M. Night Shyamalan Will Spring the ‘Trap’ Earlier Than Expected

Warner Bros. is yet again shuffling around the release dates of some of its titles, including M. Night Shyamalan‘s Trap, one of the most anticipated horror titles of the summer. The studio had previously pushed the release date back a week from August 2 to August 9 but is now setting it back to its original date of August 2, according to Deadline. The latest change will pit Trap against fellow genre title, Cuckoo starring Hunter Schafer. Also vying for moviegoers’ attention on the crowded weekend of August 2 are titles such as Harold and the Purple Crayon, and Sebastian among others. It presents an opportunity for Shyamalan to dominate headlines and defend his title as the king of twists after his last two titles have had underwhelming box-office performances.

Trap is a psychological thriller set at a concert that, unknown to its attendees, has been designed as a ploy to ensnare a serial killer on the loose. The film will see a father (Josh Hartnett) attend the said concert with his teenage daughter (Ariel Donoghue) whom he has brought to watch her favorite pop star. However, a night that was supposed to provide a bonding experience for the dad and his daughter gets dark and twisted as audiences learn that the dad is the serial killer whose latest victim he currently has trapped in his basement. While Trap will once again showcase Shyamalan’s knack for crafting twists, the filmmaker teases that the film is “very unusual and very new compared to what I’ve been trying to do [recently].” He revealed in a recent interview that the movie was inspired by his relationship dynamic with his three daughters sharing; “when I don’t do well, or I don’t do something right, I feel bad. Trap is all those fears and things like that onscreen.”

Audiences got a first taste of what’s in store in Trap when a sneak peek was released at this year’s ComicCon, followed by an extended official trailer released a week later. The trailer presented the film’s premise as the evil protagonist known as The Butcher is seen working hard to outsmart law enforcement. The trailer has generated reactions from fans, with some theorizing that Trap could be a red herring to something bigger and more sinister that Shyamalan might be hiding up his sleeves.

‘Trap’ Will Mark Ishana Night Shyamalan’s Acting Debut

The Shayamalans are growing their legacy as daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan steps into her first on-screen role with Trap. Having collaborated with her father in previous films, scoring soundtracks for Old and the TV series Servant, Ishana’s role will see her imitate real life. Starring as Lady Raven, the pop star at the concert, Ishana will perform original songs she wrote for the film.

Ishana is slowly building her portfolio as she recently made her directorial debut with the supernatural horror film, The Watchers produced by her father and starring Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, and Olwen Fouere. While The Watchers was generally met with negative reviews, the Shayamalans will be hoping Trap fares a lot better when it releases in theaters on August 2. Stay tuned to Collider for updates.