Summary
M. Night Shyamalan addresses the common concern that his upcoming filmTraphas already revealed its twist.Trapis an upcoming Shyamalan thriller about a man and his daughter attending the concert of one of his daughter’s favorite musical artists, only to discover that the event is a set up to catch a serial killer named the Butcher. In theTraptrailer, it is revealed that the protagonist, played by Josh Hartnett, is the Butcher. In addition to Hartnett,Trap’s leading cast features Hayley Mills, Alison Pill, Ariel Donoghue, Marnie McPhail, Vanessa Smythe, and Saleka Shyamalan.
Trapis set for release on August 2.
Speaking withEmpire, Shyamalan speaks about the response to theTraptrailer and whether it spoiled the film. Asked whetherTrap’s main twist had been unveiled, Shyamalan responded coyly with “Who can say?“The director went on to explain the deep intentionality behind theTrapmarketing, saying he knew that “that was how [he] was going to sell it” from the time the film first started production. Shyamalan also speaks about the importance of this kind of marketing for viewers' enjoyment of the film. Check out the full quote from Shyamalan below:
“The response [to the trailer] was so amazing. [As to whether the big twist has been spoiled] Who can say? But I did know that that was how I was going to sell it when we were shooting. The story already starts months before you come into the movie theatre. As a storyteller, I have to be a part of that. I was very careful.”
Shyamalan’s History With The Twist Ending
Twist Endings Have Become Synonymous With Shyamalan’s Work
Shyamalan’sTraptrailer does include a major twist in the trailer itself when it reveals thatHartnett is the Butcher. Rather than having viewers discover this shift when they hit the theater,Trapaudiences will know going in that the tension comes from the film’s protagonist trying to dodge the authorities, putting on a facade for his daughter, but not knowing moviegoers. Shyamalan’s sly response to whether this is the twist in the film leaves the option open for more cinematic turns to come withTrap, with the director still seeming to address the fact that this unusual marketing was intentional.
While the revelation of the movie’s biggest conceit is intriguing, this likely surprised Shyamalan audiences because of the director’s history with the twist. Ever since Bruce Willis' character’s true identity was revealed in theending ofThe Sixth Sense, thetwist ending has been synonymous with Shyamalanand is often what might draw audiences to the theater. WithTrapseems to come more of a twist beginning than a twist ending, which is a different structure for the director.
No Way The Twist Is That Simple In M. Night Shyamalan’s New Movie
M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie, Trap, revealed its villain twist in the trailer, meaning it must have another twist saved for the audience.
In some ways, this could be a good thing for the quality ofTrap. While a number of the director’s films have done well at the box office and among critics, Shyamalan’s signature narrative device is also his most oft-criticized tool. While the twist ending functioned swimmingly inThe Sixth Sense, it is arguably less dramatically effective in some of his other, low-rated works, such asOld. Even ifTraphas more turns to come, perhaps that film leans less heavily on the twist than some of Shyamalan’s other work.
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.
