Warner Bros. Pictures Seals Multi-Year First-Look Pact With Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan
(Burbank, CA) - Warner Bros. Pictures Group has signed a multi-year first-look directing and producing agreement with two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, whose iconic string of global blockbusters has collectively earned more than $3 billion at the global box office, most recently including his hit thriller "Knock at the Cabin," which marked the director's seventh No. 1 opening at the box office. In a career spanning four-decades, Shyamalan has the rare distinction of a No. 1 film opening in each decade. The announcement was made today by Warner Bros. Pictures Group Co-Chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy.
Under the new agreement, Shyamalan and his Philly-based production company Blinding Edge Pictures, run by president of production Ashwin Rajan, will develop original projects for the filmmaker to produce and/or direct for WBPG production divisions Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. Projects currently in the pipeline at Blinding Edge include "Trap," Shyamalan's much-anticipated next project as a director which is dated for a theatrical release on August 2, 2024 and "The Watchers," the forthcoming directorial debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan, which will commence production this year and is slated for a June 7, 2024 release. In addition, Blinding Edge will continue to ramp up its production with an eye to finding auteur driven genre projects.
"Night is one of the most iconic and influential directors of his generation and an auteur in every sense of the word," De Luca and Abdy said jointly. "From 'The Sixth Sense' through 'Split' to his latest chiller 'Knock at the Cabin,' he's one of the few directors in contemporary cinema whose name alone promises a bold, singular vision, compelling original storytelling and a provocative, surprising and entirely unique experience at the theater. We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome him to the Warner Bros. family, and look forward to an exciting collaboration with Night and the entire Blinding Edge team."
"Where I write and direct is my home," says Shyamalan. "Disney and Universal, where I've made most of my films, will always be home and family to me. Warner Bros. has a storied history of cinema. Through its recent experiences, the company has rediscovered its love and appreciation for filmmakers, and the impact of the theatrical experience. We all win when movies succeed in theaters. I believe David Zaslav, Michael De Luca, and Pam Abdy have dedicated themselves to unique filmmakers, and to filling theaters all around the world for years to come."
The writer, director and producer has delivered some of the most influential, enduring and globally successful films of the modern era. Chasing a lifelong passion born from the 8mm camera given to him by his father, Shyamalan started making films while still a student at New York University, an effort that would yield his 1992 labor of love "Praying with Anger," followed by his 1998 Philadelphia-shot feature "Wide Awake." His third film, "The Sixth Sense," released in 1999 and mesmerized audiences the world over, ultimately earning nearly $700 billion at the worldwide box office and six Oscar nominations, including directing and original screenplay nods for Shyamalan. His diverse, compelling body of work also includes genre-bending blockbusters "Signs," "The Village," and "The Visit." Following its successful initial run, his iconic 2000 spin on the comic-book action thriller "Unbreakable" has captivated a whole new generation of fans and spawned a beloved film trilogy that also encompasses the acclaimed thrillers "Split" and "Glass."
On the TV side, Shyamalan serves as executive producer, showrunner and has directed five episodes of Apple+ TV's popular thriller series "Servant" which is currently in its fourth and final season. He is repped by Range Media Partners and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.