Following the success of Knock at the Cabin, M. Night Shyamalan has inked a first-look directing and production deal with Warner Bros. Pictures Group that will keep the two-time Academy Award nominee with the studio for the foreseeable future. With the move, Shyamalan has set his next directorial effort, Trap, with the studio through his Philadelphia-based Blinding Edge Pictures banner. The highly-anticipated new feature from Shyamalan is currently shooting for an August 2, 2024 release.
It's hard to deny the profit-making power of Shyamalan. Although the director has had a roller-coaster career that saw him go from outstanding cinematic heights with projects like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable to critical and box office lows, he's settled in well over the past few years with intriguing and solidly executed films like Split, Old, and the recent Knock at the Cabin. Throughout his four-decade-long career, the filmmaker has raked in massive box office hauls totaling over $3.3 billion globally, and he's reached rarified air by scoring a number one box office hit in all four decades with his most recent feature marking his seventh. He's even earned plenty of acclaim on television with his Apple TV+ hit Servant which just premiered its fourth and final season earlier this year.
Warner Bros. Pictures is certainly hoping Shyamalan's latest stint with the studio will go much smoother. Though most of his films were through Disney and Universal, Warner Bros. had the misfortune of being attached to his box office disaster Lady in the Water which was eviscerated by critics and underperformed with only $72.8 million grossed against a $70 million budget. Shyamalan's recent run of success, however, has been a reminder of why theater-goers fell in love with his work in the first place and the studio seemed eager to lock up his talents.
In addition to Trap, Blinding Edge also has The Watchers, the directorial debut of Shyamalan's daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan, on the docket for a June 7, 2024, release. Shyamalan and his production company, which is run by Ashwin Rajan, will also continue to develop more original projects under Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema while also scouting for more "auteur-driven genre projects" to bring into the fold. Don't expect any sequels from the director though, as he's previously stated he's more enamored with creating new concepts to follow with each film rather than follow-ups. Shyamalan also previously told Collider that he has the structures of three new movies planned out at the moment, likely including Trap, that fans could see over the next six years.
Read Quotes From Shyamalan and Warner Bros. Pictures Below
Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy were more than happy to bring Shyamalan and his unique filmmaking sense into the fold, saying in an official statement:
Night is one of the most iconic and influential directors of his generation and an auteur in every sense of the word. From The Sixth Sense through Split to his latest chiller Knock at the Cabin, he’s one of the few directors in contemporary cinema whose name alone promises a bold, singular vision, compelling original storytelling and a provocative, surprising and entirely unique experience at the theater. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to the Warner Bros. family, and look forward to an exciting collaboration with Night and the entire Blinding Edge team.
Shyamalan, for his part, expressed his confidence in working under the David Zaslav regime and gave some love to his past studios, adding:
Where I write and direct is my home. Disney and Universal, where I’ve made most of my films, will always be home and family to me. Warner Bros. has a storied history of cinema. Through its recent experiences, the company has rediscovered its love and appreciation for filmmakers, and the impact of the theatrical experience. We all win when movies succeed in theaters. I believe David Zaslav, Michael De Luca, and Pam Abdy have dedicated themselves to unique filmmakers, and to filling theaters all around the world for years to come.
Stay tuned here at Collider for more on Shyamalan's upcoming projects including Trap and Ishana Night Shyamalan's The Watchers. In the meantime, check out a previous interview the director conducted with Collider on Knock at the Cabin.