M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN ON TRAP'S CONNECTION TO TAYLOR SWIFT & 1991 HORROR HIT
- M. Night Shyamalan's new film, Trap, connects to Taylor Swift and Silence of the Lambs.
- Shyamalan believes in original storytelling and will continue fighting for it in Hollywood.
- Trap was inspired by a real-life 1985 event called Operation Flagship.
Director M. Night Shyamalan is getting ready to release his newest film Trap this August, and in a recent interview he revealed the connection it has to Taylor Swift, and the 1991 psychological horror film, The Silence of the Lambs. Trap stars Josh Hartnett as Cooper, a serial killer who takes his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert, only to find out it's all a clever ruse orchestrated by authorities to catch him. The film also stars Shyamalan’s daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, as Lady Raven, the pop star at the center of the movie.
Speaking with Empire to promote the upcoming release of Trap, Shyamalan revealed that he initially pitched the film as “What if Silence of the Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert?” The idea grew from there into the movie audiences will see this coming August, which has already been criticized for revealing its big twist that Josh Hartnett is a serial killer. However, knowing the director of such classics as The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and Signs, there’s undoubtedly another swerve coming that audiences won’t expect.
Trap
A man and his teenage daughter realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event while watching a concert.
Trap continues M. Night Shyamalan’s commitment to funding his own original ideas through his Blinding Edge Pictures production company he started with the release of Unbreakable in 2000. The 53-year-old writer/director commented that “I really do believe in the original movie,” while at the same time saying he understands the “safety” Hollywood feels in sticking to successful IPs rather than taking a chance on fresh new voices. It’s those original ideas that Shyamalan says he will “keep fighting for.”
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 theres safety in IP. But its really important that we come to the movies and see something weve never seen before. Ill keep fighting for that.
Trap Was Inspired by a Real Event That Took Place in 1985
While Trap may see fictionalized killers and pop stars brought to life, the film was inspired by a real life event that took place in 1985 known as Operation Flagship. In an effort to bring in wanted fugitives, the US Marshals, in conjunction with the police in Washington D.C., sent out invites to criminals telling them they’d won free tickets to a Washington Redskins game, with the chance to also win tickets to Super Bowl XX.
The sting operation managed to capture 101 wanted fugitives who showed up to the Washington Convention Center in mid-December 1985, and saw law enforcement officers dress up as ushers, cheerleaders, mascots, and caterers. Shyamalan commented on the operation, calling it “twisted and funny.”
It was hilarious. The cops were literally cheerleaders and mascots. These guys were dancing as they came in. And they were all caught. It was so twisted and funny.
THEORY: Is Trap Another Surprise Sequel to One of M. Night Shyamalan's Biggest Movies?
Like so many other Shyamalan films, the biggest twist of Trap might be yet to come if it serves as a sequel to his biggest film.
While fans might have a hard time scoring tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour which began in March 2023 and is currently in its second year, fans of M. Night Shyamalan will find it much easier to nab tickets to Trap, which hits theaters on August 2, 2024.
You can watch the trailer for Trap below.