Summary
Trapdirector M. Night Shyamalan hints at what his next project will be. With films ranging from the iconicThe Sixth Sense, a unique take on superheroes that began withUnbreakable, and nowTrap,Shyamalan has had a diverse career creating stories that culminate in unexpected plot twists. While he tends to make movies in the horror or thriller genres, each of his ventures feature a different focus, withTrapproviding a unique take on serial killers.
In an interview withCollider,Shyamalan teased what his next movie will be afterTrap, and discussed what is important for him when bringing new stories to life. He explained how this approach led to the story ofTrap, which he directed and wrote, and how it will continue to influence his next project. Shyamalan also spoke about how excited he is for the upcoming project to break new ground for him in his career. Check out his comments below:
I’m still learning about it. It has a really cool kind of flip on a genre, so I’m very excited about that. I haven’t done this particular subject matter, and I’ve always been interested in it. But it’s an odd way to come into it again. I’m really interested now, like withTrap, kind of going at subject matters, like serial killers, but doing it from an angle that you haven’t seen before.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Best Genre-Flipping Story Was Released 24 Years Ago
Unbreakableremains a clever subversion of the superhero origin story.
Unbreakableis a satisfying narrative exploration of what a superhero origin story and its consequences would look like in the real world, elevated by some of the best direction and writing in Shyamalan’s career.
While Shyamalan has subverted several genres throughout his career, and plans on continuing to do so, his best genre-subverting story to date is the 2000 filmUnbreakable. Years before the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the domination of superhero movies at the box office,Shyamalan took a more grounded approach to the all-too-familiar superhero origin storythrough the journeys of David Dunn (Bruce Willis) andElijah Glass (Samuel L. Jackson).Unbreakableworked well at the time it was released, and has aged even better in the decades since.
This is arguably most apparent at the end of the film, which culminates in a tense and emotional revelation between two characters instead of an explosive battle as most superhero films do.Unbreakableis a satisfying narrative exploration of what a superhero origin story and its consequences would look like in the real world,elevated by some of the best direction and writing in Shyamalan’s career. It feels even more refreshing now than it did at the time of its release.
How To Watch The Unbreakable Trilogy In Order: Where Do Split & Glass Fit?
M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable trilogy is an auteur-driven superhero franchise, but the arrival of Split and Glass complicated its viewing order.
Unbreakable’s secret sequel,Split, was generally well-received, butUnbreakableremains Shyamalan’s cleverest genre-flipping story, in part because of how the entertainment industry has progressed since then. It will be exciting to see what his next movie will be, as it will be different from theUnbreakabletrilogy’s take on superheroes orTrap’s take on serial killers. Even thoughShyamalan’s films can be divisive, he also keeps his stories and his career thrillingly unpredictable.
Trap
Cast
Trap is a film by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan under his Blinding Edge Pictures label. The film is part of a deal struck with Warner Bros for him to direct and produce several films under their banner.
