Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? That seems to be the filmmaking mantra for M. Night Shyamalan. After a career that seemingly was in the dumps, thanks to some big-budget, high-profile disasters, the writer-director retreated to the realm of smaller budgets and simpler concepts for a string of Universal films that have paid off huge dividends for the studio and Shyamalan. Now, it appears that both parties want to keep this partnership going.
Universal has announced that the studio is teaming up with M. Night Shyamalan for two new untitled thrillers that will be released in 2021 and 2023, respectively. There’s no word on what the plot of the films might be, which is obvious considering that the filmmaker likes to keep as much of the story under wraps for as long as possible. However, it does appear that the films will follow in the same mold of his previous collaborations with Universal.
“There are wonderful studios out there, but Universal has made it a mandate to release original films,” said Shyamalan. “They are the best at finding an audience for new stories with unexpected tones. I believe original films are crucial to the longevity of the theatrical experience. I am so excited to be working with them again and bringing new stories to the movie screen for years to come.”
“M. Night Shyamalan continues to create exciting, highly original stories that keep global audiences on the edge of their seats,” said Peter Cramer, President, Universal Pictures. “There is no one like him: he is a master filmmaker working at the height of his powers, and we are honored that he has once again chosen Universal to be the home for his next two incredible projects.”
Universal has been a quality home for the filmmaker over recent years. Thanks to his newfound love of low-budget, high-concept thrillers, Shyamalan has turned in three consecutive box office winners for the studio — “The Visit,” “Split,” and “Glass.” So, it seems like he’s going to continue down this route for his new films.
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Shyamalan is currently wrapping up his new foray into TV, “Servant,” which is coming to Apple TV+ but has yet to be formally scheduled. The series is said to be a half-hour psychological thriller series. The filmmaker directed two of the ten episodes.
While we don’t know exactly what two projects Shyamalan has up his sleeve, Universal was kind enough to let us prepare, by announcing the dates for the news films — Friday, February 26, 2021, and Friday, February 17, 2023. So, might as well mark it in your calendars.