A few weeks ago, I reported that M. Night Shyamalan’s next film, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, was going under the title “Remain,” and would start production in August. I now have an additional update as the film revs up for its summer shoot.
I’ve just seen a production grid that has Alicia Vikander attached to star in the film. Much like Gyllenhaal, this will be Vikander’s first project with Shyamalan. The film is being described as a “supernatural romantic thriller.”
I can additionally report that Shyamalan will be working with a new DP on this one, as Adolpho Veloso, who shot this year’s acclaimed Sundance indie “Train Dreams” is billed as the cinematographer. “Remain” is based on an original story co-created by Shyamalan and bestselling novelist Nicholas Sparks (“The Notebook”). Wild team-up.
Shyamalan and Sparks are said to be independently writing a screenplay and a novel, respectively, based on the same original love story. No further plot details have been revealed at this time, and given Shyamalan’s usual penchant for secrecy, we’re likely not going to be getting any until the film inches closer to release.
Last year, Shyamalan’s “Trap” grossed $83M against a production budget of $30M. It helps that Shyamalan self-finances every movie he makes. Despite faltering in its final few minutes, “Trap” was a pleasantly atmospheric, and nasty, cat-and-mouse game. Josh Hartnett was great. I loved those wide angled shots. It was one of Shyamalan’s better efforts of the last 15 years.
Shyamalan is a brand. His name alone being stamped on a trailer can sell a decent amount of movie tickets. The Indian-born, Philadelphia-raised filmmaker has been riffing on “Twilight Zone”-type and Hitchcock-influenced premises for close to 25 years now.
Shyamalan’s had many ups and downs since then, constantly challenging himself, and his audience, but it seems as though Newsweek’s 2004 proclamation that he’s the “The Next Spielberg” feels rather far-fetched today.