It took a few years, but M. Night Shyamalan got the last laugh on everyone who wrote him off. After seeing his once red-hot career fall into the dumps because of a few high-profile flops, Shyamalan reeled off three straight hit movies with The Visit, Split, and Glass all at Universal. That kind of success is something that neither side wants to see end, and so the partnership is being extended a few more years.
Universal and Shyamalan will team up on two more thrillers, to arrive on February 26th 2021 and February 17th 2023, respectively. There’s no information on what the movies will actually be, but expect Shyamalan to provide plenty of twists and curves in an original setting…
“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.”
That would seem to suggest these new films won’t have anything to do with his Unbreakable-verse, which seemingly wrapped up with Glass. This change in Shyamalan’s fortunes was driven by an embrace of lower-budgeted movies and less high-concept material. If it ain’t broke, dont’ fix it, right?
Next up for Shyamalan is the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series Servant, which he’ll exec-produce and direct a couple of episodes for.
