027.

Remain Movie Release Date

The book came out in the later part of 2025, and the movie adaptation is set to come out on February 5, 2027. The film was originally lined up to be among new horror movies in theaters on the 2026 movie schedule, but M. Night Shyamalan recently confirmed the new 2027 date on his Instagram. It's a bummer that we'll have to wait a bit longer for the movie, but given that there's a romantic element to the story, February seems like a great date for it.

Written by Nicholas Sparks, with M. Night Shyamalan, Remain: A Supernatural Love Story hit shelves in October 2025. The book, which you can pick up at Barnes & Noble and Amazon, overlaps genres, as it features a paranormal element, but is also part romance, part mystery-thriller.

What Is Remain About?

On to the plot of Remain. As mentioned, it's a supernatural love story. The romance aspect is no surprise if you're familiar with Nicholas Sparks' writing. His novels, many of which have been adapted for the screen, include The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, Safe Haven, Dear John and The Choice. Of course, with Shyamalan involved, it practically goes without saying that there's more going on with the story, as the Sixth Sense director is undoubtedly known for incorporating sci-fi and supernatural elements into his stories.

The story follows Tate Donovan, an architect grieving the loss of his sister, who -- before she died -- revealed to him that she was able to see spirits. Tate ends up going to Cape Cod to design a summer home for his friend, and he meets a young woman named Wren, with whom he forms a connection. That's where the love story comes in, though there's some urgency to the situation, as Tate begins to get to know Wren and finds himself trying to figure out the truth about her.

So... yeah, there are bigger things going on here beyond a dramatic love story, which makes total sense when we factor in Shyamalan's involvement.

I debated whether or not I would read the book before seeing the movie, knowing that it would mean going into the film with a head full of spoilers. I did end up reading the book (don't worry, no spoilers here!), and while I now know how it all plays out, I'm still excited to see how Shyamalan brings it to the screen. Also, as Deadline puts it in their casting report (more on that in a bit), both the movie and book are based on the same concept, and will have the same characters, "but tailored to their respective mediums." So I'm curious to see what kind of tailoring happens from book to screen with this story.

The Remain Cast

In January of this year, Deadline reported that Jake Gyllenhaal would be starring in M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks' new movie, though no title was mentioned at that time. In March, Deadline reported that Phoebe Dynevor had joined the cast. Finally, in July, Deadline reported additional cast members, including Julie Hagerty and Tracy Ifeachor. Here's the cast list as we know so far:

• Jake Gyllenhaal
• Phoebe Dynevor
• Ashley Walters
• Julie Hagerty
• Jay O. Sanders
• Tracy Ifeachor
• Hannah James
• Caleb Ruminer
• Kieran Mulcare
• Maria Dizzia

An M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks Collaboration

As mentioned, the book and film are both collaborations between filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan and author Nicholas Sparks. When Sparks posted about the projects on Instagram in July 2025, he talked about how he'd hoped to work with M. Night Shyamalan someday, and noted that it turned out, Shyamalan had been wanting to make a love story for a while:

Production on Remain

On July 18, 2025, M. Night Shyamalan announced the start of production on the film with the Instagram post above, showing him standing behind a clapboard for the movie, with a seaside view behind him. And one month later to the day, on August 19, star Jake Gyllenhaal posted on his own Instagram that production for the film had wrapped. In his post, he thanked the cast and crew for what he described as "one of the most joyful and inspiring experiences."

So the movie is in the can, and now it's presumably just a matter of post-production. Though we were originally going to see it in October of this year, it's looking like there's a bit of a delay. But it does have a new date, and it's not so far away. Of course, those who don't want to wait until February 2027 have plenty of time to read the book!

The Sixth Sense spoilers ahead.

I’m sure that I’m not alone in expecting some kind of twist or surprise when watching an M. Night Shyamalan movie. Of course, when The Sixth Sense debuted in 1999, that wasn’t the case. The thriller’s ending left theater-goers reeling, and the movie’s big twist remains a popular reference today. But, the movie is so much more than that surprise. There are other reasons I consider it one of the best horror movies of all time, and why I love to rewatch it.

Bruce Willis’ child psychologist character, Malcolm Crowe, and Haley Joel Osment’s dead-people-seeing Cole Sear’s growing bond is the heart of the movie, but there are also two other relationships on display; Malcolm and his wife Anna (Olivia Williams), and Cole and his mother, Lynn (Toni Collette in one of her best movies). It’s the latter duo that I want to discuss, and specifically their final scene together.

Cole And His Mother’s Final Heartbreaking Scene

Throughout The Sixth Sense, Lynn is clearly doing her best to take care of her son as a single mom. While we’re focused mainly on Cole and Malcolm’s relationship, Lynn is constantly showing love and concern for Cole, not to mention outright fear at times over his perplexing behavior. She's also fiercely protective of him, and seems genuinely sensitive to his feelings when reacting to the strange things that are happening.

Near the end of the movie, before the reveal that Malcolm died of his gunshot wound and has unknowingly been haunting Cole all this time, we see Cole finally ready to communicate with his mother (as he literally puts it). It's a big step for him to open up to her, despite his fears that she'll think he's weird or "a freak," as he says.

While stuck in traffic due to an accident, Cole explains that a bicyclist was killed, a fact he knows because the dearly departed woman’s spirit is standing right outside their car. Just as Lynn is trying to wrap her mind around Cole’s confession that he can see ghosts, Cole goes on to deliver a message from his grandmother (Lynn’s mother). The specific information he has, both about the bumblebee pendant that keeps going missing, and the “Everyday” response Lynn’s mother has for the question Lynn asked her mother at her grave (“Do I make you proud?”) are enough to convince Lynn beyond a shadow of a doubt that her son is telling the truth.

Why It Works So Beautifully

Beyond that seemingly impossible scenario that her son can actually see and communicate with ghosts, Lynn is very clearly and emotionally processing the fact that her mother is still with her (and that she came to see Lynn dance that time after their argument when Lynn was a kid, and thought she looked like an angel). Cole's confession isn’t some bit of acting-out or made up story, it’s as real as the grief she clearly still carries with her. Her stunned, tearful reaction conveys a mixture of heartbreak and shock, with hints of what seems like relief and understanding.

The scene might not work without the insanely good performances from both Collette and Osment. It might not work without the tone and the timing and very specific setting for this conversation being exactly right. It might not work without us seeing the seemingly insurmountable distance that’s grown between Lynn and her son throughout the movie, despite their evident love for one another. It might not work without us appreciating just how desperate Lynn was to understand her son up to this point. All of those elements were where they needed to be, when they needed to be there, which is why every layer of this scene works, and why it wrecks me every time I see it.

This emotional scene is the last breath the movie takes before the big twist drops (and it's so emotional and satisfying, I'd argue that it lulls us into a false sense that the story is over... right before our mind's are blown by Malcolm's realization in the scene that follows). For Cole’s piece of the story, this confession, followed by the tearful hug, is all the assurance we need that this family of two will be ok. Decades later, the twist is still great, but so is the scene that came before it.

M. Night Shyamalan's Next Movie

The Sixth Sense certainly wouldn’t be the last time that love played a major theme in one of Shyamalan’s movies. In fact, his next film is a book-to-screen adaptation for Remain, a novel the director collaborated on with author Nicholas Sparks. Remain: A Supernatural Love Story is available for preorder now, and based on Shyamalan’s Instagram post from June 2025, the film adaptation is in production.

Jake Gyllenhaal has officially wrapped filming on his upcoming 2026 movie release and it’s not just any project. The film marks a rare collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan and carries an extra twist: it’s a story conceived with bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, which the two then adapted separately into a novel and a screenplay.

The actor took to Instagram to celebrate the news, sharing a behind-the-scenes image and calling the experience “one of the most joyful & inspiring” of his career. You can check out the post below.

The movie, titled Remain, is directed by Shyamalan and produced by Warner Bros. While Sparks is best known for romantic movie dramas like The Notebook and A Walk to Remember (did you know these ten things about the flick?), this project promises something quite different. Remain blends the author’s trademark emotional storytelling with supernatural elements, which is an unexpected genre twist that could pair well with Shyamalan’s signature sense of mystery and suspense. The actor didn’t reveal plot details, but reportedly Sparks’ original novel combines themes of love and loss with an eerie, otherworldly layer.

According People's report about the synopsis, Gyllenhaal stars as New York architect Tate Donovan, who retreats to Cape Cod to design a summer home for a friend after grappling with depression and the loss of his sister. There, he meets Wren (Phoebe Dynevor), a woman who disrupts his carefully ordered world. The setup carries Sparks’ signature blend of grief, love, and renewal, but with Shyamalan’s involvement, audiences can expect a supernatural undercurrent that makes this much more than the next Notebook.

The supporting cast includes Dynevor, Ashley Walters, Julie Hagerty, Jay O. Sanders, and Maria Dizzia, among others. Production took place across Rhode Island, with locations ranging from Newport’s Washington Square to the Cranston Street Armory, which was converted into a soundstage for the shoot. Filming wrapped on August 8, with Warner Bros. already slated to distribute.

Gyllenhaal has been on a busy streak, juggling projects that stretch across genres. He recently starred in the courtroom drama Presumed Innocent, available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription, which became the streamer’s most-watched drama ever and earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He also has Maggie Gyllenhaal’s gothic horror The Bride! and another unexpected pairing, Kevin Costner’s dramedy Honeymoon With Harry, on the way. Teaming with Shyamalan adds another fascinating pivot to his already eclectic filmography.

The collaboration is also a big deal for Sparks. His novels have long been box office staples, but pairing his romantic sensibility with a filmmaker known for supernatural tension could give his work a fresh edge. Between Gyllenhaal’s dedication, Shyamalan’s knack for crafting chilling atmosphere, and Sparks’ emotional core, Remain is shaping up to be more than just another upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. It’s a genre-bending project that could surprise audiences who think they know exactly what a Nicholas Sparks or Shyamalan story should look like. And if that's not something to get excited about, I’m not sure what is.

The novel, Remain, is set to hit shelves on October 14 and is available for preorder from Random House. The movie adaptation lands in theaters next year on October 23, 2026.

SPOILER ALERT: The following article gives away crucial plot details from Trap, so proceed with caution and don’t get caught ruining it for yourself if you have not seen the film yet.

When I first caught wind of the concept for Trap – a serial killer who takes his daughter to a concert and discovers the event is being used to catch him – I was immediately convinced this could be one of the coolest M. Night Shyamalan movies yet. When I finally got around to using my Max subscription to stream the Josh Hartnett-led thriller, I did, indeed, end up enjoying it but not for the reason I anticipated.

While I believe that Shyamalan has made some of the best horror movies – especially The Sixth Sense – and I cannot deny that I love a good Shyamalan twist, neither the big reveals during the Trap ending nor its “tension-filled” moments throughout had anything to do with why I found it entertaining. In fact, out of the 2024 movies I have seen, I genuinely believe it is one of the funniest.

I Think Trap Is One Of M. Night Shyamalan's Funniest Movies

Not only do I think Trap is one of the year’s best comedies, but I also think it is one of the absolute best M. Night Shyamalan movies to watch if you need a laugh. The filmmaker is known for putting out some pretty cheesy thrillers – especially his 2008 so-bad-it’s-good disaster movie The Happening – and I think this new crime drama is almost as uproarious for many of the same reasons.

For starters, the dialogue is unbelievably awkward, such as Cooper’s (Harnett) over-the-top play-by-play of his emotional reaction to learning his wife, Rachel (Allison Pill), helped set up the trap. Many of the twists and turns are hilariously non-sensical, especially how Cooper’s incriminating evidence is a partial receipt for Lady Raven’s (Saleka Shyamalan) concert in a time when tickets for such events are almost predominantly purchased online (and ignoring how stupid it is for a serial killer to have that on him when committing murder). The movie also strangely depicts Lady Raven’s concert, which takes place in the daytime with plans for a same-day evening show, which is something I have never heard of.

I Especially Loved The Intentional Comedy

As entertained as I was by its unintentional humor, I found some of those same aspects from Trap frustrating, especially in the third act. Thus, my favorite funny moments in the film were more clearly by design, which is something Shyamalan has more readily used in some of his more recent films, like his 2015 found footage thriller, The Visit.

While CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg calls Hartnett miscast in his Trap review, I think he brilliantly leans into the goofier aspects of his otherwise dark role, with his over-the-top line delivery and facial expressions. Of course, Jonathan Langdon steals the show as T-shirt vendor Jamie, whose realization that he unwittingly helped “The Butcher” escape the venue in a mid-credits scene caps off the film wonderfully. However, I think people have been sleeping on the subplot with Riley’s (Ariel Donaghue) frenemy Jody (Harley Ruznisky) and her mom (played by Marnie McPhail), who had me laughing hard when she warns Cooper about her “dark side” and by her reaction to Jody’s freakout when Riley gets to dance with Lady Raven.

Seriously, Get M. Night A Straight Up Comedy Script And Turn Him Loose

With Trap and some of his other recent, aforementioned films, I think that Shyamalan has proven that he has some genuine comedic chops. In fact, he might be a better humorist than a horror storyteller.

So, that being said, I think, instead of another new horror movie, it is about time that he fully embraces those talents for his next film. I mean, if anything, he could make a mean dark comedy that does not try to market itself as anything more earnest for once, but I would also be curious to see how he could handle a full-on farce.

Then again, maybe the true “trap” all along was to lure audiences in with promises of a serious thriller only to surprise the world with laughter. If that is the case, well done, Shyamalan!

Aside from watching the best horror movies during the Halloween season, it's always a blast to see what costumes people cook up to celebrate the holiday every year. Celebrity Halloween costumes are especially so much fun because they always turn up in fits that often beat out our own Spirit Halloween finds and handmade DIYs.

Plus, so many of them drew on beloved characters from movies like The Matrix and The Dark Knight. Check them out:

Selena Gomez And Benny Blanco As Alice In Wonderland And The Mad Hatter

Only Murders In The Building Halloween costumes are sure to be popular this year, but Selena Gomez leaned into her Disney roots by wearing a hip Alice In Wonderland costume. She wore a beautiful tulle dress, a blonde wig with black bow around it next to her boyfriend Benny Blanco's Mad Hatter costume. The couple haven't been shy about online PDA as of late, and this is another memorable social media moment for them.

Halle Berry As A Witch

When it comes to Halloween, you can be as creative and out of the box as you'd like, but sometimes, it's all about the classics. Halle Berry wore a gorgeous midnight blue witch costume (hat and all) and posed next to her black cat, Coco. Berry's costume is a good reminder to watch her new horror movie about a mother of two who lives in a secluded cabin in the wilderness– check out our Never Let Go review!.

Chloe Bailey As Jessica Rabbit

After Chloe Bailey served one of the best 2023 Halloween celebrity costumes with her take on Game of Thrones' Khaleesi, the singer went big on the season again to embody Who Framed Roger Rabbit? character Jessica Rabbit. If the offbeat classic ever joins upcoming Disney live-action remakes, she just made a good case for being on the call list.

Ice Spice As Leeloo

Ice Spice did an excellent job of calling back to 1997's The Fifth Element by dressing up as Milla Jovovich's Leeloo, whom Bruce Willis' Korben Dallas ends up adventuring with. Ice Spice went all out by doing a grocery store photoshoot and having her own "multipass" made from the Luc Besson movie.

Sophie Turner As Trinity

Oh look, here's another one of the best 1990s movies from a celebrity Halloween costume! Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner wore skin-tight leather and rectangular sunglasses to look like Trinity from the sci-fi classic. The costume has us thinking the franchise should be her next after killing this look.

Victoria Justice As Coraline

Following the LAIKA stop-motion movie Coraline turning 15 this year, Victoria Justice adorably became the character by wearing a yellow raincoat and a blue wig. A particularly great touch is the button glasses she wears in one of the slides of her Instagram post. Justice is known for her roles in Nickelodeon series Victorious and Zoey 101.

Dylan Sprouse And Barbara Palvin As The Phantom Of The Opera And Christine

Married couple Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin were inspired by one of those Broadway shows that ran for a crazy amount of time by showing up to a Halloween party as the Phantom of the Opera and Christine. Palvin is a model and Sprouse is one half of the Sprouse twins most known for The Suite Life shows when they were kids.

Anne Hathaway As Boo York City

Oftentimes people tend to go for recognizable characters for their costumes, but why not create your own? Anne Hathaway made a funny pun come alive by being "Boo York City." She had a Lady Liberty crown on, but wore ghost makeup, bat glasses and a tee shirt that says the name of the costume along with a black leather jacket and dark lip stick. What a serve!

Kelsey Anderson As Belle

The fiancée of The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei, Kelsey Anderson, put a fun spin on The Bachelor franchise by wearing a Belle costume from Beauty and the Beast. Of course, in the ABC dating shows, its stars are known to give out roses to dates they want to keep around, so it was perfect for Anderson. The former contestant from Season 28, has recently returned to the franchise with her dad Mark Anderson being a top contender for Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor after he was a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette.

Pascal From The Golden Bachelorette As The Golden Bachelorette

The Golden Bachelorette finalist Pascal also did a spin on the franchise by dressing up as Joan from the show. The Frenchmen wore a blonde wig and gold dress, and held up a golden rose. Now we're even more curious if he'll end up with her!

M. Night Shymalan As The Joker

Famed filmmaker M. Night Shaymalan took part in the Halloween festivities by hosting his own party in his city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Sixth Sense director dressed up as Heath Ledger's Joker from The Dark Knight when he wears a nurse outfit.

Megan Thee Stallion As Starfire

Is Megan Thee Stallion trying to get in with the upcoming Teen Titans movie DC Studios is working on? The rapper dressed up as Starfire from the beloved comic book. She even took some photos that resembled comic book images to portray the alien princess.

Lizzo As South Park Ozempic

Lizzo was referenced during South Park's 2024 special The End Of Obesity, which satirized Ozempic and celebrities usage of the drug and others like it. In the special, the cartoon did a commercial of a new drug called "Lizzo" which allows people to not care about going to the gym and losing weight. After the singer reacted to it in May, she dressed up as the satire for Halloween. Incredible!

So many excellent celebrity Halloween costumes this year, and the date on the calendar hasn't even been marked off. These certainly get us in the spirit for the holiday and offer up some inspiration for what to dress up as in the coming days. Happy Halloween from CinemaBlend!

October is almost over, but there’s still plenty more great stuff to watch. The next episode of Agatha All Along is upcoming on Disney+ but it’s not the only thing worth your time on the platform. There’s always more new on Netflix than you can possibly keep track of, but there’s one item you absolutely won’t want to miss.

There’s so much good content on the best streaming services this week that we couldn’t even include it all here. You’ve got to be especially interesting to make the cut for this list. Here’s what we’re going to be checking out this week.

New TV

Star Trek: Lower Decks - October 24 (Paramount+)

A Paramount+ subscription is an absolute necessity if you’re a Star Trek fan. While Discovery is over and the next season of Strange New World is still some time off, Star Trek fans will be able to enjoy the laughs that come with the final season of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the hilarious animated series is promising even more fun cameos and wild adventures.

Simone Biles Rising (Season 2) - October 25 (Netflix)

The 2024 Summer Olympics may be over but Simone Biles is still one of the most popular athletes in the world. Earlier this year we got the first season of Simone Biles Rising, which followed her experience four years ago, and her return to competitive gymnastics. The new season will follow Biles and her incredible success during the recent Paris games.

Before October 25 (Apple TV+)

Before is the sort of creepy psychological thriller that many are probably looking for in the days before Halloween. However, one thing they probably aren’t looking for is a creepy lead performance from Billy Crystal. A rare dramatic turn for the actor isn’t just serious, it’s disturbing.

New Movies

Trap - October 25 (Max)

M. Night Shyamalan movies often make for great spooky season viewing so fans of the accomplished director will want to have their Max subscription ready to go this week. Trap, Shyamalan’s newest film, debuts on Max October 25. The film stars Josh Hartnett as a serial killer who must try to avoid capture while attending a concert with his daughter.

Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - October 25 (Disney+ And Hulu)

If you’re a music fan you need a Disney+ subscription. Just last week the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was live-streamed on the platform, and now one of its members, Bruce Springsteen, has a new documentary film, that will arrive this week on both Disney+ and Hulu. It will follow Bruce and his band and give fans a look behind the scenes of the most recent world tour.

Next week includes Halloween itself and several streaming platforms are saving some special content for the holiday. Then November will get started, which means there’ll be plenty to watch as most streaming platforms see an influx of new content.

Released in theaters last month, M. Night Shyamalan's Trap features an unexpected ending... in that it doesn't really feature an unexpected ending. The writer/director has been directly associated with big cinematic twists since the release of The Sixth Sense over 20 years ago, but that wasn't part of the game plan in his film about a serial killer trying to evade authorities during a concert at a stadium. The movie played against expectations for Shyamalan – and it will be interesting to see if that's something that carries over into his next feature.

In regards to what the Split filmmaker is cooking up next, he has revealed that his latest project is moving through his personal stages of development and has reached a critical milestone. Shyamalan posted about his next movie on his personal Instagram page, and you can check out his photo and caption in the embed below:

Every writer has their own special way of working, and in M. Night Shyamalan's case, handwritten notebooks are a significant part of the method to his madness. He explains that every new project he works on begins with selecting a notebook that he can put thoughts and ideas in, and when all of the pages are full, he is ready to start working on a script outline. His plots and plans for his next movie are currently being cooked up between some bright red covers... though he gives us no indication of what the film will be about or what it will be called.

History suggests that the seventeenth film from director M. Night Shyamalan will feature a simple title that will be revealed to have multiple meanings within the story... but like the case with Trap's non-twist ending, we can't really assume anything. It's possible that the filmmaker will wholly subvert our expectations and go with something long and silly a la Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb or Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood.

Trap will be wrapping up its theatrical release soon (it dropped out of the box office Top 10 a few weeks ago and is presently only playing in about 200 locations domestically), but it has now crossed $80 million worldwide – as noted by M. Night Shyamalan in his Instagram post. It's the twelfth of his 17 directorial efforts to make that much money in ticket sales.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for the latest info regarding what M. Night Shyamalan is cooking up next. If you've already seen Trap and you're hungry for more Spooky Season treats, check out our Upcoming Horror Movies guide (the coming weeks are filled with exciting titles), and you can learn about all of the films heading to theaters in what remains of the year with our 2024 Movie Release Calendar.

Spoilers ahead for M. Night Shyamalan's Trap.

The summer movie season offered a slew of exciting horror flicks, including the latest M. Night Shyamalan movie: Trap. He's a director that's given us some of the best horror movies, including his big debut The Sixth Sense (which is streaming with a Max subscription). Hear me out: I finally watched Trap, and it proves Shyamalan doesn't need big twists.

M. Night Shyamalan's movie twists are synonymous with his work throughout the years, although their effectiveness depend on each project. When the trailer for Trap revealed that Josh Hartnett's Cooper was actually a serial killer known as "The Butcher", fans worried that the big twist was spoiled. While there were still some unexpected plot points, the movie didn't really have a mind-blowing final twist. And to put it frankly, it simply didn't need it.

Because the trailers set up at Cooper was The Butcher, some fans thought that perhaps Shyamalan was going go turn this story on its head. Fans debated if Josh Hartnett's protagonist was innocent all along, with the real Butcher putting him in an impossible position. Alas, that wasn't the case, and the narrative was much more straight forward than twisty movies like The Village.

As previously mentioned, there were still surprising moments in Trap. For one, the character Lady Raven became a much bigger presence, with the pop star going toe to toe with Cooper throughout the movie's runtime. I thought she was merely going to be singing in the concert scenes, and didn't expect her to be the movie's hero.

Perhaps the biggest twist in the entire movie came during its third act. Here, it was revealed that Cooper's wife Rachel (played by the fantastic Allison Pill) actually worked with the feds to arrange the titular trap for him at the concert. But that surprise still worked within the rules established for Trap by M. Night Shyamalan. So I wouldn't consider it to be on the same level as twists from projects like Signs, The Happening, or Split.

Shyamalan is a visionary filmmaker who has never really been far from theaters since becoming a name with The Sixth Sense. And while he's synonymous with his mind-blowing movie twists, Trap shows that he truly doesn't need them. His latest movie effectively built tension, and keeps audience on their toes thanks its mix of horror and dark humor. Who needs crazy Shyamalan-ian twists anyway?

It should be interesting to see what comes next for M. Night Shyalaman, and whether or not he returns to bringing wild twists to theaters. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates. As for his latest movie Trap, it's available for rent and purchase on digital right now... sans twist.

You know what? I envy you. And I’m only saying that because I’m assuming you just recently watched Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time, and I wish I could go back to the first time that I ever watched it (the animated version), since it completely blew me away. 

But, you know what? I’m getting ahead of myself. Because maybe you started off with the live-action version (the Netflix update is already renewed for Season 2), and liked it so much that you then decided to watch the animated show in all of its magnificent glory. 

Either way, you might be thinking, “Well, where do I head next?” Well, guess what. I’ve got you covered! Because I’ve experienced pretty much everything there is to offer from the world of Avatar (Including the rides at Nickelodeon Universe!), and I want to share them with you. Now, I’ll start off with the most obvious place to go next, and then work my way into more niche territories. So, hold onto your glider, newly minted Avatar fan. It’s going to be an interesting ride!  

The Legend Of Korra  

Obviously, the first place you should go next (if you haven’t already) is The Legend of Korra. It directly follows the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and, like its predecessor, is also one of the best animated shows of all time. In fact, some bold souls (such as myself) may even consider it to be even better than The Last Airbender, but those souls are few and far between. 

What’s so great about the series is that it gets better with every rewatch. Korra is a very different kind of Avatar than Aang. One person, I don’t remember who, even said (and I’m paraphrasing here), that ATLA is the story of a human becoming a god, whereas TLOK is the story of a god becoming human. 

What they mean is that Aang starts out very reluctant, and learns to embrace his power, while Korra starts out like an Avatar fully born, only to learn to be humble.

This counter storytelling to ATLA is what makes TLOK shine for me, and I think you have to approach it in this manner. If you don’t, you might be disappointed with it, since it isn’t as whimsical as the original. 

In fact, it’s a more mature take on the subject matter, and for that reason, I adore it. And, if you come to it with an open mind, then you probably will, too.

The Comics  

Next, I want to talk about the comics, as there’s just so many of them now that it’s hard to keep up. We originally got long-form comics, such as The Search, The Rift, The Promise, Imbalance, North and South, and Smoke and Shadow. 

These stories were told in three parts, and took place following the events of Airbender. Included in this were also Avatar: The Lost Adventures, and Team Avatar Tales, which canonically took place in-between the events of the animated series.

But now, it seems like we’re only getting one-off stories, such as Katara and the Pirate’s Silver, Toph Beifong’s Metalbending Academy, Azula in the Spirit Temple, the excellent Suki, Alone, as well as the next book, The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer, which features the bounty hunter June, and Iroh (remember them from the live-action show?). 

And, that’s just stories concerning ATLA. If you also like Korra, there are comics for that, as well! So, yes, if you want even more of this world, then your next best stop is the comics. It’s the only logical progression. 

The Novels  

Okay, so say you loved the comics, and now you want to go even deeper into the lore. Well, then your next stop is the Chronicles of the Avatar novels, of which there are now five books. The first four explore the lives of Avatars Kyoshi and Yangchen, and the most recent book, The Reckoning of Roku is about, you guessed it, Avatar Roku.

The novels are a next great step because they go into characters on the show who are only seen in flashback scenes, or in the Spirit World. Not only that, but the books also add a great deal to the universe, showing things that were only hinted at on the show.

I also love how the novels are the most mature the series has ever gotten. Characters die (quite frequently, actually), and there is an overall gravitas to the stories here that you don’t find in the comics, the live-action show, or the animated series. 

So, if you’ve gotten through the comics and want more slower-paced, (young) adult stories, then look no further than the Chronicles of the Avatar series.  

The Video Games 

Have you ever wanted to be an air/fire/water/earthbender in real life? Yeah, me, too, but unfortunately, that’s never going to happen. Or is it…

No, it isn’t, but there are always video games to fill the void. There are actually several Last Airbender games, mostly on older hardware (though, there is the fairly recent Avatar: The Last Airbender: Quest for Balance game, but it isn’t very good). 

However, much like the side story comics, most of the earlier games take place within the events of the TV series, such as 2006’s Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Video Game. In this title, you get to control Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Top…actually, no. No Toph. Instead, you control the earthbender, Haru (Remember him?), since this first game is based off of Book 1 of the series. 

The game itself is pretty rudimentary, and its sequels, The Burning Earth, and Into the Inferno, which cover events from Books 2, and 3, respectively, have similar gameplay (the handheld versions were vastly different in both visual style and gameplay, playing more like an RPG, though).

You also had games like Avatar Bobble Battle, which was almost sort of like a tower defense, strategy game, as well as the more puzzle-oriented Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Path of Zuko. Hell, if you want to get nuts, you can even play as Avatar characters in Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix, where you can race as Aang and Katara (against other characters such as Spongebob, and Lincoln Loud from Loud House fame). 

If you like fighting games, you can also play as Aang, Toph, and Korra in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Speaking of Korra, there’s also a Korra title from PlatinumGames that took place between Books 2 and 3 of the show, but it’s really hard to find now (the Nintendo DS game, while different, can easily be found). 

I also haven’t gotten into the many, many online games, like Clash of the Benders, or Barge Barrage. All of this is to say that there are plenty of Last Airbender video games. Unfortunately, none of them are that great, so they’re more for the hardcore fans only.  

The Fanfiction  

As you might expect, there’s a lot of Avatar fanfiction. There’s plenty of stuff on Wattpad from everyday fans that you could check out. 

But, I want to primarily focus on the fan-made passion project, The Legend of Genji, which is not affiliated in any way with the original series, but is, in my humble opinion, almost as good as something you might find from one of the authorized projects. 

The story concerns the next Avatar following Korra, and he’s a sandbender. There are five parts, but I’m pretty sure that the series has been canceled, so keep that in mind. Either way, it’s really cool that the fans have been so eager for more content that they’ve cooked up something wholly unique on their own.  

The M. Night Shyamalan Movie  

Lastly, I want to talk about the much-reviled M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Last Airbender, which our very own Alexandra Ramos (who is a huge ATLA fan) considers the worst M. Night Shyamalan movie ever made, and she’s not alone. 

Most fans detest this movie, and for a number of reasons. I don’t blame them, but still consider the movie to be an important moment in franchise history. It does an admirable enough job of following Book 1 of the series, but it also doesn’t feel quite right. 

There’s also the matter of whitewashing, which was controversial at the time, but that only made it imperative that Netflix got it right when it came to casting Asian roles for the live-action show.

So, what I’m saying is, the movie isn’t very good, but it’s an interesting curiosity, and I think it’s one that all super fans should watch, at least once anyway.

Hope you enjoyed the recommendations! Stay fluid, people. 

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan's movies are known for having wild twists, usually putting the entire project on its head during the third act. Shyamalan's twists began with The Sixth Sense, which revealed that Bruce Willis' protagonist Malcolm was actually a ghost throughout the entirety of the film. This is one of the biggest movie twists of all time, with Haley Joel Osment getting real about how they kept it under wraps. And It doesn't exactly sound like Marvel.

The Sixth Sense (which is streaming with a Max subscription) became a huge hit upon its release, partly thanks to how effective that Bruce Willis twist was. It's remained part of the pop culture lexicon in the years that have passed, and it turns out that avoiding spoilers wasn't exactly Marvel security level. While speaking with IndieWire, Osment opened up about how the twist was handled, saying:

Well, that certainly isn't how things are handled nowadays. The Sixth Sense hit theaters back in 1999, when we were still in the earlier stage of internet use. And as such, Shyamalan and company weren't especially careful to guard the big twist of the beloved horror movie. Luckily it all worked out in the end.

Osment's comments stand in stark juxtaposition with how major film projects have to be handled nowadays. It's become very common for movies to be kept under lock and key, including missing scripts and closed sets. And even still, movies like Deadpool 3 had leaks simply because it filmed outside and drones were around to capture what was happening.

Of course, M. Night Shyamalan has had to adopt the modern way of guarding spoilers in more recent years. The contents of his new movie Trap were a mystery prior to its release, and the internet was definitely trying to get the twist of his crossover movie Glass.

For many, The Sixth Sense is the movie that made them fall in love with Shyamalan's vision as a director, and his twists would continue in titles like Signs, The Village and more. And his latest movie Trap was a fun summer horror movie.

Trap is still in theaters now. While we wait for what's coming next from the filmmaker, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Director M. Night Shyamalan has become famous over the years for his twist endings, beginning with the shocking reveal at the end of The Sixth Sense and continuing through movies like The Visit, Glass, and Split. When ranking the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, it’s impossible not to focus on the success or failure of his endings. One of my favorite twists in an M. Night Shyamalan movie occurs in the 2004 thriller The Village, though during a recent appearance on CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast, the director informed us that he had a wildly different idea in mind, but it was too jarring on audiences.

The following is going to get into spoilers for The Village, and a few more of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies, so proceed with caution if you prefer not to know story details for a 20 year old movie.

What is the alternate ending for The Village? 

The Village stars a very young Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard as residents of a colonial village named Covington. The townsfolk live in harmony, for the most part, because they stay out of the woods that surround their village, believing there to be monsters amongst the trees. We are meant to believe that Shyamalan has created a period piece. But when her lover Lucius (Phoenix) is fatally injured, the blind Ivy (Howard) agrees to brave the woods and find medicine. What she finds, instead, is a modern-day security guard – played by Shyamalan, in his routine Hitchcockian cameo – helping Ivy, but also agreeing to keep her secret.

On the ReelBlend podcast, Shyamalan stood by that ending. But that wasn’t always his intention. As Night explained to ReelBlend, he had a more jarring concept that also featured him in a cameo, but involved… Jay-Z? He tells us:

It’s cool to hear that M. Night Shyamalan did go so far as to film that version of the ending, with himself behind the wheel of a car, bumping along to Jay-Z and almost hitting Bryce Dallas Howard as she emerges from the woods. But in taking the discussion one step further, Shyamalan makes it clear why he stuck with the ending that he released, even though it earned him mixed reviews.

Why didn’t M. Night Shyamalan use the Jay-Z ending? 

In the theatrical cut of The Village, Ivy secures the medications needed to heal Lucius, then returns to the village. The town elders who established this safe space as a means to protect their children and families from the perils of modern society agree that the pain and suffering experienced over the course of the movie are worth it, so long as it allows them to maintain the ruse of Covington.

As Shyamalan explained to ReelBlend:

He also explained that while he had one massive vote on confidence in the Jay-Z ending, it knocked the audience out of the emotional zone of The Village. He said:

Make sure to watch our full conversation with M. Night Shyamalan on the ReelBlend podcast:

And if you want to see the latest M. Night Shyamalan movie, Trap, it continues to build an audience week after week at the box office, fending off competition from Deadpool and Wolverine, as well as Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us. There are choices at the multiplex, including several more upcoming 2024 movies, so go buck wild.

M. Night Shyamalan has been doing a lot of press, supporting his latest thriller, Trap. While engaging in press obligations, the filmmaker has been revisiting some of the most iconic films in his career. Among them is one of the best movies of the 1990s, the critically acclaimed The Sixth Sense. This film not only marked a turning point in The Village director’s career but also solidified Bruce Willis' status as a versatile actor. During a recent interview, Shyamalan revealed a remarkably intense exchange between himself and Willis during the production of one of the best horror movies of all time. And not only does it showcase the director's bold approach but also the actor's willingness to push boundaries.

The Signs filmmaker recently discussed some of his biggest movies during an interview with GQ, which was shared on YouTube. It was during the chat that he recounted a moment during the filming of The Sixth Sense that could have changed the course of his career. The scene was set: it was the last shot of the day, and Bruce Willis had just completed a take. Confident in his performance, the action movie A-lister looked at his director and said, “I think we got it.” It was a pivotal moment for the young director, who was faced with a decision that could either alienate his star or elevate the scene to new heights. As the Village helmer explained:

So, with the weight of the moment pressing down on him, M. Night Shyamalan made a bold choice. He approached Willis and whispered his thoughts for a different take. To say that it took guts to do that would be an understatement. Despite sensing Bruce Willis' tension and the risk involved in challenging a star of his caliber, the India-born movie maker went ahead with his instincts. Shyamlan then explained how that conversation went down:

I don't know about you but I have some serious chills, especially since, in hindsight, the gamble paid off. Bruce Willis delivered a performance that would contribute to one of the film's defining moments. But the story didn’t end there. Just minutes after the take, Mr. Shyamalan was summoned to Willis’ trailer, unsure of what to expect from the encounter. He went on:

It goes without saying that this exchange not only validated M. Night Shyamalan but also solidified a creative partnership that would extend beyond The Sixth Sense. The film, known for its haunting narrative and mind-blowing plot twist, became a box office sensation, earning six Academy Award nominations and leaving an indelible mark on the thriller genre.

The Split helmer's recounting of this moment with Bruce Willis comes as horror fans celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sixth Sense. It also arrives as Willis continues to face a difficult period in his life, as the renowned actor continues to battle frontotemporal dementia. Unfortunately, this neurological disorder impacts his personality, behavior and language skills. While much of the attention has shifted to his deeply personal battle, many are still paying tribute to the star for his incredible work. That includes his former co-star Haley Joel Osment, who shared kind words for Willis just recently.

M. Night Shyamalan's recollection of this intense moment on set offers an intriguing look into the creative process and the delicate balance of collaboration between a director and his leading actor. For fans eager to revisit The Sixth Sense, it is available to stream with a Max subscription. Also, check out the list of upcoming horror films to find out what other thrilling flicks are coming to the 2024 movie release schedule.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched one of the 2024 movie schedule’s most anticipated thrillers, M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, so be warned!

The majority of moviegoers are well aware that what they’re watching on the big screen isn’t necessarily meant to reflect reality with precision, but there’s something distinctly enjoyable about questioning the realism behind sci-fi characters and technology or an action movie’s stunts. Today we’re putting our sights on the M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller Trap, which may be the only movie about a serial killer in which no actual murders take place.

The lack of deaths isn’t on the table today, however, but rather Trap’s bizarro way of handling its core setting, an arena concert for the fictional pop star Lady Raven (portrayed by the director’s real-life musician daughter Saleka Night Shyamalan). As someone who has been to all sizes of concerts since my teens, I found myself regularly taken out of the movie largely due to moments and details tied specifically to the concert experience itself. Let’s dig into those nagging elements below, presumably with some poppy bangers blasting on the soundtrack.

The Whole Idea Of An Afternoon Show Is A Huge Stretch

Immediately, Trap set out to confuse viewers. Not with any potentially impending twists, but by taking place at some point during the afternoon, rather than at night when concerts are generally set. The narrative-based explanation is that the Philly show's tickets sold out immediately, so Lady Raven and her peeps chose to add a second show in the city. But instead of having it on a different night, she chose to make it a matinee performance. Which makes next to zero sense.

Not even accounting for the police presence and all the planning involved there, setting up two full-on performances within one arena on a single day is a logistical nightmare. Not only for performers' voices, bodies and mental states, but for everyone working inside the arena itself. It would require a constant influx of food, beverages and merchandise, as well as all of the janitorial duties required for such a stretch. And don't get me started on how parking would work, because it wouldn't.

Trap's Pre-Concert Timeline Is Just Bonkers

If I’m recalling things correctly, Ariel Donoghue’s Riley was rushing her father, Josh Hartnett’s Cooper, ahead of arriving at the fictional Tanaka Arena, seemingly so that they would be part of the crowd waiting to see Lady Raven emerging from her tour bus. I can almost buy that detail being something fans would spread around, despite this seemingly being a one-off afternoon show, and despite the idea that she would almost definitely have arrived far earlier in the day, given all the production details.

Then after that, it was hours of waiting in line outside the arena, right? Nope, the doors were already opened once they walked up, which means they didn’t arrive at the site that much earlier than the show, since venues rarely open up more than 90 minutes prior to a scheduled start time. It’s strange that there wasn’t a bigger push for security upon entry, but I’ll buy that as an attempt to avoid spooking The Butcher.

But then after Riley and Cooper are inside, there’s no sense of real urgency ahead of Lady Raven’s performance, and there are people milling about everywhere at any given point, with the main characters included there. When they go out to their seats, it’s extremely clear just how vacant the arena still is at that point, despite the lack of multiple opening acts serving as a time buffer.

Who Has A Sit-Down Meal And Then More Snacks Before A Concert?

So Riley and Cooper didn’t have a seven-course spread or anything, but they were very much sitting down and eating a legitimate lunch after getting into the arena, which is baffling to me. Even if alcohol isn’t involved, nothing sounds worse than filling my stomach up before spending more than an hour jumping up and down while screaming and sweating.

And then they ate MORE food upon getting to their seats? Sure, it’s just a giant pretzel, but geez. Also, this must have been the greatest concession spot on the entire planet if they were able to go multiple times before Lady Raven even took the stage.

Merch Sellers Are Way Too Busy For Exposition-Filled Conversations With Randos

Now, if we’re talking about a local band playing at a local bar, where a friend of the group is selling vinyl and T-shirts at a table in the back, then yes, it’s easy to buy into a merch booth attendant being able to carry on multiple conversations with someone who isn’t a co-worker. But, uh, this isn’t that.

This is a pop mega-star with a big enough legion of fans to have dubbed them The Flock, so it’s easy to assume that merch table would have been slam-packed for the entire show, leaving Jamie zero opportunities to share key plot points with a nosy bystander. Alternatively, if he did take the time to talk to a random customer, Jamie’s co-workers would have been hollering at his ass too loud for the customer to hear anything else.

Intermissions, Seriously?

Even though he continuously says he wants to be with Riley during the concert, Cooper is constantly walking around the arena as the show is going on, making it hard to gauge exactly how long Lady Raven’s concert is. But considering this part of the show was only inspired by Taylor Swift’s stardom, and isn’t meant to replicate the massiveness of the Eras Tour (which Josh Hartnett attended at one point), it doesn’t seem like the kind of gig that would require one or more intermissions for costume changes and set rearrangements.

The only time I’ve ever witnessed an artist take more than one “turn the house lights up” break, it was for a show that went over 5 hours. Clearly, Lady Raven’s show wasn’t that kind of deal. Perhaps the most annoying thing about this particular element is that the dialogue addressed the intermission, so I’d have been none the wiser if the applicable lines would have been cut.

What Happened To Everyone Who Bought Tickets To The Evening Show?

To circle things back around to the initial issue with this concert happening in the afternoon, Trap doesn't ever seen to address the fact that Lady Raven was supposed to put on a completely different concert later that night. I'm honestly shocked that there wasn't a line about the night performance being canceled once it became a killer-hunting sting operation. Did the pop artist and everyone else really expect to catch a killer and then everything would still play out as if it were a normal day?

If any of Cooper's harmful actions within the arena had ended with the obviously intentional death of an attendee or employee, I have to think the police would have shut things down. Even if they'd just caught him in the backstage area, I can't imagine a scenario where he gets booked and all of the other cops skedaddle in time to properly prep for the evening show.

Maybe the sequel will be about a group of Lady Raven fans who were desperately waiting for that presumably canceled Philly show, and then take matters into their own hands by going after Cooper themselves upon his presumed escape from custody. I'd go see it.

Time will tell if Trap’s box office success is big enough to spark interest for Trap 2. Or if Saleka Shyamalan's music career gets a big enough boost for her actual concerts to make it to the big screen.

Premise has never been a standout issue for M. Night Shyamalan as a filmmaker. I’d go as far as to say that I would probably be a much bigger fan of his work if his filmography entirely consisted of “Story By” credits. The guy clearly has a knack for coming up with smart high concept plots – be it a psychologist who councils a boy who can see dead people or vacationers who get stuck on a beach where they start rapidly getting older. It’s unfortunately proper execution that so regularly eludes him, and in that respect, Trap is the latest title to be added to continuously growing pile.

The new movie is Shyamalan at his most Hitchcockian – the writer/director designing a puzzle that a shady protagonist must solve – but where it falls apart is in its inability to do anything inventive with its principal idea. The fun hook of a story like this is meant to have the lead character demonstrate exceptional slyness and creativity as they realistically try and weasel their way out of trouble, but the film fails the clever test and is mostly a bore as a result, and it regularly bends plausibility enough to ruin the stakes.

To the credit of M. Night Shyamalan, he doesn’t pretend that you haven’t seen the trailer for Trap and have no idea what it’s about going in. Josh Hartnett stars as Cooper Adams, a man successfully compartmentalizing a double life: he’s a family man and loving father to his music-loving teen daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), but he’s also a serial killer known as The Butcher who has been terrorizing the city of Philadelphia for seven years.

Living in his dad role for an afternoon, he gets tickets to see Riley’s favorite singer, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan), in concert, but he gets a bit spooked when he starts noticing an extreme police presence at the event. Via the exact kind of exceptionally clumsy exposition that lets you know that you are watching an M. Night Shyamalan film, Cooper ends up learning from an arena employee (Jonathan Langdon) that the cops got a tip that The Butcher was at the show, and they are questioning everybody who fits the killer’s profile.

Desperate to escape, Cooper begins to test exit strategies, but also has to keep returning to his seat so that Riley doesn’t become suspicious that something is wrong.

Trap fails to pick a lane regarding how we’re meant to feel about Josh Harnett’s Cooper, and it’s a significant problem.

Trap vacillates between boring and ridiculous as Cooper tries to find his way to freedom, the latter leadings to awful swings that cause the whole thing to go off the rails in the final hour, but deeper than bad plot developments is an inability for the film to communicate how the audience is meant to feel about the main character. It’s not unusual for a movie to make you root for a criminal’s escape, but Shyamalan tries to do that while also selling the guy as a monster, and it yields a mess.

Overt efforts are made to get the audience to like Cooper: he’s established as a loving father who likes to make silly dad jokes (and has no intention of abandoning her), we are always locked into his perspective, and everything that’s terrible about The Butcher is noticeably told instead of shown. Simultaneously, however, this background picture of Philadelphia’s notorious serial killer is horrendous, and there is a natural part of any sane person’s brain that doesn’t want to see this guy elude authorities and live a free life with his innocent daughter.

Trap tries to make you both root for and against its protagonist, and the main thing it ends up doing is nullifying the stakes. Along with The Butcher’s general unremarkable-ness (his presented serial killer profile feels like it’s read from a textbook), by the time the story veers towards its conclusion, there is nothing compelling you to care about what’s going to happen with the character.

Trying to kick start the Josh Hartnett renaissance is stunt casting that doesn’t work.

An unexpected flaw in the mix is the casting of Josh Hartnett. Bringing the young star of The Faculty in for the role feels like M. Night Shyamalan trying a bit of Tarantino-esque actor resurrection, but Hartnett’s performance is part of the problem when it comes to the presentation of Cooper as a protagonist. Shyamalan tries to flip Hartnett’s image as a good looking, charismatic good guy, but the range isn’t shown on screen.

The star has no problem when it comes to playing the goofy dad who is trying to give his daughter the best day of her life at a concert for her favorite artist, but the writer/director also tries to orchestrate multiple moments where we are meant to see The Butcher emerge in his eyes, his smile dropping and anger emerging when no one is looking… but it never clicks. His glare should evoke chills, and while the movies’ aforementioned decision to tell and not show is partially to blame, it’s just not something that Hartnett is able to sell.

This issue becomes more problematic as Trap enters its third act, as Cooper’s mask slips off with his desperation rising, but for what it’s worth, you’re far more distracted as an audience member by the bad, preposterous narrative turns than Hartnett’s inability to demonstrate an inner demon.

Between the bad character development, poor plotting, failing stakes, and underwhelming presentation of a cinematic concert experience (why is there a greater focus on video projection than on-stage choreography or performance?), Trap is M. Night Shyamalan’s weakest creation since 2019’s Glass and a big disappointment. It’s easy as a cinephile to root for the filmmaker, as he has made some great movies in his career, but this is most definitely not one of them.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for 2024's new movie release Trap can be found ahead. Proceed with caution if you yet to see M. Night Shyamalan’s new film.

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Trap is a twisty thrill ride, with a surprise ending typical for the suspense director. The movie stars Josh Hartnett as a serial killer who takes his daughter to a pop star’s concert. He soon realizes the entire concert has been set up specifically to catch him, and he is determined to find a way out of there. The Trap trailer was enough to put viewers on the edge of their seats, but the movie itself offers even more of a thrill ride, and fans have already been asking about Trap 2.

Apparently, the director is already thinking about a sequel to the film because of the cliffhanger ending, and first test screening reactions. We've seen sequels (of a sort) to his films before, with his trilogy of movies, Unbreakable, Split, and Glass. However, most of those movies can be treated as standalone films, and Shyamalan has yet to create a true follow-up to one of his stories.

Now we've learned Trap may actually be the one that will inspire Shyamalan to fully continue a story, and that is thanks to the highly receptive test audience for the film. He told The Playlist in response to being asked about Trap 2:

It’s understandable why audiences would want to see more from this story, as the surprise ending -- and again spoilers -- really lends to a continuation. There are a lot of reasons to watch Trap, and despite many thinking there are some third act problems, the ending itself works. For context, the movie has Josh Hartnett seemingly cornered by the cops in his house after pop star Lady Raven alerts police of her whereabouts. He is able to escape by pretending to be one of her drivers, and eventually ends up back in his house, with plans of killing his wife for instigating his capture. Before he does so, he is finally caught by the police.

This is where audiences probably assumes the film is over, but of course, Hartnett’s serial killer character has another trick up his sleeve, literally. Before getting in the police vehicle, he puts a toppled-over bike in his lawn upright. He is then finally in police custody, however in the last moment, we see that he took one of the bike spokes when he fixed it and slipped it in his shirt. He uses the spoke to free himself from handcuffs right before the credits roll. After watching Josh Hartnett evade police in creative ways throughout Trap, audiences, especially this test screening one, were seemingly curious about what happens after his successful escape.

M. Night Shyamalan also described his love for making the film and the characters he created, which also makes him want to stay within this world. I totally think audiences would be interested, especially considering the filmmaker has a fanbase of his own that loves his creative conceptual films. On the other hand, Shyamalan has long been a champion of original ideas and drawing inspiration from unexplored stories. It’s nice to have a filmmaker consistently trying something new, usually without IP involved. Making another Trap means we may not get an original idea from the director. However, if box office audiences have the same reactions as test audiences, I'm guessing fans will be OK with this.

You can see if Trap is sequel-worthy yourself by checking out the movie now, which is playing in theaters nationwide.

Warning: HEAVY SPOILERS for Trap are in play, especially when it comes to the last act of the film. If you haven’t experienced M. Night Shyamalan’s latest just yet, you’ve been warned.

For most of writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s 2024 movie Trap, I was able to dig what was going on. I mean, a whole movie focused on Josh Hartnett being the zaddy equivalent of Patrick Bateman at a pop concert? How was I supposed to turn that down in any way, shape or form? And yet, there’s a very specific pivot point that the entire picture revolves around, as one major decision left me with some big issues with the third act.

So now it’s time for me to make like The Butcher and dissect Trap’s issues, while also telling you why it’s worth seeing. And believe me, this is absolutely worth fitting into your schedule if you’ve already crossed the biggies off your list.

The spoiler-adverse should figure out when they’re going to see the film, and check out the Trap trailer again if they want to make that judgement call. Otherwise, it’s time to dive into the tangled web that is this new horror movie, starting with the ending proper.

What Happens At The End Of Trap?

The entire third act of Trap is basically a game of hide and seek, with the charming Cooper Adams (Josh Hartnett) unraveling his family, his side hustle as a serial killer and his mask of calm demeanor. Several times the man is backed into a corner and captured, only for his skills as a sociopathic escape artist to pull him out of one sticky situation after another.

And this is after the pretty keen move of blackmailing pop star Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) into giving him and his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) safe passage out the titular Trap. The final straw is when the man, finally handcuffed and in FBI custody, uses a spoke from his daughter’s bike to pick his handcuffs.

Fixing his hair, and laughing to himself, ol’ Cooper looks like he’s gonna get away into the night after all. And while I think that’s a perfectly dark and sick ending, it comes after a chain of mistakes that convolute what the movie wants to be its true ending.

Leaving The Lady Raven Concert Is The First, Most Substantial Mistake

Seeing the trailers for Trap, my impression was that most of the action would be centered at the Lady Raven concert. We’ve been advertised a movie where the awkward, but compelling Cooper Adams, a.k.a. “The Butcher,” uses some serious skills to stay five steps ahead of his would-be captors. And for the first two thirds, that’s exactly what we get.

Now, blackmailing Lady Raven into choosing to either save Cooper or sacrifice his next victim was, again, a pretty genius move that allows this mastermind to essentially “win” in the end. At this point in the movie, I was rooting for him to escape simply because Josh Hartnett was doing that good of a job in this role that feels custom made for him.

But then Lady Raven tries to turn the tables and invites herself to Cooper’s house. This leads to a chain of events where Trap’s supposed villain applies pressure to get her to leave, only for our pop star to use Riley’s adoration as a crutch to keep the game in play. That only further muddies this last third of the movie, because of what’s supposed to be the “final act confrontation.”

Trap Seems To Be Confused On Just How Bad Cooper Really Is

Lady Raven gets herself cornered in the Adams family bathroom, all thanks to stealing Cooper’s phone. Frantically trying to save potential victim Spencer (Mark Bacolcol) through the power of social media, her pursuer bangs frantically on the bathroom door and flips out on his family. So surely by the time a somewhat composed Josh Hartnett opens the door, you think he’s killed his family, right?

Wrong. In fact, Trap doesn’t seem to know how “bad” our serial killer in question happens to be. We’re given a messy backstory of a childhood where his mother was the only one who understood that there was still good in him, but nothing ever comes of that “good.” As for the family, they’re just standing outside by time Cooper Adams tries to abscond with Lady Raven in the name of revenge.

As I previously stated, the charming killer we’ve been watching this whole time is about to get away again! I want to say that this movie forces us to confront the charming facades that lure us all into false senses of security, and really grapple with the fact that we want Cooper to escape. But there’s not enough backing to support that theory, and it just points a blinking sign towards the largest problem Trap’s finale has in store.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Movie Doesn’t Know Where To End

If Trap has ended with Cooper and Riley Adams getting back into their car, with Lady Raven wondering if she’s somehow an accessory to murder, that would have been a much more effective ending that asks those questions I mentioned a couple moments ago. Trap would have had a seriously dark finale that put a fine point on a moral dilemma we as an audience would have been invited to engage in.

Instead, we’re put through what feels like a handful of different endings that feel like they were tacked on to include more characters in the cast of characters. We should have never met the rest of Cooper’s family because the plot barely justifies the existence of his son (Lochland Miller) and wife (Allison Pill). To further dig into that point, wasting Ms. Pill’s performing skills is another great sin committed by this subpar ending.

Josh Hartnett’s Performance Makes Trap Worth Seeing, Even With A Weak Ending

So how in the name of Lady Raven am I still sitting here, encouraging you to see Trap? Well, quite honestly, it’s because of one Joshua Daniel Hartnett. For those first two thirds of this murderous mystery, we’re actually buying into the tension set by the enclosed setting and the game at work.

It’s only in the post-concert shenanigans that the experience starts to fall apart, and by then I was committed to finding out how it all ended. I totally chalk that up to Mr. Hartnett firing on all cylinders once his protagonist’s world starts to fall apart. Walking the line between charm and menace oh so perfectly, there are two reasons I believe the man is indeed the firefighter he claims to be.

One reason is, thanks to a semi-gratuitous shirtless scene of drama, Josh Hartnett clearly has the physique to save people’s lives… or take them with a smile. The second, more important reason is that much like an emergency responder, Mr. Hartnett carries this crumbling ending on his back, like a child he’s pulling out of a burning building, and he drives the final act home in a way that actually did make me want a sequel.

If you listen to our ReelBlend interview with M. Night Shyamalan, he confirmed that test audiences were just as eager to see Cooper Adams cut to the point in another round of horror. So yes, even with my disdain for tripping on its own ambitions throughout its flawed third act, I can still say that Trap is worth seeing.

I’ve had my issues with M. Night Shyamalan’s work in the past, and that’s even with me really digging the work he’s put out with films like Old and Knock at the Cabin, as well as the Apple TV+ subscription-driver known as Servant. But at this moment in time, Trap doesn’t work as well as it should in my eyes.

Who knows? Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll revisit the picture and change my tune. It worked for my views on The Village’s ending, so maybe this is another waiting game that sits in my future. However, I will say that while Trap's ending disappointed me, M. Night Shyamalan continues to prove himself as a director who has a knack for casting seemingly unlikely leads, and getting strong performances out of them in the end.

Much like the decision to cast Bruce Willis in both The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, the writer/director hasn't lost his touch in that respect. Which is why if you’re still amped for Josh Hartnett’s killer antics in Trap, you should be able to head to a theater near you and enjoy the show. Perhaps with your expectations properly calibrated, you might be able to have more fun with the last act of the story than I did.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan joins the show to discuss his new thriller Trap, starring Josh Hartnett. We were lucky enough to cover many points throughout his career, from The Sixth Sense's success, pushing the boundaries with Unbreakable, the strange nature of being a famous filmmaker, and more. 

Stick around after the interview for our review of Trap and our spoiler-filled review of Deadpool & Wolverine, followed by our post-SDCC breakdown.

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro
• 00:12:53 - M. Night Shyamalan Interview
• 00:45:20 - ‘Trap’ Review
• 00:53:28 - ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Spoiler Chat + The Future of The MCU
• 01:12:33 - SDCC Was BIG This Year
• 01:28:54 - Outro

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There was a time in the early aughts when Josh Hartnett seemed to be everywhere, transitioning from smaller roles in The Virgin Suicides and other movies to the lead in some of his best movies like Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down. Then his rise seemingly fell off and we didn’t hear as much about Mr. Hartnett for years before he spoke about working with Christopher Nolan in Oppenheimer last year. So why did Josh Hartnett disappear from Hollywood? He tells the tale.

Back in 2014 Hartnett was already living a bit in obscurity and he told the now–defunct Details Magazine that fame was really getting to him.

So what did he do? He took a break from Hollywood. And that break from Hollywood led him in a different direction in his career and personal life. It seems like Hartnett has been away from our screens for quite some time, but a new profile in The Guardian indicates he only took 18 months off work. When he came back, it was at a less significant level -- much of which stems from the direction his choices took him as well. He noted:

The actor and his now-wife Tamsin Egerton ultimately settled in Hampshire in the UK where he could live more circumspectly than he would in Los Angeles or New York. He’s able to stay with his wife and four children on a marriage visa, but that also means he’s only allowed out of the country 180 days a year. This in turn means he can take one major project elsewhere, like a movie, or some smaller roles, like his recent stint on FX and Hulu’s The Bear.

He famously said no to Superman. (In fact, he allegedly said “no” to Superman twice.) He took roles in smaller movies you may never have heard of like Stuck Between Stations and The Lovers. For a time between 2014 and 2016 he did star in the more high-profile series Penny Dreadful for Showtime; it was convenient. It filmed in the UK.

Now, Josh Hartnett has landed roles in The Bear and in a 2024 movie release, M Night Shyamalan’s Trap, a leading man gig which he calls a "pivot" from much of the rest of his career. He seems well on his way to becoming a household name again, particularly after his turns in Oppenheimer as a steadfast nuclear physicist and in a memorable Black Mirror episode. It’s Trap that has him front and center once more, however, but whether this is a fluke or the first step in a return to leading man form has yet to be seen.

When it comes to his original films, M. Night Shyamalan has shown a clear preference for simple titles. He began his career making movies like Praying With Anger, Wide Awake, and The Sixth Sense, but more than half of his works since then are of the one-word variety (ignoring the article "The" in The Village, The Happening and The Visit). It’s become a “thing” in his filmography, but back in 2002, he had to fight for his fifth directorial effort to be called Signs.

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest one-word title movie, Trap, arrives in theaters this Friday, and while recently talking about the work with Indiewire, the filmmaker reflected on the behind-the-scenes conflict that was caused by Signs 22 years ago. Explaining his general philosophy, Shyamalan said,

In the case of Signs, M. Night Shyamalan wanted audiences to think about “signs” of alien invasion – especially crop circles, which fans will remember as being a big part of the film’s marketing prior to its theatrical release. Despite the attempt at creating a direct association in the publicity, however, there were evidently concerns expressed by executives at Disney who worried that the simple approach wasn’t helping them sell the film.

Discussing the battle and how Signs as a title “speaks to him,” Shyamalan said,

There might have been concerns about the title clicking with people, but all that worrying evaporated when the film hit theaters in the first week of August 2002. Signs arrived on the big screen during the second week of release for Austin Powers In Goldmember (which had a stellar $73.1 million debut), but it stole the spotlight and became an instant hit – earning $60.1 million in its first three days in theaters domestically. By the end of the blockbuster sci-fi horror film's run in cinemas, it made $228 million in the United States and Canada and $408.3 million worldwide.

The title was clearly not a problem.

If you’re curious to revisit the alien invasion film, the good news is that Signs is among M. Night Shyamalan’s movies that are currently streaming and is available to watch with a Max subscription. Meanwhile, the writer/director will hope that Trap, starring Josh Hartnett ends up being as big a box office success in its debut this weekend.

So, I’ve seen the Eras Tour in person before, and I’m going again in November. I’d be lying if I said that after I saw the trailer for Trap, I didn’t get slightly nervous about seeing M. Night Shyamalan's thriller on the 2024 movie schedule before seeing Taylor Swift in concert again. This is because the film takes place at a massive concert, and it follows a killer trying to escape law enforcement. Now, Trap’s star Josh Hartnett has opened up about the similarities between the concert in his movie and the pop star’s massive show, and it’s made me even more scared and excited.

Ahead of Trap’s release, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the concert depicted in the movie is reminiscent of the Eras Tour. The film’s director also told Empire that he pitched his movie as “if The Silence Of The Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert.” Then, Josh Hartnett opened up to Extra about his own experience at the Eras Tour and filming this movie, saying:

He went on to talk about the “fervor” at these concerts, and he noted that Shyamalan “captures” that energy in Trap. The Oppenheimer actor went on to explain that when they filmed the movie all the people who were playing fans were freaking out over the music, and it was wild:

At the time, Hartnett didn’t have the Eras Tour to compare Trap to, so he ended up having the reverse experience of realizing these real-life concerts mirrored his movie, as he said:

Now, as a Swiftie who is constantly looking forward to Swift’s new projects and acts like the fans in Trap at the Eras Tour, Josh Hartnett’s words excited and terrified me.

For me, when I watch a thriller or horror movie, I immediately start to think that what’s happening could happen to me. Obviously, it’s an irrational fear, but it’s a fear nonetheless. So, since Trap targets and experience that I’ve had and love having so closely, I’m incredibly scared.

I have a feeling the next time I’m at a concert I’ll be looking over my shoulder and a little on edge, because based on the actor's comments, his movie shows a concertgoing experience that is very accurate (minus the serial killer part, of course).

On the flip side though, the fact that he experienced both things for himself and felt the similarities is so exciting. I’m fascinated by the film because it taps into a major event and trend that we’ve been following for over a year now, and it’s such a creative way to frame a thriller.

I’ll probably be watching Trap with my hands over my eyes, and I’ll maybe never feel the same when I go to a concert. However, these comments from Josh Hartnett were incredible and they are making me even more hyped about the movie.

To see if he’s right, and to compare the concerts referenced in this story, you can stream the Eras Tour with a Disney+ subscription now, and you can catch Trap in theaters on August 2.

Maybe I just have bad taste (Don’t agree with me!) but I like a lot of the M. Night Shyamalan movies that most people hate. 

Not too long ago, I defended the much maligned, After Earth, and even though I know most people consider The Last Airbender to be his worst movie (We even said as such when we ranked all of M. Night Shyamalan's films), I actually don’t think it’s that bad…and this is coming from a massive fan of the source material. 

So, it should come as no surprise that I actually really dig Shyamalan’s seventh movie, Lady in the Water. In fact, I like it so much that I think it might just be his hidden gem, and it deserves a re-evaluation. Here’s why. 

The Film Is Truly Unlike Any Other Shyamalan Picture  

There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. My favorite Shyamalan movie is Unbreakable (Yes, even more than The Sixth Sense). It just has everything going for it. The mysterious characters, the creepy atmosphere, the twist ending. In every sense of the word, Unbreakable is a Shyamalan movie, par excellence. 

For me, it perfectly encapsulates everything that I love about his style, and I judge every other movie of his against it.

But, you know what? Lady in the Water feels nothing like it. It’s weird to say this, since Shyamalan has dealt with everything from ghosts, to aliens, to even trees (!), but most of his movies feel pretty grounded for the most part. 

Now, they’re grounded in a reality that is certainly Shyamalan-specific, but they still feel like they’re based in a sort of recognizable reality. Yes, even After Earth, and The Last Airbender (Much to the latter’s detriment). 

And, Lady in the Water does, too…until it doesn’t. The backdrop is his tried and true Philadelphia in this movie, but the world of this story turns into so much of a fantasy escapade that it distinctly feels unique in the director's oeuvre. 

The story concerns an apartment complex superintendent named Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) who discovers a water nymph (or Narf, which just reminds me of Pinky and the Brain, if I’m being completely honest), who must be protected from these scary dog-like creatures called Scrunts. 

Along the way, we learn that the Narf, who is named Story and played by Bryce Dallas Howard, is in grave danger, and must locate The Writer (played indulgently by Shyamalan himself) who will one day change the world with his storytelling abilities. 

Along the way, we learn that some of the people inside the apartment complex have specific roles that need to be uncovered, such as a Symbolist, a Guardian, a Guild, and a Healer. In a lot of ways, it almost feels like a D&D campaign, where characters have different classes, like in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. 

There are also these monkey-like creatures that are protectors of Story, called The Tartutic. There’s just so much lore in this relatively simple story, and it feels wholly unique in Shyamalan’s filmography. 

I mean, the story itself isn’t the best in the world, but the overall mood and tone of the film makes up for a lot of the storytelling flubs that bring it down. Honestly, I think it’s much better than you remember it being, and you should definitely give it a rewatch. 

There Really Isn't A Twist Ending, Which Is Actually Quite Appreciated 

Okay, so here’s the thing. Prior to The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan wasn’t known as “the twist guy.” I mean, honestly, he wasn’t really known at all when he made Praying with Anger, or Wide Awake. No, it was only when he made The Sixth Sense, which is one of the few horror movies nominated for Best Picture, that he became “the twist guy.” 

The only issue, though, is that when you’re known for your twist endings, people start trying to guess them ahead of time. Like, I’ll never forget when I went to see The Village with my friends, and my buddy leaned over to me and whispered within five minutes of the movie, “I bet this is all taking place in modern day times,” and of course I said, “No way!” only to have to say, “You were right,” by the end of the movie.

So, it was expected that Lady in the Water would also have a twist ending…but it doesn’t. Now, I know some might say that perhaps this movie would have been better if it had something else going for it at the end. But, I was so wrapped up in the story of, er, Story, that I was impressed when all of the characters came together at the end and helped get her to the eagle, which brought her up into the sky. 

It’s an ending that fits the narrative that came before it, and I’m glad it didn’t have some weird twist ending just because it was expected out of Shyamalan by this point in his career. 

The Acting Is Also Quite Good  

One common sentiment I often hear when people don’t like a movie is that the acting was “wasted” in it. Now, I don’t personally conform to this idea. In fact, I personally think that a great performance in a “bad” movie can elevate it to being a good movie. And, such is the case for Lady in the Water, which I don’t think is bad, but I think is definitely made better by its performances.

There’s, of course, Paul Giamatti, who is almost always good. (Let’s just ignore The Amazing Spider-Man 2, okay?) He plays a grieving man after his family was murdered, and spends a great deal of the movie trying to find purpose in life again. I find his story arc to be genuinely beautiful. 

Then, you have Bryce Dallas Howard as the titular Lady in the Water. She plays it like a fish out of water at the beginning, but then gradually becomes more and more human toward the end of the tale. 

The rest of the cast dutifully blends in with the narrative, making this semi-ridiculous story feel important. Jeffrey Wright, Sarita Choudhury, Jared Harris, and many others (but not Shyamalan, who I’ll get into next) really liven up this relatively dark story, and make a good film great in my eyes. This is, of course, despite all the Golden Raspberry nominations, and “wins” that it received.  

Yes, Shyamalan's Character Is Self-Indulgent, But He Has A Point  

Lastly, if there’s any glaring weakness to this film, it’s that Shyamalan placed himself in it, and in a significant role, no less. He is the man who will eventually change the world with his writing. And, not only that, but there’s an obnoxious film critic in the story as well, played thanklessly by Bob Balaban, who messes everything up and even dies a grisly death. 

Now, yes, Shyamalan never should have put himself in this movie, and definitely should have picked an actor with more gravitas for the character. But, I do think he has a point with the critic character, as some critics do seem to get more joy out of putting down a movie rather than saying anything constructive. 

That said, I think he may have inadvertently made an even more pressing point about all writers in general when he constructed his character. Yes, writers often feel insecure, or may even have severe imposter syndrome, but we also sometimes think we’re the center of the universe with unlimited power, as we can save or kill whomever we want in a story.

By creating such a pompous metaphor for storytelling with this movie (I mean, the nymph is even named Story!) Shyamalan is kind of making the point that all storytellers think they can change the world at some point…even if it's just a world that they created themselves. 

Do you also love Lady in the Water like I do? For more news on all things Shyamalan-related (including the upcoming movie Trap), be sure to swing by here often.  

M. Night Shyamalan plans to keep you on the edge of your seat with his latest movie Trap. Considering the first trailer revealed a major twist of Josh Hartnett’s character being a serial killer, does that mean Shyamalan’s summer flick will get an R-rating? Despite its lead character being a murderer trapped in a large concert venue, it looks like Trap will be getting a PG-13 rating, and here’s why.

It was a Shyamalanan twist when the Indian-born director’s sci-fi thriller The Happening was the first in his filmography to get an R rating as well as Knock at the Cabin for its violence. While we’re still guessing what M. Night Shyamalan’s big twist is for Trap other than Josh Hartnett’s character being a serial killer, there’s no twist in the new movie’s rating. Like many of Shyamalan’s movies, Trap is getting a PG-13 rating, and here’s why according to Film Ratings:

Suppose you take a look at all of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies. The Oscar-nominated director knows how to scare an audience with his mind-bending storytelling more than any use of graphic violence. Whether it’s a little boy being followed by scary ghosts in The Sixth Sense, rapidly aging on an island in Old, or three teenagers abducted by a man of multiple personalities in Split, the tension builds in never knowing what signature movie twists the director/producer/screenwriter will throw at us next.

The plot of M. Night Shyamalan’s movie Trap follows a serial killer at a concert venue trying to escape before being caught by the police. But I have a feeling the story will focus more on its suspense than any violence. Sure, the new trailer revealed there’ll be some violent distractions Josh Hartnett’s character will pull as well as him watching a video of his latest victim begging for mercy. But as Film Ratings says the upcoming horror film will have “some” violent content, it appears Trap isn’t going to fall into the realm of the best slasher movies where blood is shed at every corner.

It almost looked like Trap would head towards an R rating when M. Night Shyamalan revealed his pitch to studios for his new movie. It followed, “What if The Silence Of The Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert?” With the R-rated Silence of the Lambs serial killer Hannibal Lecter known for eating his victims, you’d wonder if Trap was going to go to graphic extremes like that. If anything, the Glass director used a wild real-life event as inspiration where many fugitives were trapped at a football game by police disguised as dancing cheerleaders and mascots. Definitely doesn’t sound like an R-rated event.

Trap may revolve around a serial killer trying to escape the clutches of the police while attending a concert with his daughter, but it’ll actually receive a PG-13 rating for “some violent content and brief strong language.” Even if Trap isn’t violent enough to achieve an R rating, I still have a feeling we’ll experience all of the suspense that M. Night Shyamalan is known for incorporating. Make sure to see the PG-13 2024 movie release in theaters on August 2nd.

M. Night Shyamalan is known for his big movie twists like we’ve seen in The Sixth Sense, The Village, The Visit, and more. However, fans are worried that the twist for Shyamalan’s latest movie Trap already spoiled a major twist in revealing that the serial killer the police are trying to catch is the lead character played by Josh Hartnett. With fans concerned that the upcoming thriller movie’s big twist was already spoiled, the Indian film director addresses those concerns.

The first trailer of Trap showed a father and daughter at a crowded concert that a serial killer is attending with a major twist. And no, it’s not the twist-y Easter egg of M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter’s movie The Watchers poster making a cameo. It’s that Josh Hartnett’s character is the serial killer the police have orchestrated a trap for at the venue. With a Shyamalan twist always to be expected in his films, fans are worried about already being spoiled by the trailer’s big reveal. The Sixth Sense director addressed those concerns to Empire and I think you’ll be intrigued by what he has to say:

It’s true that it’s hard to market the plot of Trap without revealing Josh Hartnett’s character is the sought-after serial killer. The plot itself is a twist. Just like how in Mel Gibson’s Flight Risk trailer, it’s revealed that the pilot flying a private plane with a fugitive as a passenger is actually a hitman assigned to kill that passenger. With plots like these, it’s hard to keep them under wraps if you want audiences to know what a movie is about.

With M. Night Shyamalan saying he was “very careful” when marketing this movie, maybe that could mean there’s more going on with the plot than we know. After all, we can try and guess the big Trap twist with a number of imaginable theories. For example, maybe there are more people behind the serial killer’s capture than we know, like the daughter or the singer being in on it. Maybe the serial killer will get away with it or in a split second, he doesn’t? Or maybe none of this is really happening and it’s just virtual reality like what you’d find in a Black Mirror episode?

I still think there are more twists that Shyamalan has prepared for us than we realize. It’s just like how in The Sixth Sense, we thought the big twist was just that a young child could see dead people only to find out there was much more going on than that.

When M. Night Shyamalan first pitched Trap to studios, it simply followed- “What if The Silence Of The Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert?” With a twisted film idea like that, it just might work! The inspiration for the psychological thriller came from a wild real-life event called “Operation Flagship.” In 1985, several fugitives were given free NFL tickets and a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Super Bowl. Surprisingly, the tables turned on the fugitive attendees who saw only about 100 attendees were there with cops disguising themselves as cheerleaders and mascots for a sting operation. Sounds like a cool movie, right? Shyamalan seemed to think so in its “very scary and Hitchcockian” tone.

Fans may be worried that the big M. Night Shyamalan’s twist was already revealed in Trap’s trailer. But, the Oscar-nominated director gave a very vague reassurance that the twist may or may not have been spoiled and how “careful” he was telling this story. Hopefully, the “twist” of Josh Hartnett’s character being a serial killer is just the red herring to what’s really going on in the film’s high-tension plot and that we’ll still be in for a wild ride. We’ll only know for sure once the 2024 movie release comes to theaters on August 2nd.

M. Night Shyamalan’s new project on the 2024 movie schedule, Trap, is already generating buzz. The trailer for Trap depicts a dad, played by Josh Hartnett, accompanying his young daughter to a concert. Things go awry when it's revealed that the entire concert is actually a sting operation. The twist? Hartnett’s character is actually the serial killer the police are trying to catch. What makes this an even more intriguing premise is that it was apparently inspired by a real-life event that the filmmaker put his own spin on.

In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, The Sixth Sense director opened up about his new film, and why he chose to set his thriller at a concert. Shyamalan explained that he had several inspirations: his daughter’s budding pop star career, the fanfare at Taylor Swift concerts, and a bizarre story of a sting operation called ‘Operation Flagship’ from 1985. Apparently, a bunch of fugitives were caught by being offered free NFL tickets, and they were arrested once they arrived at the game. The filmmaker found this humorous, saying:

The difference with Shyamalan’s movie, however, is that Hartnett’s serial killer character finds out about the sting operation while he’s at the concert with his daughter. I guess the audience will have to see if he is able to avoid the police once Trap is released in theaters. The first trailer for this movie seems to reveal the famous Shyamalan-twist already, however, if the filmmaker’s other movies are any indication, there are more surprises to come that the audience will never anticipate.

Of course, this hasn’t stopped fans from trying to figure out where the story is going. Some have delved deep into the Trap trailer, trying to guess other twists that might be in store. Some have hunted for easter eggs that connect to his daughter’s latest film, The Watchers. Maybe this ‘Operation Flagship’ connection could allude to more details from the film that were left out of the trailer. This is all speculation right now, but it shows that the teaser for Trap already has audiences hooked.

Shyamalan is one of the directors right now committed to making original movies, and he doesn’t seem interested in dipping his toe back into cinematic IP at the moment. A lot of his work is self-funded, and he explained how important it was for him to continue doing so. He illustrated his loyalty to the original movie by saying:

Not only is Shyamalan still making original films, but these movies are also still doing well at the box office. His previous film Knock at the Cabin did solid business in theaters, and Old also opened at number one back in 2021. Hopefully, Trap continues the same streak and encourages studios to release more original projects in theaters.

You can see M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap when it hits cinemas on August 2nd.

Of all the upcoming horror movies landing in theaters and on streaming in 2024, few come fully embedded with expectations in the way that M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap does. The serial killer thriller is the director’s follow-up to 2023’s polarizing Knock at the Cabin, though he did executive produce daughter Ishana Shyamalan’s woodsy thriller The Watchers in the meantime. The concert-set Trap sounds like a fairly straightforward high-concept premise on the surface, but its first trailer indicated a more complex game of cat and mouse will be on display.

Now we have the second full promo, which goes all in on showing audiences that Josh Hartnett’s seemingly happy daddy Cooper is the film’s illicit killer, a sorta-twist that the first trailer hinted at. So with that plot point made all the more obvious in trailer #2, seen below, one has to wonder what Trap’s actual twist(s?) will end up being. So join me below in taking a few possibly hyperbolic shots in the dark at guessing what M. Night Shyamalan has in store for us with his latest big screen “experience.”

Twisty Info We Know Already

• There's a killer dubbed The Butcher on the loose, and Josh Hartnett's Cooper very much appears to be The Butcher.
• The concert that Cooper and his daughter are attending is purportedly a massive police sting operation crafted specifically to catch The Butcher.

Both of those details seem like huge reveals for a movie that we didn't know squat about in the months leading up to the first trailer's release. However, it's easy to imagine that any other non-Shyamalan movie would have made those details clear from the jump, which makes it easier to contextualize those as not-entirely-spoilery reveals. Now from those presumable facts we jump into completely speculative territory!

Theory #1: Cooper's Daughter Is In On It

Considering we only for sure know two characters going into the movie, is it that much of a stretch to hypothesize that both of them have secrets? Riley's brief appearances make her seem so blissfully ignorant of her father's evil ways, which just makes me all the more suspicious. Her telling him "You're acting weird," could very well be just performative for all the people passing by. That moment is made to look like she catches him messing with the fire alarm, but there's no way of knowing if that's what actually plays out in the movie.

Theory #2: The Entire Venue Will Be Destroyed Just To Catch Cooper

The concert in Trap takes place in "Tanaka Arena," which is a redressed version of the real-life venue where the movie was filmed: Toronto's Rogers Centre. Why not set the film within a real-world arena with real-world iconography? There are no doubt plenty of reasons, but one might involve something that the real location wouldn't necessarily want to have its name attached to, such as a bombing or some other form of all-out destruction.

Theory #3: The Movie's Title Isn't Actually "Trap"

While I understand it would be a marketing nightmare to have a movie go all the way to release without its actual title being unveiled, but one of the most curious elements of the trailer and textual marketing is the way that pieces are missing from letters. It's most notable when the "T-R-A-P" pop up dramatically before the full title pops up at the end, but it's also prevalent in the middle when M. Night Shyamalan's name and past credits are shown. But why are there parts missing from some of these letters?

As far as I can tell, the shapes don't fit together to make a new word or anything, and the letters that are affected aren't an anagram of anything relevant. I'll easily cop to making an error along the way, but if that's all correct, then the only other outcome I can imagine is that the film's title Trap is also incomplete in some way, and that the true title will only be revealed while watching.

Theory #4: Some Kind Of Plot Point Revolves Around Concert Performer Lady Raven

Soon after Trap's trailer dropped, the sing Saleka (who is portraying Lady Raven in the film) posted news about her upcoming album, which is called Lady Raven and is essentially the movie's soundtrack. At 14 songs, it's definitely more of a legitimate project than curated jukebox soundtracks, and there would be no reason to put all that effort and connective work into making this a full-blown album unless Lady Raven and her music are intrinsic to the plot in a way that isn't just catchy background noise.

I'm also intrigued by Kid Cudi, who guests on the album, appears in the trailer wearing a blonde wig. I hope that character is more than just a background dancer, since the rapper is always fun to watch in scripted roles.

Theory #5: This Is All Just A VR Therapy Simulation

This seems as out there as can be, but has some possible justifications going for it. For one, characters are constantly looking directly into the camera, as if they're speaking to "the audience," rather than another character, and certain moments appear to be fully P.O.V. shots, which is a view gamers are well used to by now. As well, there's a prominent focus on people holding up cell phones and taking pictures/videos, with at least once happening the same kind of P.O.V. style. So while that may not indicate mobile gaming, specifically, it could be connected.

But the trailer also shows that the movie doesn't take place entirely within the arena, showing us different snippets of Cooper's life outside, and he very much looks like someone suffering from one or more mental disorders. Perhaps not on the same heightened level as what went down in Split, but not necessarily so removed from it, either. So we might as well theorize that this is some kind of Inception-style video game where Cooper is led to believe he's taking part in a real situation, but is really just incriminating himself for authorities.

Theory #6: It's A Sequel To The Sixth Sense

To be fair, this isn't really my own theory, but one posited by CinemaBlend's Ryan LaBee, who came away from the first trailer thinking that perhaps Trap is a stealth Sixth Sense sequel by way of someone involved with tracking Cooper at the concert potentially being helped along by one or more of The Butcher's victims. Put more clearly, by someone who sees dead people.

Obviously Haley Joel Osment hasn't been announced as part of Trap's cast, or else this theory would be the biggest one out there. But even if we don't see him return as an adult Cole using his haunting abilities in positive ways, there could be another character who also has the shine, as it were. Danny Torrence, as I live and breathe!

While none of these theories may end up coming true, I can't wait to see if any are even close when Trap hits the 2024 movie schedule on August 2.

For the past 25 years, we’ve been showing up for M. Night Shyamalan’s career by seeing his work on the big and small screen. His daughter, Ishana Night Shyamalan, has too, but from a much different perspective than most of us can say. Ishana has spent her whole life watching her father make suspenseful movies as a major part of her upbringing. Now that she has her directorial debut, The Watchers, under her belt, we can witness what she’s learned over the years.

When CinemaBlend sat down with the new filmmaker, I asked Ishana Night Shymalan how growing up on movie sets influenced how she handles bringing tension to the set of The Watchers. Here’s what she said:

Of course, Ishana Night Shymalan has a great answer to this! She learned from one of the best! As the director shared, she has spent many hours over the years observing her dad make horror movies before going on to working beside him on his recent projects. Ishana served as the second unit director on his last two movies, Old and Knock at the Cabin, along with writing and directing multiple episodes of the Apple TV+ series Servant.

When I spoke to Ishana prior, she told me that she knew there would “inevitably” be a “level of similarity” between her and M. Night Shyamalan between their genetics and shared lives. However, she also hopes audiences will “feel the difference” within her own work here with The Watchers. Aside from the new movie adapting A.M. Shine’s novel of the same name, Ishana told us she is greatly influenced by Hayao Miyazaki.

The Watchers follows Dakota Fanning’s Mina, who gets stranded in a forest in Ireland and then finds herself trapped with three strangers in a bunker as they hide from the mysterious “watchers.” Just like the novel its based on, the new movie has roots in Irish folklore, bringing dark fantasy elements to the big screen with her directorial debut.

As she suspected, when critics who have seen The Watchers are comparing her work to M. Night’s. CinemaBlend’s own The Watchers review celebrated the new director for bearing “ripe and juicy horror fruits”, but found there is “room for growth” when it comes to her credit writing the movie’s screenplay. You can decide yourself right now, as The Watchers is now playing in theaters. Check out what other upcoming horror movies are on the way next here on CinemaBlend.

There have already been quite a few horror movies in 2024 to keep audiences uncomfortable, and this summer we’ve got two from the Shyamalan family. Before M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap comes out in August, his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan is making her feature directorial debut with The Watchers on June 7. Early reactions from The Watchers screenings noted similarities between the filmmakers’ styles (M. Night is a producer on the film after all), so what are critics saying about the film overall? 

Dakota Fanning stars as Mina, a guilt-ridden woman who happens upon a trio of strangers after her car breaks down in the forest. They tell her that each night they are watched and stalked by a group of deadly creatures. The film was adapted from the 2022 novel by A.M. Shine, and in CinemaBlend’s review of The Watchers, Nick Venable argues that despite some plot issues that carry over from the source material, Ishana Night Shyamalan’s first effort is a pretty successful one. He rates the movie 3.5 stars out of 5, writing: 

A.A. Dowd of IGN agrees there are glimpses of storytelling expertise here, proving that the Shyamalan apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. This story specifically, though, is more fun before your brain has to start trying to piece the twists together. Dowd gives The Watchers an “Okay” 6 out of 10 and says: 

Owen Gleiberman of Variety calls the movie glossy and clever, though derivative of several horror movies that have come before it. Its twist ending isn’t as fun as it could be, Gleiberman says and with The Watchers lacking in the frights department, the jury is still out on whether Ishana Shyamalan is an up-and-comer or a one-shot nepo baby. The critic says: 

Chase Hutchinson of Collider, meanwhile, makes his opinion clear on the nepo baby question, saying Ishana Night Shyamalan’s debut doesn’t hold a candle to her father’s work. The only thing scary about The Watchers is how it drains its source material of any life, Hutchinson says, rating the film a 4 out of 10: 

Meagan Navarro is also underwhelmed by how the movie plays out, saying the stakes are too low and the scares too few. The movie also continues far past what Navarro says is its logical ending. The critic gives it 2 skulls out of 5, writing:  

Regardless of how successful the critics think Ishana Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut is, most of them are still curious to see how her style develops as she steps out of the large shadow of her father. If you want to give The Watchers a go, it hits the big screen on Friday, June 7, and you can check out our 2024 movie release calendar to see what else is coming soon. 

Halle Berry made all kinds of hearts and minds swoon on Mother’s Day thanks to her bare-butt pic being shared by her partner, but the Oscar winner is provoking some far different reactions with the first trailer for her upcoming horror movie Never Let Go, which is the latest directorial effort from The Hill Have Eyes’ Alexandre Aja. Less showing ass and more hauling ass here.

Never Let Go appears to be in the same genre milieu as A Quiet Place and Birdbox, centering on a mother and her two sons living alone and far from whatever remains of civilization, with seeming threats lurking everywhere outside the home. Such ghouls and frightshows inspire the survival tactic of tying a rope around one’s waist upon venturing outside, so that one can be pulled back to the safety of their home if something goes sideways.

Naturally, things go sideways rather quickly for the family, as the two brothers begin to question their situation, and look as if they’ll have to face repercussions for doubting the dangers surrounding them. Like the well creature seen below.

Percy Daggs IV's character looks to be walking beyond his normal route when the rope tied around him snaps back and drags him close to a well, as opposed to the mechanism within the house itself. We only catch a glimpse of the creature inside, but it's weird enough to be spooky, with a head shaped like a fat skull, and a body covered in reptilian scales.

Yikes. An image of Percy Daggs IV's character pops up as Halle Berry's matriarch is walking around outdoors, and the kid absolutely looks worse for wear. The neck is all L-shaped like Bent Neck Lady in Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House, and I'm not sure what fucked up half of his face, but I'm pretty positive it's nothing I'd like to run into while trying to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Speaking of things to avoid at all costs, there's this ghoulish woman who might not be quite so frightening if she kept her mouth closed. But no, it's wide open as she crawls around, giving audiences a full view of her pitch black tongue with its forked tip. Do I desperately hope that she gets to lick someone with that nasty-ass tongue? Absolutely. As well as an ice cream cone.

Is There An M. Night Shyamalan-Esque Twist At Play?

Even though Alexandre Aja's filmography isn't one filled with projects hinging on plot twists and gamechanging reveals, there are moments within the Never Let Go trailer that make me think something fishy is happening with these characters. And I'm wondering if this movie will pull a similar move as M. Night Shyamalan's The Village by revealing that this survivalist family is living their tortured existence just outside normal civilization.

We've already talked about the brothers questioning the reality of their situation, which is informed only by Halle Berry's character talking about the world having ended, and that remaining tethered to the house is their only chance to stay alive. One line in the trailer specifically states that the mom never lied to her sons before, which to me seems like a big ol' warning sign that mom has been lying THE WHOLE TIME.

If that wasn't suspicious enough, it's not exactly clear whether or not the two boys actually see any of the ghostly entities that pop up in the trailer, or if it's just Berry's character who sees them. The part with the kid being pulled back towards the well seems to go against my theory, but that could easily be an editing maneuver.

The last bit of circumstantial evidence pointing to Halle Berry's character being solely responsible for this unfortunate lifestyle is the moment in the trailer where the mother appears to be locking one or both of her sons in a crawlspace below the floor, as well as the other threatening moves she makes with them. Using a knife to threaten a child into memorizing a survival tactic seems anti-intuitive, no?

Never Let Go will arrive in theaters on Friday, September 27, 2024, so be sure to keep your strongest rope handy. Head to our 2024 movie schedule to see what else is heading to the big screen in the near future, and keep an eye out for Halle Berry's new movie with Mark Wahlberg, The Union, when it hits Netflix in August.

Not only is M. Night Shyamalan back with Trap, his daughter Ishana Night Shymalan will be making her feature debut. After the young director previously worked with her father as a second unit director on Old and Knock At The Cabin, along with being involved on Servant’s writing and directing team, she’s spreading her wings with the summer release of The Watchers. While it's a horror movie, like another Shyamalan is famous for, Ishana Night Shyamalan spoke with CinemaBlend about what distinguishes her from The Sixth Sense filmmaker.

When I attended Warner Bros. “Summer Of Shyamalan” event at the Soho House in Los Angeles, California last week, I had a chance to chat with Ishana Night Shyamalan about her latest movie. Here’s what she had to say when I asked how her directorial debut will set her apart from her dad:

As the young filmmaker shared, perhaps she’s too close to the whole thing to share how she’ll distinguish herself to us. But she is very excited to hear what audiences will pick up on when they see both of the upcoming horror movies this summer. One particular element of making The Watchers that Shyamalan did speak to that sounds different than her father’s work is in regards to her love of fantasy. She shared that Hayao Miyazaki in particular is in her “bones.” We’ll have to see how that comes across in her directorial debut.

Just prior to my chat with Ishana Night Shyamalan, CinemaBlend attended a conversation between the father and daughter. M. Night shared this about what he’s noticed about Ishana’s distinctive style:

As M. Night Shymalan explained, he and Ishana have different ways they do things in regards to mapping out their story structure. He complimented his daughter by comparing her to the Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, but also likened her process to Jackson Pollock adding paint splats to a canvas. We’ll. of course, soon find out what Ishana has to offer on her own with The Watchers’ release.

The Watchers follows Dakota Fanning’s Mina as she gets stranded in a forest in Ireland, only to find herself trapped with three other people who claim they are being stalked by mysterious creatures whenever the sun goes down. The movie will hit theaters on June 7. M. Night Shyamalan’s movie, on the other hand, Trap, which just released a trailer this week, will follow her film when it comes out on August 9. You can check out more about what Warner Bros. has on the horizon with our blog on the studio’s CinemaCon panel.

Warner Bros. just unleashed the sinister first trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming thriller, Trap, and it's got every element you'd expect from the master of twists: a diabolical plot, a gripping setting, and Josh Hartnett as a serial killer lurking at a pop star's concert. But here's where it gets interesting: there's enough in this trailer to make me believe that this newest thriller might just be a secret sequel to The Sixth Sense. Crazy? Maybe. But hear me out, because I think I’m right. 

Trap follows a father-daughter duo, played by Hartnett and Ariel Donoghue, as they attend a concert by pop sensation Lady Raven, portrayed by Night’s real-life daughter, R&B singer Saleka. But as the chilling vibes of the trailer suggest, this isn't just any pop concert. It's a deadly trap. Hartnett's character takes a suspiciously timed bathroom break only to discover federal agents swarming the venue. They're hunting "The Butcher," a notorious serial killer known for his brutal MO. But twist — the trailer reveals Hartnett himself as the Butcher, now ensnared in his own game, trying desperately to escape with a hostage in tow.

The trailer had great, fun vibes while being quintessentially Shyamalan — dark, suspenseful, with an undercurrent of dread. 

Now, why do I suspect Trap might actually be a secret sequel to The Sixth Sense? Consider how the Lady in the Water filmmaker expertly revealed Split as a stealth continuation of Unbreakable—a twist only made clear in the movie's final moments. Similarly, the Trap trailer tantalizes us with the phrase, “Get Ready for a new experience... in the world of M. Night Shyamalan.” This phrase alone sparks curiosity. When the trailer teases "from the world of…" it hints at an exploration of one of his established universes. But which one?

Given Bruce Willis's retirement and the closure provided by Glass, the last of the Unbreakable trilogy, it seems unlikely that Trap would revisit the same narrative universe as Split and Glass–which are killing it on Netflix. So, what other "world" from the Signs director’s oeuvre could be ripe for continuation? While there are a bunch of great M. Night movies, in my opinion, there's really only one that makes a compelling case — The Sixth Sense.

The plot for Trap alone had me asking questions. Like, how do they know the serial killer is going to be in this particular arena seeing this particular concert? If they knew who the killer was, wouldn't they just arrest him? Well, maybe they only have the information to go off of because someone has told them, like perhaps one of "The Butcher's" recent victims. That's right -- a ghost. 

Could Josh Hartnett’s character somehow be connected to Cole Sear, Haley Joel Osment's memorable character from one of the best horror movies of all time? 

Picture this: Cole, now an adult, uses his supernatural abilities to assist law enforcement in tracking down serial killers before they can strike again. It's a wild idea, but isn't that just the kind of unexpected twist M. Night loves to deliver? After all, the last time we saw Cole, he was using his gift to help spirits — like the young girl played by Mischa Barton, whose stepmother was poisoning her — find peace by resolving their unsettled affairs. Perhaps Cole is helping the spirit of one of "The Butcher’s" victims, guiding them toward resolution and peace.

It may seem far-fetched, but it's a theory that fits perfectly with Shyamalan's penchant for mind-blowing plot twists. The Village helmer’s recent switch from Universal to Warner Bros. adds more intrigue. According to THR’s reporting, he described the move as aligning with a studio that cherishes the theatrical experience and supports distinctive filmmakers. With such a supportive backdrop, it’s the ideal time for the Old screenwriter to unexpectedly dive back into his earlier creations and expand his cinematic universe. I am all in for this possibility and eagerly await to see if Night surprises us again.

Trap hits the 2024 movie schedule on August 9, and I'll be there opening night, popcorn in hand, ready to see if my theory holds water. Whether I'm right and Trap is connected to one of the best movies of the 1990s or I’m completely wrong, one thing's for sure: in the world of M. Night Shyamalan, nothing is ever as it seems. 

The first look at M. Night Shyamalan’s latest movie, Trap, is here and this time around the legendary filmmaker is setting a horror movie at a pop singer’s stadium concert. As the first Trap trailer unveils, the flick will follow a father and daughter attending a massive show for fictional artist Lady Raven. But as the sneak peek reveals, the whole concert is actually a “trap” to catch an infamous serial killer, who seems to be none other than the father we start the film following. When CinemaBlend spoke to the filmmaker about Trap, he shared insights into the movie’s unique setting. 

I’m a frequent concertgoer who loves the experience of seeing my favorite musicians live in person. So when I had the chance to speak to M. Night Shyamalan in Los Angeles on Monday about his project on the 2024 movie schedule, we talked about how the setting uniquely informs the horror movie. In his words: 

As Shyamalan teased, the entirety of Trap will take place during the events of a pop singer’s concert and go beat by beat through the different elements of shows like these. This even includes those highly-coveted surprise performances, which Taylor Swift’s viral Eras Tour is particularly famous for. Check out the trailer here: 

In terms of the pop singer hitting the stage in Trap, his own daughter Saleka Shyamalan plays a fictional artist Lady Raven. As M. Night Shyamalan continued: 

Saleka is the eldest daughter of M. Night Shyamalan and a classically trained musician who has opened for acts like Boys II Men, Baby Rose, Summer Walker and Giveon. She released her debut album Seance in 2022 and made some music for AppleTV+’s Servant, which had its finale last spring. Ahead of my quick chat with Shyamalan, I attended Warner Bros. “Summer of Shyamalan” event where the filmmaker spoke further about the inception of Trap. 

The writer/director shared that he and Saleka had been itching to work together in a larger capacity for some time. He explained: 

Shyamalan is famous for his twists, and this time around he has brought the twist to us in the trailer itself. It certainly has us curious where the movie set at a concert will go from there! Color me intrigued about how M. Night Shyamalan's concert horror movie will fuse the experience of going to see a pop singer with his famed storytelling techniques. 

Trap hits theaters on August 9. Check out what other upcoming horror movies are coming out throughout 2024 and beyond here on CinemaBlend. 

In recent years, actor James McAvoy has carved out a notable niche in the horror movie landscape. His portrayal of one of the scariest modern horror villains, Kevin Wendell Crumb (also known as The Horde) continues to captivate audiences more than five years after its initial debut. Currently, M. Night Shyamalan's 2019 release, Glass, is performing exceptionally well on Netflix, where it holds a high spot. And, honestly, this makes me even more pumped to see McAvoy return to his creeptastic horror roots in the upcoming horror movie Speak No Evil.

Two of M. Night Shyamalan’s most overlooked films, Split and Glass, both featuring the Scottish actor as Crumb, are currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription and have recently secured spots in the platform's Top 10 trending movies list. The second of the two sits at the No. 4 spot, as of this writing. These films conclude a trilogy that began with Unbreakable in 2000, a connection that may not be immediately apparent to all viewers. 

It’s unfortunate, as the trilogy offers a thrilling cinematic experience when viewed in sequence. Nevertheless, one can't help but be happy that the final installment in said series is now getting love within the streaming sphere. Additionally, the Wanted veteran’s upcoming movie, which recently dropped a trailer depicting James McAvoy on a horrifying vacation, is giving major “The Beast” vibes, and I honestly cannot wait to catch it in theaters!

The new flick -- starring the X-Men alum, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy, and Aisling Franciosi -- is set to hit theaters in September and, as the Speak No Evil trailer teases, promises another chilling performance from the Atonement actor. What we know about the scary movie is that it’s an English-language update of a Danish horror flick that came out in 2022. It follows a married couple and their daughter, who encounter another family while on vacation. After being invited to stay at the clan’s country home, what begins as genuine hospitality soon devolves into a darker, more sinister affair.

This recent international scary flick might have flown under the radar of many, which may answer the question some are asking: why is a remake warranted after only two years since the original’s release? I initially felt the same way, not needing an “English version.” But I think seeing the His Dark Materials alum in such a chilling role will be worth a trip to the cinema. Check out the trailer for the movie:

While Split and its sequel are often categorized more as thrillers, James McAvoy's next project seems set to add another eerie role to his career. This marks his first foray into horror since his portrayal of Bill Denbrough in the nightmare-inducing IT: Chapter Two. Quite frankly, I've missed seeing him in horror fare, so this is a welcome return, in this fan's eyes. So, for me, the fact that Glass is also trending on Netflix is truly the icing on the cake here.

Devoted horror hounds have a bit of a wait until they can catch the Filth actor bringing his creepy all to the Blumhouse-produced Speak No Evil, which opens in theaters on September 13 as part of the 2024 movie schedule. But the big Danish version is available now to stream and is one of the best horror movies streaming on Shudder. 

For now, if you want to join those making Split and Glass streaming hits, you can catch James McAvoy crushing it in both movies on Netflix. Also, if you want to watch M. Night Shyamalan's OG franchise-starting movie -- and one of Bruce Willis’ best movies -- Unbreakable, it is available with a Max subscription. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Split. If you have yet to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s 2017 thriller, please exercise extreme caution.

One of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, Split, hit the big screen in 2017 and quickly became a massive hit, both at the box office and with critics. In fact, we gave the tense psychological horror film 3.5 out of 5 stars in our official review upon its release. And while the main part of the film generated a lot of buzz with its performances from James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy, it was the Split ending, and that Bruce Willis cameo, that audiences couldn’t get enough of way back when.

Years later, the story behind the Split twist ending is still fascinating, especially when considering everything Shyamalan had to go through to make it happen. That said, we’ve put together the story behind the film’s big reveal, how the filmmaker pulled it off, and what’s been said since. 

How They Got Bruce Willis On Board 

The story of how Bruce Willis came to reprise his role as David Dunn in Split started long before the film opened in theaters and even before anyone outside of a small group knew that the movie would have any connection with Unbreakable. In a February 2017 conversation with the Wall Street Journal, M. Night Shyamalan revealed that conversations about Willis’ cameo started back in 2015 when he made a call to former Walt Disney Pictures President Sean Bailey and asked if he could reference the character in his then-upcoming movie (Unbreakable was released by Disney while Split was being handled by Universal).

Not only did Bailey grant the request, he didn’t charge the filmmaker a fee to do so. Instead, they came to an agreement in which any future sequels would be shared by the two studios. Years later, Glass, the third film in the franchise was distributed by Disney. Now Shyamalan just had to get Willis to sign off on the idea. 

Split's Final Scene Wasn't Part Of The Original Script 

As he wanted to keep Bruce Willis’ involvement a secret from pretty much everyone who didn’t need to know about it, M. Night Shyamalan didn’t include the Split twist ending in the original script. This meant that not even Universal Pictures knew about what the director was cooking up (more on that later). When speaking with CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast in July 2021, Shyamalan recalled the moment he finally decided to film Willis’ scene:

One phone call later, Shyamalan was one step closer to making not just one of the best horror films of 2017, but an all-time great twist ending audiences still can’t get enough of. 

M. Night Shyamalan Hid Split's Big Reveal From Universal Studios Until The Very Last Second 

The brass at Universal Studios didn’t know about the Split twist ending until the very last second because M. Night Shyamalan never included the scene in the drafts or early test screenings. In the same ReelBlend podcast interview mentioned above, the director revealed that Universal was “completely flummoxed” when he did finally show them the scene, stating:

Remember, Universal not only had no idea the scene existed, the studio didn’t know anything about the conversations Shyamalan had with Disney in which Sean Bailey agreed to let him use the Unbreakable character.

The Horde Was Originally Supposed To Be In Unbreakable  

Oddly enough, the connection shared by Split and Unbreakable goes back further than the 2017 horror film. Shyamalan was building a shared universe way back when he was making the 1999 movie starring Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson before making changes the script. When speaking with Vulture in 2019, the director revealed that “The Horde,” the nickname for James McAvoy’s various personalities, was supposed to bump into David Dunn more than a decade-and-a-half earlier, before they crossed paths in Glass.

The decision was ultimately made to remove that aspect from the Unbreakable script and focus on it much later on because it was going to get in the way of the character development he wanted to do with the movie’s characters.

M. Night Shyamalan Originally Had Easter Eggs Teasing The Unbreakable Connection In Split But Decided To Take Them Out 

David Dunn wasn’t originally going to be the only connection to Unbreakable found in Split, as Shyamalan originally toyed with the idea of including all kinds of Easter eggs teasing a shared universe before ultimately deciding to drop that aspect from the script. In a January 2017 conversation with Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the director explained that he was going to have references to battles between Mr. Glass (Samuel L. Jackson) and David Dunn, but he ultimately decided that it was going to be too much of a distraction from the story he was trying to tell.

Though a scene showing the aftermath of one of those battles was filmed, the director said there was a lot of confusion surrounding it, so he kept it out.

Despite Several Clues In The Script, James McAvoy Didn't Know Split Was Intended As An Unbreakable Sequel  

Not only did Universal Studios not know that Split was being treated as a stealth sequel to Unbreakable, but the film’s star, James McAvoy, was also in the dark. In a January 2019 interview with Digital Spy, the actor revealed that despite there being slight hints at a shared universe in the script, he never picked up on them while preparing to play Kevin Wendell Crumb (and the various other personalities). 

It wasn’t until much later that McAvoy began to piece together the pieces of the puzzle, even after Shyamalan kept dropping further hints on the set by mentioning characters from Unbreakable. After finally figuring it out, McAvoy approached the director and “came clean with him” about his confusion.

Anya Taylor-Joy Didn't Know Anything About The Bruce Willis Cameo Until Shyamalan Told Her After A Screening  

McAvoy wasn’t alone in not knowing Split was a part of something much bigger, as Anya Taylor-Joy didn’t know about the Bruce Willis scene until she attended a teaser screening with Shyamalan prior to the film’s release. In a January 2018 interview with EW (via Yahoo! Entertainment), the actress revealed that while the final scene wasn’t in the screening she attended, the director pulled her aside before it started and filled her in on the movie being a sequel to Unbreakable. Not only that, Shyamalan informed her there were plans for a third film, Glass, and she was going to be involved.

M. Night Shyamalan Ultimately Decided To Keep The Split Ending A Secret From Audiences And Instead Let Word Of Mouth Promote The Film 

After letting the actors and studio executives know he was about to expand the Unbreakable universe, M. Night Shyamalan had to figure out how to approach the situation with audiences. In a January 2017 interview with CinemaBlend, the filmmaker explained his thought process in not promoting the twist, stating:

When Shyamalan was asked by his team why a studio wouldn’t promote a movie as a sequel, he simply said “we’ll let word of mouth do that.” The gamble ultimately worked, as Split would go on to make $278 million worldwide, per BoxOffice Mojo.

Samuel L. Jackson Didn’t Know Split Was A Sequel Until He Saw It Himself 

Though Bruce Willis was in the loop about Split being a sequel to Unbreakable, his co-star, Samuel L. Jackson, Mr. Glass himself, didn’t know anything about it until he saw the movie.  When speaking with Vulture in 2018, the MCU star recalled the moment Shyamalan called him and told him to go see the movie without letting him know what was going on. Soon after, he met with the director and found out that a sequel would happen if Split was a box-office success. It was a major hit, and Glass was on the way to becoming a reality.

Producer Jason Blum Has Attributed The Film's Small Budget For Being Able To Keep The Ending Secret 

So, how were M. Night Shyamalan and Blumhouse Productions able to keep the Split twist ending a surprise for everyone? Well, when speaking with CinemaBlend back in 2017, Jason Blum chalked it up to the film’s relatively small budget ($9 million) and how it allowed them to make Split a standalone movie without saying it was going to be a part of something bigger. 

The horror producer explained that if it had been a $50 million movie, there would have been no way the secret could have been kept as long. Everyone from Universal essentially left the production team alone, which allowed them to create one of the most unforgettable movie moments of the 2010s.

Obviously, Shyamalan’s grand plan worked, the Split twist ending was a major hit, and the legendary filmmaker gave audiences one of the best horror movies of all time in the process.

Josh Hartnett is being celebrated for his portrayal of Ernest Lawrence, garnering a Screen Actors Guild Award alongside his Oppenheimer cast members for the Ensemble in a Motion Picture. Now the actor is setting his sights on an intriguing new venture, a role he calls a “pivot” in M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming movie Trap. The project finds him collaborating with the master of suspense on a role he promises to diverge sharply from his previous work, offering him a chance to delve into an array of complex, darker emotions and character dynamics. Honestly, I cannot freaking wait. 

During a red carpet interview with IndieWire at the SAG Awards, where Oppenheimer was lauded as the evening's standout film, the Penny Dreadful veteran expressed his eagerness for the upcoming horror movie. The Black Hawk Down actor hinted at a departure from his known cinematic persona, suggesting that Trap will unveil a performance that is as unconventional as it is compelling. This pivot toward a darker, more enigmatic role under Shyamalan's direction has Hartnett brimming with excitement. He told the outlet: 

For a while, it became trendy to criticize the director, but there's no denying that M. Night Shyamalan has a collection of great movies. I find myself in agreement with Hartnett's positive assessment of the filmmaker because as time passes and he releases more movies, in my estimation the positives far outweigh the negatives in his filmography. Every time news breaks that the Academy Award-nominated Sixth Sense visionary is working on a new project, my curiosity is instantly sparked. Trap is no exception to this rule, with the inclusion of the Hollywood Homicide star being just a “dark” and “bizarre” cherry on top. 

Josh is well-acquainted with the horror genre, with some of Hartnett's best movies being the likes of Halloween: H20 and The Faculty. While he rarely takes on the role of a villain or a disturbing character, his portrayal of the twisted Hugo in O, the 2001 modern adaptation of Othello, was exceptional, which you can revisit with a Max (formerly HBO Mas) subscription. So, needless to say, it's incredibly exciting to see him going back to his horror movie roots.

You can catch Josh Hartnett in Shyamalan's Trap when it hits the 2024 movie schedule on August 2. Until then, see his latest work, in Christopher Nolan’s 13-time Oscar-nominated historical drama Oppenheimer, now streaming with a Peacock subscription. 

It's hard to believe Entourage ended its eight-season run so long ago, in 2011 (not counting the less-than-well-recieved movie in 2015). For the length of the show, one thing that kept audiences coming back for more each week was the great celebrity cameos. What started as a trickle in the first season, became a flood towards the end, with big stars always showing up, usually with hilarious results. Here is our list of some of the funniest celebrity cameos on Entourage. 

Mark Wahlberg

It makes sense that Mark Wahlberg would be the first cameo on the show, appearing in the very first episode of Season 1. Entourage was (very) loosely based on his experiences in Hollywood as a young actor, and the Boogie Nights star was a producer of the show. 

David Schwimmer

A great thing about the cameos was that often the celebrities weren't afraid to poke a little fun at themselves. Take, for example, David Schwimmer's spot in the Season 6 episode "Running on E." Schwimmer sits in a pitch meeting with super agent Ari Gold's (Jeremy Piven) team and offer after offer is for the Friends star to play some sort of neurotic character for comedic effect. The frustration for Schwimmer is palpable. 

Peter Dinklage

One of the most common tropes on the show was the stars taking potshots at Ari. Ari was a character we all loved to hate, but it turns out most of the celebrities playing themselves also hated Ari. Peter Dinklage is one of those when he trades barbs with Ari at a party in the Season 2 "Sundance Kids."

John Stamos

John Stamos was the perfect type of celeb to show on Entourage. It was always fun to see how a cameo appearance might just be an opportunity to take down lovable loser Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon). In a bit of a twist, after getting insulted by Stamos a few times, the two play an epic match of ping pong that ends predicably for Drama in the Season 7 episode "Tequila Sunrise." 

Jeffrey Tambor

Jeffrey Tambor plays a jerk like few others can in Hollywood. When he's playing a fictionalized version of himself being to jerk to his kids, it's comedy gold. Fictional life as a jerk and real life have blurred together for Tambor, but his appearance in Season 6 is still really funny. 

Matt Damon

Matt Damon takes charity very seriously, so his cameo on Entourage, in the Season 6 finale, fits perfectly. It's also a rare time that Vince (Adrian Grenier) is the one getting clowned when he tries to dodge both Damon and Bono into giving money to their charity to help children.  

Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer's guest spot on the show is a little different than most on this list. He doesn't play himself, but the role is so brief – and so funny – that it had to be included. In Season 1, the Top Gun: Maverick star plays a "sherpa" living in a giant house in Beverly Hills like a '60s hippie. 

Snoop Dogg

No one brings joy like Snoop Dogg. There is never a time when people are unhappy to see the legendary rapper show up somewhere on TV and Entourage is no exception. The brief interaction between Snoop, Vince, and Eric (Kevin Connolly), partly highlights the confusion of how to pronounce "Cannes" in the Season 4 episode "The Dream Team."

James Cameron

The Season 2 episode "Sundance Kids" really kicked the cameos on the show into overdrive and one of the best of the whole series is James Cameron. Vince is trying to land a role in his Aquaman movie, so Turtle and Drama try to help (and fail). The best part, though, is Cameron's interaction with a barista (played by This Is Us star Chrissy Metz). 

Tom Brady

Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is a die-hard New York Giants fan, so when he meets Tom Brady at a charity golf tournament, he does what any self-respecting fan would do, he blows him off and refuses to shake his hand. It's brilliant. 

Martin Scorsese

Entourage proved just how big it was for celeb cameos when none other than Martin Scorsese appeared for a brief scene to offer Vince a role in his fictional The Great Gatsby movie in the finale of Season 5. You know you've made it when Scorsese gets involved. 

Scarlett Johansson

Season 1 ends with a big-time star appearance when the one and only Scarlett Johansson cameos on the phone with Vince, after Eric promises him to land a date with the superstar actress. It works, though it's the last time we'd see Johansson on the show. 

Stan Lee

Comic legend Stan Lee became the king of cameos with his iconic moments in the MCU universe for years, a streak that ended with his death in 2018. It's all too appropriate that we include him on this list, not only due to Lee's status as a cameo-king but because his quick role is just so funny as he can't quite place where he's seen Vince's adult film star girlfriend, Sasha Grey, before.

Lamar Odom

Entourage was replete with professional athletes throughout its run. Lamar Odom shows up pretty early in the show's run, in "An Offer Refused" in Season 2. The cameo is notable because of the way Drama gets obsessed with how men's calves look, including Odom's, which understandably freaks the NBA star out. 

Bono

Bono's appearance in the Season 6 finale is brilliant. He only appears via computer screen, as he's on a video call with Matt Damon and teams up with Damon to gang up on Vince to guilt him into getting on board with their charity. It's vintage Bono, pushing a charity but not taking himself as seriously as the world perceives him to be. 

Bobby Flay

Ari being a jerk to someone isn't a surprise, but Ari being a jerk to Bobby Flay is, pardon the pun, pure gold. Flay is great playing himself as the chef at his own restaurant, one of Ari's favorites, but the two bicker before Flay has had enough in the Season 8 episode "Whiz Kid." 

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara's cameo is notable because she's not playing herself. While she herself is perfect for the role as a Colombian actress auditioning for the movie Medellin, it's funny because of how ridiculous the rest of Vince's team reacts to her. The first episode of Season 2 is one of the most unique, and funniest, of the show's run. 

M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan's appearance in the episode "Sorry, Harvey" in Season 4 is classic Entourage. Playing himself, he's angry at Ari for not reading his latest script and confronts the super agent to call him on it. It's the kind of cameo we've come to expect from this show, a major star fighting with Ari. 

Christina Aguilera

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself" is one of the saddest of the show, for a few reasons. One is Ari throwing a lavish party for his wife to keep her from leaving him complete with Christina Aguilera singing "You Are Beautiful," only to have his wife not show.  Aguilera gets mad at Ari (naturally) and demands his Lakers playoffs tickets to keep performing. 

Adrian Peterson

NFL superstar Adrian Peterson selling a dinosaur skull. Is there anything more that needs to be said? The Season 7 episode "Tequila and Coke" has a great moment poking fun at people investing in fossils, and yes, Nic Cage gets a shout-out. 

Zac Efron

It's no surprise that Ari would be trying to steal a client from another agent, but what makes Zac Efron's cameo on Entourage so funny is his interaction with a fan while on the phone with Ari. A mom using her daughter to get Efron's autograph (and pushing for, um, more) is hilarious. 

Kanye West

Vince and his crew have no problem asking anyone for a favor. Kanye West is the victim of one of the most outlandish requests when they beg him for a ride on his private plane to France, even though Ye is headed for London in "No Cannes Do" from Season 4. The rapper is stunned and doesn't hide it, but still, who can turn down Vince? No one, not even Ye.

David Spade

David Spade is the perfect star for a cameo on Entourage. In his, he's got women on both arms and plays a total jerk. While he's surely not a jerk, he somehow has that public perception, which is what makes the cameo so much fun in the Season 8 episode titled "The Big Bang." Spade is just hilarious. 

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is clearly a good sport. Despite the show taking a shot at the pro golfer's failure at the 2006 U.S. Open, he later agreed to appear on the show, if only to show up Ari. A chance meeting on the golf course between Mickelson, and Kevin Dillon and Jerry Ferrara, led to the role. Kizmet. 

50 Cent

50 Cent makes one of the briefest cameos on the show, but it's one of the best. When he sees Turtle driving, he pulls up alongside and manages to take Turtle down a notch, despite the fancy ride he's driving in. Turtle has a rough time in his birthday episode, "One Car, Two Car, Red Car, Blue Car," from Season 6.

Aaron Sorkin

Aaron Sorkin's first cameo (he made two) on Entourage came in an episode named after him, "The Sorkin Notes" in Season 6. Sorkin is caught up in some drama in Ari's office that he wants no part of and is hilarious in a rare acting role for the writer and director. Now can we get that West Wing revival starring Sterling K. Brown that Sorkin had an idea for, please?

Dean Cain

Another very brief cameo comes from Dean Cain. The former Superman actor disrupts one of Drama's auditions, which crushes Drama, as he figures there's no one he can compete with Cain for the part. It's vintage Johnny Drama in the Season 6 episode "Scared Straight." It's another moment in which you can't help but feel terrible for Drama. 

Eminem

The Season 7 finale, "Lose Yourself," not only foreshadows Vince's downward spiral, but Eminem's cameo. In one of the lowest moments of Vince's life, he first insults Minka Kelly, then gets into a fistfight with Eminem. It's as sad as it is funny, a line the show walked brilliantly in the episode. 

Alex Rodriguez

How tragic would be to hear that you lost out on a ton of money from former Yankee Alex Rodriguez? That's what happens to Turtle when the shortstop-turned-third-baseman shows up on screen to tell Turtle that the tequila company he once owned a lot of stock in went public after he sold out. Ouch. 

Steve Nash

Poor Steve Nash. The NBA star was at the height of his fame when he was unwittingly cornered by Eric at his manager's office (Scott Caan). Eric dumps all of his girlfriend problems on the Canadian basketball player's feet in the Season 6 episode "Murphy's Lie," and all Nash can do is look stunned. 

Johnny Galecki

Johnny Galecki's role in Entourage was a little more than one cameo, it was more like three cameos over three episodes and he plays a fictionalized version of himself who makes Eric's life hell by dating Eric's ex-girlfriend Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui). This version of Galecki is terrible but completely hilarious. 

Jessica Simpson

As Ari tries to protect his client base, he's forced to go hat in hand to a client who's mad at him for not caring when her dog died. Jessica Simpson meets Ari at the door in "Bottoms Up" from Season 7, and in classic Entourage fashion, makes Ari look like the jerk that he is, despite his insincere attempt to gift another dog to Simpson. It sums up everything a great Entourage cameo should be. A big star, an unrepentant Ari, and some choice lines. 

This is a list that could be almost endless, and we didn't even get into the multiple cameos in the Entourage movie, one of which featured Channing Tatum that didn't actually happen. 

For many life-long Avatar: The Last Airbender fans, the 2010 live-action movie by M. Night Shyamalan made us fearful of other attempts to re-create the beloved animated series. So, when Netflix’s adaptation of The Last Airbender was announced as part of the 2024 TV schedule, many were skeptical. However, things seem to be moving in the right direction, and now, the EP of the new show has opened up about the flack the 2010 film got, and if it’s impacted his series.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Avatar movie had issues, and a lot of them. Fans of the Nickelodeon series were livid about the special effects not being up to par, the changing of many characters and the whitewashing of the cast. So, when the Netflix series’ EP and showrunner Albert Kim took on the daunting project of creating a live-action adaptation of the beloved fantasy epic, thoughts about the 2010 film were reignited. However, Kim tried his best not to look too far into the film as he told EW:

Kim was very aware of the criticisms the 2010 project received though. Addressing the film’s casting choices and the special effects, both of which received harsh reactions, the showrunner for the Netflix series said:

As Kim stated, his show has been able to avoid the issues the film faced so far. For example, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender cast is faithful to the original show, and it features Asian and Indigenous actors – including Gordon Cormier as Aang and Kiawentiio as Katara. 

Also, The Last Airbender’s teaser showed off the visually stunning landscapes and special effects that are possible because of the technological advancements in filmmaking and VFX work. As Kim said, Shyamalan’s movie didn’t have the tech they have now, meaning it was nearly impossible to create effects that were super similar to the bending and action sequences in the OG animated series. 

While it’s been revealed that there will be changes made to Netflix’s Airbender adaptation, I’m cautiously optimistic about the series. Plus, it seems like they are working hard to make a faithful live-action show that fans of the animated series will love. Hopefully, Kim’s project will live up to the hype and become one of Netflix’s best shows, and those who adore the OG series won’t feel the need to react the same way they did in 2010.

We’ll find all this out when Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender premieres on February 22. In the meantime, you can stream the OG Nickelodeon show with a Netflix subscription. 

With the Trap release date quickly approaching, it has us thinking, if there is one undeniable thing about M. Night Shyamalan’s best movies, it is that the filmmaker has come up with some of the most amusing concepts for a thriller, and this new film is already no exception. The latest upcoming horror movie from the Oscar-nominated creator of one of the best horror movies of all time, 1999’s The Sixth Sense, certainly has me interested, but also curious if, like most of his films, there is more than meets the eye. Let’s see if we can figure out the twist in Trap as we take a look at what we know about the film so far.

What Is The Trap Release Date?

Trap is set to hit in theaters on August 2, 2024. The upcoming 2024 movie shares its release date with another anticipated film about a killer called Cuckoo, starring Hunter Schafer. There are also plenty of other films coming out that month that are sure to give audiences a scare, such as Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus and Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut, Blink Twice.

The Latest Trap Trailer Expands On Its Very Intriguing Twist

Typically, M. Night Shyamalan likes to keep as many details about his films under wraps and save the big surprises for the end of the movie, but the first trailer for Trap seemed to reveal an astonishing detail about the plot. After the main character discovers that the concert he is attending with his daughter is being barricaded to catch a killer, the teaser dropped a hint suggesting he is the so-called Butcher. The details provided in the second trailer for Trap seem to not only confirm the protagonist’s identity, but offer further insight into his criminal mindset, as you can see by watching it below:

The promo starts off with a few familiar moments, such as our protagonist’s daughter enjoying the show before he leaves and discovers why the venue is heavily guarded, before veering in new, more sinister directions. It appears that he does not want to go down with this trap without a fight – figuring out ways to stay one step ahead of the authorities by swiping a walkie-talkie and creating distractions – and the trailer hints that the action might take us to his house/death chamber by the end. Knowing Shyamalan, there might be more to these details than the teaser seems to be letting on, and I am looking forward to learning more.

What Trap Is About

When Trap was first announced and described by Shyamalan as a “psychological thriller set at a concert,” it brought up many questions – such as, what sort of psychological thrills can we expect to see at this show and does the title hint that “trap” will be the featured style of music. To answer the first question, as the trailer’s premiere during the Warner Bros. panel at CinemaCon 2024 revealed, it follows a man named Cooper taking his teenage daughter, Riley, to see her favorite singer, Lady Raven, perform live, where he notices an unusual amount of police officers surrounding the venue. After questioning a merchandise vendor about it, he learns that the entire show is being used as a “trap” to catch the notorious murderer known as “The Butcher,” whom the trailer seems to imply is none other than Cooper himself.

To answer the second question, Lady Raven’s style of music is not “trap,” but R&B that is written and performed by the actor portraying her: real-life musician and daughter of the filmmaker, Saleka Shyamalan. M. Night told CinemaBlend’s own Sarah El-Mahmoud how he and Saleka discussed ideas for a project they could work on together and the concept of a Purple Rain-esque experience in which the original music would be performed diegetically, while also lending to the themes and circumstances of the story, came up. Thus, Trap was born. 

Josh Hartnett Stars In The Trap Cast

The M. Night Shyamalan movies tend to feature wonderfully talented A-listers and that will also be the case with the filmmaker’s latest. Take a look at who plays who in the Trap cast below.

Josh Hartnett (Cooper)

Leading the Trap cast as Cooper is Josh Hartnett in his first collaboration with Shyamalan, but certainly not his first encounter with the horror genre. He made his acting debut in 1998’s Halloween H20: 20 Years Later before leading the Faculty cast, fighting vampires in Alaska in 2007’s 30 Days of Night, and playing a werewolf on Showtime’s Penny Dreadful. The Oppenheimer cast member’s most notable credits also include Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, playing “The Salesman” in the Sin City cast, and one of the best episodes of Black Mirror (“Beyond the Sea”), more recently.

Ariel Donaghue (Riley)

Playing Cooper’s daughter, Riley, is Ariel Donaghue, who is also no stranger to horror as her best-known role to date comes from the Peacock original series, Wolf Like Me – a romantic, comedic take on lycanthropic lore. Some of her earlier credits include a guest-spot on the Australian coming-of-age drama, High Life, and playing a younger version of Mia Wasikowska’s character in 2022’s Blueback.

Saleka Shyamalan (Lady Raven)

The film’s plot kicks into gear when Cooper takes Riley to a concert headlined by popular artist, Lady Raven, who is played by M. Night Shyamalan’s daughter, Saleka, in her acting debut. However, Trap is not her first professional collaboration with her father as the accomplished R&B singer-songwriter’s music has been featured in some of M. Night’s work — namely 2021’s Old and the Apple TV+ series, Servant, which he executive produced. He also directed the music video for her 2021 single, “The Sky Cries.”

Hayley Mills (TBA)

Starring in Trap in a role that has not been officially disclosed – but briefly shown in the second trailer – is Hayley Mills. The English actor is most famous for another movie about an elaborate trap: 1961’s The Parent Trap, in which she gave dual performances as a pair of long lost twins conspiring to reunite their estranged mother and father. She also played the title role of 1960’s Pollyanna and, in the late 1980s, Good Morning Miss Bliss (before the sitcom was rebranded as Saved by the Bell) and, more recently, guest-starred on Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time.

Alison Pill (TBA)

Also in a currently undisclosed role Alison Pill, whose previous roles include playing Kim in the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast, a teacher in Snowpiercer, Mary Cheney in Vice, and Dr. Agnes Jurati on Star Trek: Picard, to name a few.

Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi (TBA)

Saleka is not the only musician appearing in this “concert movie,” as Scott Mescudi – better known as Kid Cudi – also has a role, which he personally confirmed in an X post before the second trailer offered a first look at his character. Unlike Saleka, however, the rapper has plenty of prior acting experience, sometimes as himself (like in Bill & Ted Face the Music or 2023’s House Party remake) or in original roles like Jackson from 2022’s A24 horror movie, X, or Jabari from the Emmy-winning animated Netflix movie, Entergalactic, which he also co-wrote.

Trap Is Rated PG-13

Like most of Shyamalan’s previous films, Trap rated PG-13 for some violent content and brief strong language. While we expected this, we would not have been surprised if the thriller was branded with an R by the MPA, considering the filmmaker has released a few films with this rating – including his most recent release, Knock at the Cabin – and the fact that the protagonist is a murderer.

Trap Is Written And Directed By M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan is both the writer and director of Trap, which should not come as a surprise to anyone familiar with his work. He has been involved in the script-writing process of every single film he has directed so far. Yet, he is not credited as a writer for the episodes of Servant and Wayward Pines that he helmed, so there is that.

Not to mention, Shyamalan has written and/or produced a couple of films that were handled by other directors. For instance (and this might come as a shock to some people), he ghost-wrote the teen rom-com She’s All That and he and Greg Brooker collaborated on a beloved kids movie, 1999’s Stuart Little, which was helmed by The Lion King director Rob Minkoff. He also produced and wrote the story for director John Erick Dowdle’s Devil from 2010. 

Trap Is "Very New Compared To" Shyamalan's Previous Work

While we have established that Shyamalan is usually behind his film’s screenplays in some capacity, his last few efforts were, notably, not bred from his own ideas. Old was inspired by the French graphic novel, Sandcastle, from Pierre-Oscar Lévy and Ferederik Peeters, and Knock at the Cabin, at least, bears adifferent ending than its source material: Paul Tremblay’s book, The Cabin at the End of the World. However, Trap is a different story, as he reflected in the following quote from an NME article in 2023:

Even Shyamalan acknowledges in the quote above — before the title for Trap was officially announced — that the new film is his freshest idea in a little while. That makes me even more excited for it because, as much as I enjoyed Knock at the Cabin and realize that Old has its fans, I think most would agree that he is usually at his best when working with stories from his own imagination — such as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and its sequels, or the alien invasion classic, Signs.

The Thriller Is Part Of Shyamalan's New Deal With Warner Bros.

For several years, M. Night Shyamalan called Disney his home, with many of his films being released under the company’s Touchstone banner. In 2015, his take on the found-footage thriller genre, The Visit (also one of the best Blumhouse horror movies) marked his first partnership with them before he later partnered with Universal. Trap will be the filmmaker’s first Warner Bros. release.

According to a report by Deadline, Trap is part of a new, multi-year deal he signed with the prestigious studio in early 2023. Also involved in a Warner Bros. contract is another one of the filmmaker’s talented daughters, Ishana Shyamalan, who made her feature-length debut in June 2024 with The Watchers, which stars Dakota Fanning. The filmmaker previously wrote and directed episodes of Servant, was her father’s second unit director on Old, and has also helmed multiple music videos for her aforementioned sister, Saleka.

It looks like there is a lot more that Shyamalan fans can look out for, and not just from M. Night. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates on Trap.

It’s unanimous! Everybody thinks The Sixth Sense is the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, right? WRONG. Because you know what? I don't. In fact, I never have. That distinction has always belonged to Shyamalan’s fourth movie, Unbreakable, in my eyes.  

Now, look. I’m not just going to point out everything wrong with The Sixth Sense, because how could I? It’s an excellent film and one of only six horror movies to ever be nominated for Best Picture. But is it M. Night Shyamalan’s best movie? Well, I’m going to say no, and I have four reasons why Unbreakable surpasses it.     

Oh, and massive spoilers for some relatively old flicks lie ahead.

Unbreakable Solidified The Fact That M. Night Shyamalan Isn't A One Trick Pony 

Nowadays, it’s easy to criticize M. Night Shyamalan. Heck, even the actors he’s worked with, like Mark Wahlberg, have been critical of his movies. But back in 1999, when The Sixth Sense came out and became one of the best horror movies, you'd hardly see or hear a bad word about the director. I remember it well. Proclamations that Shyamalan was “the next Hitchcock,”  or “the next Spielberg” ran rampant. And, mind you, this was just after ONE MOVIE. One great movie, to be sure, but one nonetheless. That’s how big of a deal the horror thriller was.     

But then, the filmmaker seemingly did the impossible. The very next year, fans received 2000’s Unbreakable. And instead of being another horror movie like its predecessor, it proved to be a much quieter (but no less effective) film. With this production, M. Night Shyamalan basically made the most understated comic book origin story in history, as Bruce Willis’s character, David Dunn, has superhuman abilities but is really just learning about it himself for the first time and questioning his entire life. What I love about this reveal, which I think is even stronger than the one in Sixth Sense, is that Willis's character has to make a decision here. And his choice is ultimately to fight evil. It’s not a tale about making peace with oneself. It’s a story about good vs. bad.

And that twist! (Which I’ll get back to later). That twist, which may arguably be more shocking than The Sixth Sense's, proved the rising director had a very healthy career ahead of him.  And then, Sighs, I’m sorry, Signs came out, and all that good will essentially went down the toilet. And yes, I know. A lot of people love that sci-flick. (I’m just not one of them.)   

Unbreakable Created A Whole Shyamalan Universe That We Wouldn’t Know About Until Much Later 

My colleague, Alexandra Ramos, ranked M. Night Shyamalan’s movies and believes Split is his second best film. I definitely think there’s a case to be made there but, if one were to ask me what my absolute favorite part of Split was, it's that it's set in the same universe as Unbreakable. I mean, what!? Forget the chronology of the MCU. This is the SCU! In all seriousness, my heart leapt to my throat when I saw Bruce Willis in that diner mentioning Mr. Glass. I’m not even joking when I say that during the scene, I gasped louder than I did over seeing Thanos in the mid-credits stinger of The Avengers. 

But why would this make Unbreakable better than the 1999 horror movie? Well, because the former movie sparked some more creative delights from the filmmaker. Split is arguably one of his best flicks, and I'm amazed by the fact that it was derived from the same world that the director crafted for his 2000 superhero movie. This is some proof -- for me, at least -- that this fictional universe gave the Last Airbender helmer some of his best movies.  

We never got a follow-up to The Sixth Sense. (Not that we needed one, but still). Yet the other film I'm comparing it to did, and that's fairly impressive for a flick that was thought to be a one-off.

Unbreakable Marks Bruce Willis' His Best Performance In An M. Night Shyamalan Film 

Don’t just take my word for it. Quentin Tarantino himself called Unbreakable Bruce Willis’s “best performance on film," and this is coming from a guy who has actually directed the man himself! Now, I wouldn’t go that far, as I actually think Bruce Willis has a much better performance in Tarantino’s best movie, Pulp Fiction. Yet I definitely think the performance he gives in the superhero movie is much better than the one he gives in The Sixth Sense.    

And that’s not the actor's fault. Sixth Sense was really a star-creating vehicle for Haley Joel Osment, but I’ve always found the Die Hard icon a little stiff in the film. Of course, there's a reason for that, as the movie is about a ghost who thinks he’s still alive and is mentally sorting through all of that. 

On the other hand, Unbreakable is purely a character study. In fact, I really think Bruce Willis’s performance in the 2000 feature is the best performance in any M. Night Shyamalan movie. At times, the film feels downright somber, and a great deal of that is due to Willis’ stellar and balanced performance, which is definitely one of the best in his career -- if not THE best.  

The Twist In Unbreakable Is Arguably Even More Shocking Than The One In The Sixth Sense 

I know many would disagree with this statement, since pretty much everybody agrees that “Bruce Willis is a ghost” is one of the greatest twists in cinematic history, but hear me out.  In his article on M. Night Shyamalan’s best twists, my fellow writer, Jason Weise, concluded his description of Unbreakable’s with this statement: “Perhaps if the audience did not know it was a comic book movie…”    

And that’s just it! We didn’t know it was a comic book movie when it first came out. We didn’t know WHAT kind of movie it was. It was just the latest feature from M. Night Shyamalan, and that was enough to get butts in the theaters back then. With The Sixth Sense, what people seem to remember the most about IS the twist. Upon rewatch, you might check to see if anybody is actually looking at Bruce Willis’ character besides Cole. (They’re not!). So the twist really supports the film itself. 

With Unbreakable, however, the surprise only makes the overall movie better. The revelation that Glass is actually an arch-nemesis was even more potent because it was at that very moment that we actually learned, as an audience, that we WERE watching a comic book movie. The fact that the twist actually CHANGES what the movie is makes it, in my mind, even more effective than the ending in the supernatural drama. It's just too bad the third movie, Glass, wasn't the best conclusion to the trilogy…

So all in all, those are my reasons. Have I convinced you that Unbreakable is M. Night Shyamalan’s best film rather than The Sixth Sense? Probably not but, regardless, thanks for checking out my musings! And those who'd like to make a comparison for themselves should seek out the two quality films.

M. Night Shyamalan is not known as a director who takes a lot of time between projects. There was a six year gap between his first two films – 1992's Praying With Anger and 1998's Wide Awake – but since the release of The Sixth Sense in 1999, he's never gone more than three years without producing another feature. As such, it will be hardly surprising to anyone paying attention to learn that the filmmaker is already developing his follow-up to Knock At The Cabin.

While Knock At The Cabin wasn't Shyamalan's biggest box office success story, it does have the distinction of being the movie that dethroned Avatar: The Way Of Water this past February, and the filmmaker isn't resting on his laurels. Reporting out of CineEurope, Deadline says that Shyamalan is now working with Warner Bros. on a feature that is titled Trap.  Not much was said about the in-the-works project, but it's being described as a "psychological thriller set at a concert."

We'll have to wait and see what kind of twists and turns M. Night Shyamalan has in store for us this time around. The first movie that comes to mind when reading that premise is Grand Piano – the 2013 film starring Elijah Wood that was written by Damien Chazelle, but it's possible that the Split filmmaker has something very different planned.

If the film is based on an original screenplay by Shyamalan, which it seems to be, it will be the first that he has scripted since Glass in 2020.

Earlier this year, Shyamalan's adaptation of Paul Tremblay's Knock At The Cabin earned some of the best critical appraisals of his career (I can't say I  was the biggest fan, as expressed in my CinemaBlend review). It completed its run at the domestic box office making $35.4 million (presently it's the twenty-first biggest release of 2023), and it has made $54.7 million worldwide. Those who missed it in theaters will find that there are now many ways to watch it, as it is available via digital rental and purchase and with a Peacock subscription.

We'll keep you up to date as we learn more about Trap, which will be coming out in a little more than a year from now on August 2, 2024. The director has a long history of working with talented actors, so casting updates should only serve to pique our interest in the project (perhaps it will be the movie that leads to him reteaming with Glass star Sarah Paulson?) Ultimately we hope that it will wind up being a title that we reflect on as one of M. Night Shyamalan's best movies.

For more info about all of the films presently scheduled for release next year, check out our 2024 Movie Release Calendar. 

How To Watch Knock At The Cabin

Watch Knock At The Cabin: Synopsis

Imagine being propositioned by a group of people with the chance to save humanity from a quickly impending doomsday. The only caveat: one member of your own family must be sacrificed by your own hand. Do you trust these strangers and their prophecy and go through with this terrible decision or do you fight to protect your own, even if that does, indeed, mean causing death and destruction to the rest of the world?

Without giving away the Knock at the Cabin ending, this horrifying concept is explored in the latest of M. Night Shyamalan's movies. Both directed and co-written by the Academy Award nominated filmmaker (along with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman), the film is a mostly faithful adaptation of the novel The Cabin at the End of the World, by Paul Tremblay.

Some who've seen the film feel that this new horror movie is one of the best freaky features of 2023 so far in how it not only delivers on its intense premise, but also tells a gripping story that is deeply relevant to current times by focusing on the interrupted holiday of a same-sex couple and their adoptive child. The story's emotional lure, however, should be credited mostly to the Knock at the Cabin cast, which includes Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge as the central couple desperate to protect their daughter (Kristen Cui) from Dave Bautista's character and his associates, who believe the apocalypse is coming. 

If this intriguing blend of a classic home invasion thriller with themes of armageddon rings your bell, read on. The following is a guide on how and where to find Knock at the Cabin streaming online or you can also check out our Knock at the Cabin, Ending Explained Guide.

Watch Knock at the Cabin online in the US

Knock at the Cabin was already one of the most anticipated 2023 movies when it was released to theaters on February 3rd under distribution from Universal Studios. That being said, it should come as no surprise that it became available to stream exclusively with a Peacock subscription as of Friday, March 24th.

Abroad? Use a VPN using the instructions below to access Peacock like you would at home.

How to watch Knock at the Cabin from anywhere

If you're a US citizen on vacation or working overseas, you can still watch Knock at the Cabin just as you would at home. 

While Peacock blocks access from IP addresses outside of the US, there's a handy piece of software called a VPN which can change your IP address to make it look like you're accessing streaming services from any country in the world. 

For example, US citizens in the UK can subscribe to a VPN, join a US based server and tune into all the programs on Peacock from anywhere in the world, just like you would back home.

Step-by-step of using a VPN to unblock:

1. Choose a VPN and install it - our go-to recommendation is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to a server - for Peacock, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the US

3. Go to the live stream you wish to access - for Knock at the Cabin, head to Peacock

Spoilers ahead for the finale of Servant.

M. Night Shyamalan is a truly iconic filmmaker, who instantly became a household name thanks to his acclaimed work in The Sixth Sense. That movie became a sensation partly because of its twist ending, and he's known for having big twists in the majority of his movies. But some of these are more successful than others, leading to Shyamalan having a bit of a mixed reputation amongst moviegoers. He moved to the small screen with Apple TV's thriller series Servant, which just wrapped up its fourth and final season. And I actually think Servant's final season broke M. Night Shyamalan's finale curse.

As previously mentioned, M. Night Shyamalan takes bold narrative swings, and he's become pretty synonymous with his various movie twist endings. Moviegoers were psyched when Split revealed a connection to Unbreakable, but there's been some major missteps along the way like Old and The Happening's endings. Servant Season 4 had a lot to wrap up, especially the mysteries surrounding Leanne (Nell Tiger Free) and baby Jericho. And luckily those with an Apple TV+ subscription, it all built into a thrilling, emotionally satisfying ending. Let's break it all down.

Servant Season 4 is way bigger than its predecessors

At the start Servant felt like a petty humble show. While there was a supernatural element, we were largely following a mystery unravel within the Turner townhouse. Eventually Leanne's powers grew, as more and more creepy things began occurring-- including some fatalities. But in Season 4 of Servant M. Night Shyamalan and company turned up the dial to ten, helping to build excitement and anticipation about how the saga would eventually end.

The scale of Servant Season 4 can be seen in the ways that Leanne's power manifested itself throughout the final episodes. We watched as a bed bugs infestation hit the entire block, and a massive sinkhole opened up right outside of the Turner house. And the final few episodes occurred in the midst of a giant rainstorm. Because of this the final season truly felt like the accumulation of the entire show's run. 

The Servant ending offered a fun twist, but the main narrative was wrapped up neatly.

While Season 4 of Servant has been a ride, there were some viewers who were concerned about whether or not M. Night Shyamalan and company would stick the landing for the series finale. Luckily that's exactly what they did... while also providing one more fun twist.

The final two episodes of Servant saw Lauren Ambrose's Dorothy Turner finally remember the trauma of Jericho's death, which is something that fans have been waiting for since Season 1. And while Leanne confirmed she brought him back with her powers and offered to do it again, Dorothy turned her down. Because in order to truly love her son, she had to accept her own actions, guilt, and grief. 

Dorothy and Leanne's relationship also played out in a really emotional way, with the two women forgiving each other and once again finding themselves in a place of understanding. After their battle all season long, Dorothy even agreed to take Leanne with them as they evacuated the neighborhood. 

But Leanne ultimately had other plans. While we were never given a explanation of her powers, it became clear that the titular servant was the only one who could ever really kill herself. And that's exactly what she does, burning the house to the ground in the process. But not before she "made plans" with sweet Tony Revolori's sweet Tobe.

As for the final twist, it concerns Rupert Grint's Julian. He runs into Officer Reyes, who reveals herself to be a member of the Church of Lesser Saints cult. And since he died briefly back in Season 2, only to be resurrected by Leanne. We're left wondering if he joins the cult himself, and are shown just how many members were surrounding the Tuner family. This twist didn't cheapen or change the show's ending at all, but offered one more parting shot for fans.

Servant is streaming in its entirety on Apple TV. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch.

SPOILERS ahead for Knock at the Cabin! Read on with caution if you haven't seen the M. Night Shyamalan movie. 

M. Night Shyamalan’s recently released horror flick Knock at the Cabin offers viewers a simple premise: What if the apocalypse was real? Would you believe it? And would you accept the impossible task of saving humanity at the expense of sacrificing your own happiness?

The decision isn’t that simple for Eric and Andrew, the protagonists of the film, but it’s one they must make. I kept waiting for the signature M. Night Shyamalan plot twist that would change everything, but as it turns out the big twist in Knock at the Cabin ending is that there really isn’t a twist at all, which we explain fully here.

I haven’t been able to get certain aspects of this movie out of my head since I saw it. Here are six things from Knock at the Cabin that I’m still thinking about, and be sure to stream Knock at the Cabin before reading any further.

Leonard Was Probably A Really Good Teacher!

No time to waste in this movie: we’re immediately introduced to Wen, a young girl catching grasshoppers, who’s approached by Leonard (MCU actor Dave Bautista). Despite having the physique of a former WWE star, Leonard is gentle and kind—but informs Wen that he and his friends have come because Wen’s parents must make a horrible decision.

We’re soon introduced to Adriane, a single mother; Redmond, an angry man with a complicated past (played by Rupert Grint); and Sabrina, a registered nurse. The four have come because of bone-chilling visions they’ve had that seem to depict the apocalypse. Despite their menacing message and slightly more menacing weapons, the group doesn’t seem out for blood—least of all Leonard, who shares he’s an elementary school teacher. You can’t help but imagine how good of a teacher he must be as he explains the predicament to Wen and her parents.

Would I Be More Like Andrew Or Eric In That Situation?

Understandably, Eric (Hamilton star Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) are reluctant to accept the premise that they must sacrifice one member of their family in order to prevent the end of times.

Andrew and Eric go through a lot of other explanations (shared psychosis, a religious cult, etc.) before their perceptions of reality begin to shatter—but the visitors have pretty convincing evidence in their favor, including live television broadcasts of bizarre tragedies occurring en masse across the globe and some personal sacrifices of the deadly variety.

I can’t help but wonder if I would react like Daddy Eric or Daddy Andrew in this situation. Would I be staunchly opposed, protective to a fault like Andrew? Or would I start to feel for the humanity of the visitors pleading in front of me, like Eric? I’m pretty gullible, so I feel like I could get on board with the whole apocalypse thing—but murdering your spouse or baby is pretty hard to agree to.

The Flashbacks

Flashbacks to moments like spending time with Andrew’s homophobic parents or pretending to be brothers in law when meeting Wen at an orphanage remind us that this is a family that has gone through the unimaginable to be together. 

But the flashbacks also provide needed context for Eric and Andrew’s world views. Eric is a hothead who’s not going to negotiate with people he thinks are out to get him—certainly not with people who might be in a homophobic religious cult. Eric, on the other hand, is more empathetic. He’s more mellow and more even-keeled. He’s also more understanding of others, which is why Eric’s certainty begins to waver sooner than Andrew’s. He can sense that Leonard, Sabrina, Adriane and Redmond are telling the truth.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Painfully Long Cameo

M. Night Shyamalan is no stranger to the “hidden” cameo role. He loves to show up in bit roles in his movies for a little meta easter egg. In Old, he played the resort employee who drove people to the beach. In Knock at the Cabin, he appeared as an actor in an infomercial.

Did you catch it? Of course you did, it went on for way too goddamn long. I don’t like when my movies talk to me like I’m stupid. I saw you in there, M. Night. I saw you after 2 seconds. You didn’t need to drag it out for so long.

The Similarities To Cabin In The Woods

Towards the end of the movie I started to feel like Knock at the Cabin pulled some inspiration from another personal favorite horror movie of mine: The Cabin In The Woods. And before you protest, my reason is NOT just because both films take place in a cabin in the woods.

Both films make you (and the characters) question your reality—is the threat right in front of me? Or is the threat actually so big I can’t comprehend it?

Both films also answer an existential question we don’t have the answer to. How will the world end? And is there a way to stop it from ending?

The “Happy” Ending

Full disclosure: I am a Jonathan Groff stan. He’s really the only reason I wanted to see this movie in the first place. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out that his character, Daddy Eric, was actually the heart of the entire movie. After portraying the full range of human emotions in his acting (including being concussed), Jonathan Groff made me cry in a public theater when Daddy Eric saved the day.

My mind was racing trying to figure out how the movie would end pretty much until the last moments—but the somewhat “happy” ending was actually pretty satisfying. Eric’s sacrifice really did save the world (or at least that’s what me, Wen and Andrew will believe). Despite the fact that I desperately wanted Daddy Eric to survive until the end, I now want to see Jonathan Groff in approximately 100 new horror movies.

Phew. This movie definitely took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, but it was definitely worth the ride. If you need me, I’ll be listening to Boogie Shoes on repeat.

Still thinking about Knock at the Cabin? Check out our list of movies and shows to watch if you loved the cast.

Horror fans can stay up to date on all the new scary movies coming out in 2023 with our upcoming horror movie guide.

M. Night Shyamalan’s latest box office horror movie hit, Knock at the Cabin, contains a simple but terrifying premise: if strangers broke into your home and forced you to choose between your loved ones and the rest of the world, what would you do? A bone-chilling Sophie’s choice that one of the movie’s actors, Harry Potter alum Rupert Grint, says made the filmmaking experience one of the worst projects for him because it encompasses two of his biggest fears: the apocalypse and home invasions.

Costars Rupert Grint and Ben Aldridge appeared on the British television program, This Morning to discuss their latest M. Night thriller. Grint gushed about his time working with The Sixth Sense director (a reunion for the pair) but says the movie was quite stressful due to his own personal fears, and chiefly, his fear of home invasion. When asked, the actor confirmed to the hosts:

Who can blame the actor? There is no shortage of apocalypse and home invasion films and television shows, and I’d wager that is primarily because it’s a fear many of us share.

The Moonwalkers star might have had a stressful time on the set of Knock at the Cabin due to the nature of the subject matter at hand; however, he had nothing but positive things to say about his director. Grint went as far as describing Shyamalan as being a genius in the realm of psychological thrillers. He continued: 

It would seem that audiences and critics agree with Grint because Knock at the Cabin became M. Night’s fourth movie in a row to hit number one at the box office. An impressive achievement for any filmmaker, but maybe even more so for Shyamalan, who at one point in time had become somewhat of a Hollywood punching bag after such box office bombs as The Last Air Bender and After Earth. Perceived failures aside, we cannot forget we are talking about the man who wrote and directed The Sixth Sense and Signs (which shares a spiritual connection to Knock). The director has some bangers in his filmography–see our ranking of all his movies.

Do you share the fear of the apocalypse and home invasions with actor Rupert Grint? Well, there is still time for you to be scared out of your wits by catching Knock at the Cabin, now playing in theaters. For all other movie and entertainment news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend and make sure to check out our list of 2023 new movie releases to plan your next cinema-going experience. 

Glass and Unbreakable director M. Night Shyamalan enjoyed yet another Number 1 opening when Knock at the Cabin dethroned Avatar at the box office and posted a healthy $14.2 million in domestic tickets sold. Critics raved about the performances in the film, particularly that of Shyamalan newcomer Dave Bautista, who countered his intimidating physical presence with a soft and understated line delivery that suited his gentle character. Here’s hoping for more collaborations between the Guardians of the Galaxy star and Shyamalan, as the director often reteams with actors he enjoys, be it Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, or James McAvoy. And yet, Shyamalan told us the actor he has only worked with once that he’s dying to reteam with, and I think it’s an incredible idea.

M. Night Shyamalan was a guest on CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast, and spoke about the process on bringing Knock at the Cabin to the screen. But during the conversation, he opened up about an actor he has only worked with once that he wishes he could work with again soon. The filmmaker replied:

You might be reading this and wondering which movie Sarah Paulson worked on with M. Night Shyamalan, and that’s because their collaboration was marketed heavily on the three stars in the lead: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, and James McAvoy. Their 2019 movie Glass was positioned as the long-awaited sequel to Unbreakable, bringing Willis’s superhero back into contact with his nemesis, Mr. Glass (Jackson). But the encounter took place in a psychiatric hospital, and Paulson played the therapist trying to determine if the men were suffering from delusions of grandeur – or if they actually possessed super powers.

Glass didn’t get the best reviews in the world, but Sarah Paulson was a standout as the doctor working with these unusual patients. There’s a twist regarding her involvement in the plot. This is Shyamalan. Of course there’s a twist. And she does a tremendous job of hiding it. I'd love it if Paulson somehow managed to become a stable part of Shyamalan’s troupe of go-to performers, the way that she is for Ryan Murphy on television.

At the same time, there are numerous actors who have excelled in an M. Night Shyamalan movie and not returned, from Toni Collette (so brilliant in The Sixth Sense) and Mel Gibson (Signs) to the recent work of Thomasin McKenzie in the beach thriller Old. There’s still time for all of these actors. So long as Night keeps delivering Number 1 movies at the box office, Hollywood will find time for his stories, and these actors should be ready to go when the call comes in.   

There was a time when M. Night Shyamalan was the hottest director in Hollywood. And then there was a time when he was…not. After going through a rough patch where Shyamalan’s work was not as warmly regarded by fans or critics, the director has now earned his fourth consecutive box office number one thanks to Knock at the Cabin, and nobody is more surprised than Shyamalan himself.

The director took to Twitter to celebrate his accomplishment and thank the fans who saw the film this past weekend and approved of Knock at the Cabin's fun ending, making it number one at the domestic box office. Not only did the flick post a win, but it became the movie that finally knocked Avatar: The Way of Water out of the top spot, and he gave director James Cameron a nod as well.

Knock at the Cabin brought in an estimated $14 million at the domestic box office, which was enough to overcome both the Avatar sequel, in its eighth week, and also a decent showing by the comedy 80 For Brady. It marks the fourth consecutive box office win for Shyamalan, which includes Old, Glass, and Split. The other three movies on that list of number ones are The Sixth Sense, Signs, and The Village. 

With an additional $7 million in international box office Knock at the Cabin has done a bit over $21 million worldwide in its first weekend. Certainly, that number isn’t a massive blockbuster by any stretch, but one of the keys to Shyamalan’s success is that he tends to make movies that have remarkably small budgets. When the movies don’t hit it doesn’t usually hurt the studio that much, and when they are successful they are incredibly profitable, even compared to those massive billion-dollar blockbusters. 

Following high-profile films like After Earth and The Last Airbender M. Night Shyamalan shifted back to the strategy that had made him successful the first time around, making smaller films without massive movie stars, though often still with names fans recognize. Built around a concept that was intriguing enough to draw in an audience. While it took Shyamalan some time to find success again, he certainly has. Even a movie like The Visit, which wasn’t a smash hit, and was downright reviled by some, ended up making almost $100 million globally on a budget of about $5 million. That’s the kind of success that makes studios want to give you money to make more movies.

This process also allows M. Night to make movies fast. He’s already got an untitled project slated for release 14 months from now. Whether that will mark his fifth consecutive bo

M. Night Shyamalan’s career is long and varied, to say the least. The filmmaker is known for writing and directing one of the most iconic horror movies, The Sixth Sense, but he’s also the guy who made the ill-conceived (and some people’s pick for the worst movie of all time) The Last Airbender. Moviegoers might have very different opinions regarding the quality of the Indian-American auteur’s body of work. But does the Village director have a movie from his filmography he’d like to wipe from the face of the earth? Well, like all best and worst M. Night works, his answer has a twist.

M. Night Shyamalan appeared on our own ReelBlend podcast to discuss his latest release, A Knock at the Cabin. During the discussion, the movie maker was asked if he had to sacrifice one of his movies from his oeuvre to save the world, what flick would he pick? The director does indeed have a pick, but he threw a curveball into the mix. He told ReelBlend:

Well played, M. Night, Well played. Someone get this man a shot! While the Unbreakable director isn’t quite ready to answer which of his movies he’s prepared to sacrifice, he hasn’t shied away from answering which picture he’s most fond of, and the answer, again, might surprise you. 

In an interview with GQ, he was asked which of his movies was his personal favorite, and the director didn’t answer with his Oscar winner, The Sixth Sense. Instead, the filmmaker says he’s fondest of his movies with “a quirky nature.” He told the publication:

Unbreakable and The Visit are two of the director’s flicks that most agree are some of M. Night Shyamalan's best movies, while Lady in the Water is considered one of his weakest. This is an interesting answer from Shyamalan, for sure. My personal favorite is still The Sixth Sense, followed closely by Signs. 

Only time will tell where the director’s latest work stacks in his overall filmography. One just can't help but think about what would be offered the filmmaker were given the chance to prevent the end of the world. Still, reviews for the apocalyptic home invasion thriller, A Knock at the Cabin have been mostly solid (though CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg was disappointed with the movie). And given this early buzz, I'm not sure if this would be the flick that M. Night Shyamalan would be willing to sacrifice.

Knock at the Cabin is now playing in theaters, so check your local listings for showtimes. If fans want to read the novel the film was based on, Paul Tremblay’s horror novel, A Cabin at the End of the World, is available on Amazon or at local bookstores. Also, check out CinemaBlend's 2023 movie release schedule to plan your next movie theater experience.