M. Night Shyamalan: “I want to make movies that stay with you, that challenge you” – Exclusive |

M. Night Shyamalan, the creative mind responsible for the new psychological thriller ‘Trap’, recently shared insights into the complex process of writing, directing, and producing the film during an exclusive conversation with us. ‘Trap,’ featuring Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Alison Pill, tells the gripping story of a serial killer trying to escape a police blockade while at a concert with his daughter.
When asked how he manages the multifaceted roles of writing, directing, and producing, Shyamalan provided a glimpse into his creative process. “There are different aspects of creating this art form, and they each are different disciplines. They speak each method, but they are different parts of my brain. When I’m writing, I enjoy this cycle of the film. The brain of the writer, the brain of the director, the brain that’s the editor, and the brain – the person that is talking and presenting the movie to the world, those are all different aspects of me, but they speak to each other and they can comment on each other,” he explained. “Often times, when I’m directing, I’m interpreting what the writer did. I know that sounds strange, but I’m not thinking visually at all when I’m writing.”

Taking inspiration from his movie title ‘Trap,’ we asked the filmmaker about the moments where he felt trapped and how he navigated his way out. “There’s been many times in this system as I’m trying to join this system or find my way in the system – the Hollywood system. There are certain rules and those rules don’t really fit me properly. So, I keep finding a new way to do it, where I don’t have to abide by those rules but still be a part of the family, still be a part of the community because it’s important to me,” he said. “I think Hollywood is an amazing, magical thing and I wanna be a part of it but a little bit under my own terms. So, maybe that’s what we can say, kind of keep on escaping and finding a new way to define myself.”

Further, with a career marked by high expectations from fans and critics alike, Shyamalan shared his thoughts on handling pressure. “It matches my – let’s put it that way. You know, I want to make movies that stay with you, that challenge you. I want to do something unique every single time. So that’s the fun, that’s what gets me to do another one,” he remarked.
‘Trap’
‘Trap’ ’had its premiere at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on July 24, 2024, and was released theatrically in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on August 2, 2024.