Posted in: Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: m. night shyamalan, trap
Trap: M. Night Shyamalan Will "Keep Fighting" For Original Films
Trap director M. Night Shyamalan says that he will continue to fight for original films even it seems like established IP is the only way to make money.
Article Summary
- M. Night Shyamalan advocates for original films amid franchise dominance.
- Shyamalan's Trap compared to Silence of the Lambs with a concert twist.
- Trap features a real concert event integral to the film's narrative.
- The movie was inspired in part by Operation Flagship.
So far, 2024 is really leaning into the idea that franchise films are the best way to make money at the box office. If you look at the top ten movies of the year, you don't find an original film until you get to number ten. That's a shame because there are a lot of really interesting and original stories out there that just aren't getting any backing because the numbers seem to be saying that audiences aren't interested. However, some filmmakers are still willing to take a chance and fight for original IP, and one of them is M. Night Shyamalan. Shyamalan has dabbled in franchise filmmaking, but he tends to work best when he's working within the constraints of a story he has written. Trap, which is set to come out this August, is one of those original films. The elevator pitch is "What if Silence of the Lambs happened at the Eras tour," according to Shyamalan in an interview with Empire, but he also spoke about how he is continuing to fight for more original storytelling.
"I really do believe in the original movie," he says. "I want the industry to move towards more original storytelling. I think audiences would really like it. Look, I know there's safety in IP. But it's really important that we come to the movies and see something we've never seen before. I'll keep fighting for that."
The concert isn't something that is a background element to the film. There is direction needed for concert films, and Shyamalan explained that the concert going on in the film is very real, and he got to direct it. "I directed an entire concert!" he explained. "And it wasn't just a thing in the background. It's equally important. There is no pretend concert going on. I love the idea of cinema as windows within windows. One of the reasons to come see the movie at the movie theatre is because there's literally a real concert that you can see nowhere except in that movie." Concert movies have only continued to grow as more and more musicians release their tours on the big screen so fans who can't afford a concert ticket can see it. The film looks pretty interesting and Shyamalan did reveal that it is loosely based around a real event that occurred in 1985 called Operation Flagship. The twist in the trailer seems like classic Shyamalan and not something you would normally think a film would reveal upfront, so it's going to be fun to see what weird direction Trap ends up going.
Trap: Summary, Cast List, Release Date
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a new experience in the world of M. Night Shyamalan— Trap —featuring performances by rising music star Saleka Shyamalan. A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event.
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider. The director of photography is Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me by Your Name). The production designer is Debbie de Villa (The Hating Game). It is edited by Noëmi Preiswerk, and the music is by Herdĭs Stefănsdŏttir (Knock at the Cabin). The music supervisor is Susan Jacobs (Old); the costume designer is Caroline Duncan (Old). The casting is by Douglas Aibel (Asteroid City).
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents A Blinding Edge Pictures Production, An M. Night Shyamalan Film: Trap. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters only nationwide on August 9, 2024, and internationally beginning on 1 August 2024.
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