It’s the summer of Shyamalan!
M. Night Shyamalan, the mastermind behind films like Unbreakable and The Sixth Sense, unveiled his upcoming summer thriller Trap at CinemaCon. The inspiration for the film sparked during conversations with his daughter, Saleka, about the magic of concerts. This collaboration extends to the big screen, with Saleka portraying the pop icon Lady Raven within the movie.
Trap throws Josh Hartnett into the role of a seemingly easygoing dad taking his daughter to a Lady Raven concert. However, beneath the surface lurks a hidden darkness. The recently released CinemaCon trailer, now available online, sheds light on this secret. It unveils Hartnett as the film’s villain, a kidnapper caught in an elaborate trap set by authorities at the concert.
Check out the official trailer for Trap below:
Warner Bros. Pictures extended an exclusive invitation to Geeks of Color for the Summer of Shyamalan event, spotlighting two eagerly anticipated films: M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap and Ishana Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers (stay tuned for further details about The Watchers).
During the event, M. Night Shyamalan engaged in a discussion, sharing his motivations behind the project, navigating the complexities of integrating music into the narrative, and giving advice for aspiring directors.
What can moviegoers expect when they experience your film in theaters?
M. Night Shyamalan: For me, the idea of creating a strong connection with a character and then exploiting that is undeniably fun. This concept – telling the story from the unexpected perspective of someone you wouldn’t consider the protagonist – was a true epiphany. While discussing it with Seleka, I gravitated more and more towards the dark humor that characterizes Servant, The Visit, and Split. Embracing that fully, the goal is to ensure a thrilling experience for everyone. Gasping, perhaps even laughing nervously – that unsettling juxtaposition where terror and amusement coexist – is the effect I’m striving for.
When did you first get this idea that you wanted to bring this movie to life?
M. Night Shyamalan: So, Trap was this kind of very interesting genesis of each time out, I’m trying to do something, I think that fusion of genres a little bit. So just for me, it’s exciting. For 30 years I’ve been making movies now and the idea of that. You’ve got the comic that’s distinct and unique. I know sometimes the system doesn’t like that, that it’s completely original, completely different. But I think more and more that’s becoming a signature beacon that kind of pops out to the audience, and they’re so savvy, they can feel that.
In this case, my oldest daughter, Saleka is an amazing musician that’s a classically trained pianist and was going to go do that for her life and go to conservatory. Then she started to write and sing. Then she started touring and she signed to Columbia Records. We would follow her around the country and be backstage at Radio City Music Hall or wherever it was and got to see that life a bit. We started talking about the idea of the experience of seeing a concert and the experience of seeing a movie as these kinds of beautiful last experiences that we do together. We started talking and I said, ‘What if we did one together?’ This is going to sound crazy after you see the trailer but, we’re huge fans of Purple Rain. So, I was like, it’s a narrative structure, a diegetic where the song is part of the story and fusing these two worlds.
Again, not breaking form to do a musical, that’s not what this is. The music is there, but it’s so real. When we go see a movie, let’s say world-building, when you go see Lord of the Rings, you’re dazzled by the depth of the window that you’re looking at it like, ‘Whoa, somebody thought through how the door shape is and how the Hobbits live.’ This wasn’t somebody just making it up on the spot. This was all one thought. And hopefully, when you see the movie, you’ll feel, ‘Whoa, that’s a real concert. That’s dead real.’ It’s not, ‘Oh, it’s made for the movie.’ That’s not what this is. It is a real world and that’s real artists, that’s a real album. That’s a real concert. And we love it and you’re just fascinated, because Josh and all these characters are living in this world that feels real.
Making music a heavy part of the story is something new you’re adding to your filmography. Was that challenging in any way?
M. Night Shyamalan: Super fun and challenging. Making a concert was incredibly challenging, but I feel like I got new muscles when I went so in detail. Like, ‘What’s the wardrobe in song three? Why are they moving?’ And then talking with the choreographer about this is what the song means and Saleka telling me and saying, she’ll go write a song and say, ‘You know, this could be great in this scene.’ And we were talking about it and it’s just the depth of the architecture of what the concert looks like and what’s on the screen and what is the choreography and what is the lighting? I love going into that much detail about it. And I’m not articulating this well, but it was like going in such depth that it gave me joy to think about things that deeply.
Any advice for any upcoming directors that want to make their first film?
M. Night Shyamalan: I’d say all directors I give the same message is take the least amount of money you can to make your movie. I know that sounds weird, but that’s where all the power comes from. You know those extra dollars start a Faustian bargain that you don’t necessarily want. You don’t need a million locations and things, you know? I’m always about containing and hearing somebody’s voice really, really clearly. I hear your voice, the more powerful it’ll be.
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