M. Night Shyamalan’s new movie finally has its title revealed, as well as the first plot details. Shyamalan rose to prominence in the late 1990s, withThe Sixth Sense(1999) marking his breakout feature film. He followed up this Bruce Willis thriller with another collaboration with the actor inUnbreakable(2000), which was then followed bySigns(2002), another hit. Shyamalan capped off this stellar opening run as a writer and director withThe Village(2004).
Not all of Shyamalan’s movies afterThe Villagewere quite as well-received, withThe Happening(2008),The Last Airbender(2010), andAfter Earth(2013) all falling flat. The director did come back in a big way, however, with releases likeSplit(2016) andGlass(2019). Since 2020, Shyamalan has released three movies, includingOld(2021),Knock at the Cabin(2023), andTrap(2024), which all experienced varying degrees of success, and he’s now gearing up for his next project.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Next Movie Is Revealed
The Nicholas Sparks Collaboration Gets Its First Story Details
First reported in January, Shyamalan’s upcoming movie sees him taking a unique approach.The filmmaker worked with author Nicholas Sparks to develop a story idea that would serve as the basis for both a movie and a novel, with Shyamalan directing the film and Sparks writing the book. Jake Gyllenhaal was reported to be playing the lead in the untitled film, withBridgertonstarPhoebe Dynevor later revealed to be in talks to co-star in what was described as a supernatural romantic thriller.
Peoplenow shares new details about Sparks' novel, revealing that it is calledRemainand that it will release on October 7. The synopsis for the novel, which will presumably match Shyamalan’s film, introduces the lead character of Tate Donovan, who Gyllenhaal will seemingly be playing, an architect whose life takes a turn after he meets a mysterious young woman in Cape Cod. Check out the synopsis below, as well as the cover for Sparks' book:
Remain,co-created by Shyamalan and Sparks, follows New York architect Tate Donovan as he arrives in Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home. Donovan is looking for a fresh start after his recent discharge from a psychiatric facility where he was treated for acute depression. Still grappling with the loss of his beloved sister, Donovan meets Wren, a young woman who makes him challenge everything he knows about his logical and controlled world.
Sparks remains best known for writingThe Notebook,which was adapted into a feature film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. His other novels includeA Walk to Remember,Message in a Bottle,The Last Song, andDear John, among others.
What This Means For Shyamalan’s Movie
Remain Will Be A Departure For The Director
Though nothing has been officially announced just yet regarding Gyllenhaal and Dynevor’s casting, both are well-known stars. Gyllenhaal recently starred inPrime Video’s 2024Road Houseremake, which was a major viewership hit, whileDynevor became a known quantity after starring as Daphne in Netflix’s hitBridgertonseries, which remains ongoing. Though Dynevor is clearly well-suited to the romance genre, Gyllenhaal is no stranger to it either, having starred inLove and Other Drugs(2010) andBrokeback Mountain(2005).
There have been romantic elements in past Shyamalan movies, but the movies themselves are not typically built around such storylines. TheRemainsynopsis teases that romance will be front and center in the story, which will be something of a departure for the filmmaker. Many questions remain aboutShyamalan’s upcoming movie, but the release of Sparks' novel later this year is sure to provide a much better idea of what to expect.
