Trap: M. Night Shyamalan Explains Josh Hartnett Role

M. Night Shyamalan shares why he cast Josh Hartnett in Trap.

Trap released its new trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's new thriller. One of the big surprises for fans who might have just heard about the movie is that Josh Hartnett is starring in the tense movie. Trap follows a father and daughter pairing that get, expectedly, trapped inside a pop music concert. However, Hartnett isn't exactly the hero this time around. Warner Bros. hosted a Q+A with Shyamalan to discuss "The Summer of Shyamalan" with his daughter. The moderator asked how the fan-favorite came aboard. It seems like this was a case of "the right actor coming along at the right time in their life." The beloved director wouldn't have had it any other way. 

"That's where Josh was when when I met him. He was living outside London. At that time, raising three girls.and you could he had curated his life in a way that's rich and has a lot to say," Shyamalan revealed. "When I  talked to him, I realized he was very smart, very analytical. It was the right person at the right time. I saw him in Black Mirror. Terrific episode. So, Chris [Christopher Nolan] cast him in Oppenheimer. So, a lot of great choices. I've learned a lot. So, it's so beautiful when you happen upon an artist with a lot to say."

Not too long ago, the director teased this new direction with NME. "I have a new idea that I've started writing. It's out in 2024 and it's very, very exciting," Shyamalan teased. "It's a thriller. It's very unusual and very new compared to what I've been trying to do [recently], but I'm feeling very excited about the story, so much so that I can't wait to tell it to you guys."

Josh Hartnett Is Excited For People To Experience Trap

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(Photo: Warner Bros.)

Horror fans are probably surprised to see Hartnett in this kind of movie. While that may be true, the actor is psyched for people to get taken on this wicked ride this summer. He told IndieWire about his role in Trap. It seems like the actor was excited to take a bit of a risk. With a filmmaker like Shyamalan, there's no doubt that there are some surprises and wrinkles on the way over the course of Trap. Check out what he had to say right hre.

"It's a pivot [for me]," Hartnett explained. "But I try to make all of my roles pivots. If you're playing the same thing again and again, it gets boring to the audience. Working with M. Night was one of the best experiences of my career. I think he's a true Artist in the capitol-A sense of the word. And I think people are gonna be really surprised and excited about the movie we make. It's very bizarre, very dark, and it's wild."  

What Is Trap About?

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(Photo: Warner Bros.)

Here's the new description for TRAP: "Warner Bros. Pictures presents a new experience in the world of M. Night ShayamalanTrap —featuring performances by rising music star Saleka Shyamalan. A father and teen daughter attend a pop concert, where they realize they're at the center of a dark and sinister event."

"Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider." 

Will you be catching this one in theaters as a part of "The Summer of Shyamalan? Let us know in the comments down below!

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