I really do believe in the original movie: M Night Shyamalan on ‘Trap’

Trap revolves around Josh Hartnett’s serial killer trying to evade a trap laid out for him at a pop concert that he is attending with his teenage daughter.

• Mohnish Singh
• 08 July, 2024

Follow Us

By: Mohnish Singh

Filmmaker M Night Shyamalan says the concert at the center of his upcoming suspense thriller will feel like a real one as he likes the idea of “cinema as windows within windows”.

The thriller master’s new film has taken some of its ideas from a real-life sting operation from 1985 conducted by U.S. Marshals and DC Metro Police, who convinced many fugitives to attend an NFL match with free tickets.

Trap revolves around Josh Hartnett’s serial killer trying to evade a trap laid out for him at a pop concert that he is attending with his teenage daughter.

In an interview with Empire, Shyamalan said viewers would be getting an actual concert film in addition to the mystery.

The director remembers pitching the film as: “What if ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ happened at a Taylor Swift concert?”

The director’s daughter Saleka, a budding musician, plays pop singer Lady Raven in the movie.

“I directed an entire concert! 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 theater is because there’s literally a real concert that you can see nowhere except in that movie.”

The filmmaker, known for directing movies such as The Sixth Sense and The Village, said he wanted the film to be a unique experience, the concert included.

“I really do believe in the original movie. 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,” he told Empire.