M. Night Shyamalan Says Studio Was ‘Too Scared’ to Market ‘Unbreakable’ as a Comic Book Film in 2000 Because ‘No One Will Go See a Movie About a Comic Book’

As a seasoned cinema enthusiast who’s witnessed the evolution of film genres over the decades, I find M. Night Shyamalan‘s journey to be both enlightening and amusing. His recollection of the resistance he faced in marketing “Unbreakable” as a comic book movie is a testament to the courage it takes to break new ground in Hollywood.

In an interview with GQ magazine, filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan reflected on the past as he prepared for the release of his new film “Trap.” He recalled that studio executives were hesitant to market his 2000 film “Unbreakable” as a comic book movie, despite its genre. This was during a time when they and star Bruce Willis were riding high from the success of “The Sixth Sense,” which grossed $672 million globally and received six Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. Shyamalan remembered that the studio wanted to promote “Unbreakable” as a horror-thriller instead of a superhero movie. Times have certainly changed!

“If you refuse to acknowledge something due to fear of change, you’re robbing it of its power,” Shyamalan stated. “They argued, ‘We made one of the most successful films ever and now those same people are making another. Let’s make it seem like that movie.’ Instead of embracing what it truly was – the birth of a new genre. They didn’t recognize it because they were too timid to admit it was a comic book.”

“He recalled the studio stating, ‘Nobody would watch a film based on a comic book,’ they said. But it was as if they were saying, ‘It’s impossible.’ I thought differently, believing there might be others who share my appreciation for this concept. In my imagination, the movie was about a man surviving a catastrophic accident where everyone else perished, leaving him unscathed. Somebody then says, ‘I know why that happened. You’re a real-life superhero.’ This was the essence of the film, although it was never explicitly stated or marketed as such.”

Due to the studio not categorizing “Unbreakable” as a comedy book film, fans were disappointed when the movie didn’t follow the same tone as “The Sixth Sense,” since they had expected it to be similar.

“Other folks kept arriving and departing, commenting, ‘That wasn’t frightening,'” Shyamalan remarked. “To which I responded, ‘But who promised it would be? Who guaranteed it would be scary?’ This encounter taught me an intriguing lesson: if I’m going to create unique tales for my journey, I need collaborators who appreciate that we’ll innovate each time, and should embrace this transformation.”

“The film ‘Unbreakable’ premiered in autumn 2000, following closely on the heels of the initial success of the ‘X-Men’ movie in Hollywood, which helped establish the comic book genre in films. However, it was not until 2002’s release of ‘Spider-Man’ that this genre truly gained massive box office popularity.”

“Currently showing in cinemas across the country, ‘Trap’! Check out director M. Night Shyamalan’s comprehensive interview with GQ magazine in the video below.”

2024-08-12 23:46

M. Night Shyamalan Says Studio Was ‘Too Scared’ to Market ‘Unbreakable’ as a Comic Book Film in 2000 Because ‘No One Will Go See a Movie About a Comic Book’

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