With his breakout hit andBest Picture nomineeThe Sixth Sense,M. Night Shyamalanbecame a household name, only to hit a career roadblock a few years later, only to come back in the 2010s. Many people associate his return to form with 2016’sSplit, a secret sequel toUnbreakable,but he actually had a sleeper success in 2015.
Shyamalan’s name became synonymous with disappointing twist endingsover the years and it hurt his reputation to the point where he started having to fund his own films. However, he found his way back to success and is currently enjoying a career resurgence.
WhileSplitwas the box office hit that really brought him back into the public eye,Shyamalan’s 2015 moviewas the one that saw the director return to form. It, more thanSplit, showed that he was still a filmmaker to watch.
The Visit Was Shyamalan’s Best Movie In Years
It Worked Because It Was Simple, Yet Effective
Released quietly in 2015,The Visitwas M. Night Shyamalan’s true return to form. Though it wasn’t a massive hit like some of his other films,The Visitdid gross nearly $100 million on a minuscule $5 million budget. More than commercially, though, it excelled from a critical standpoint.
After some bumps in the 2000s, the early 2010s were rough for Shyamalan, withThe Last AirbenderandAfter Earthbeing big budget movies that struggled financially and were widely panned by both critics and audience members.They felt like a nail in Shyamalan’s coffin, yetThe Visithelped him rebound.
The Visitfollows a pair of young siblings who visit their estranged grandparents for the first time, only for their disturbing behavior to make things turn horrifying. The film sits at a solid 68% on Rotten Tomatoes and was praised for the atmosphere, twists, and practical effects. It was proof that Shyamalan could still deliver, especially on a small budget.
Things like CGI are expensive, so Shyamalan finding ways around it and utilizing an eerie atmosphere showcased his forgotten talent as a filmmaker.
Keeping the cost low allowed Shyamalan to get creative to get the most out of a small budget. Things like CGI are expensive, so Shyamalan finding ways around it and utilizing an eerie atmosphere showcased his forgotten talent as a filmmaker.
Since The Visit, Shyamalan Has Been On A Good Run
His Latest Batch Of Films Is A Strong One
As noted, films likeAfter Earthhurt Shyamalan’s career but fans were disappointed long before that withLady in the WaterandThe Happening. However,The Visittruly rejuvenated the director as his latest string of films since its arrival have kind of been his best batch. He followedThe Visitwith the aforementionedSplit, which was a huge hit.
1992
1998
45%
1999
86%
2000
70%
2002
76%
2004
43%
Lady in the Water
2006
25%
2008
17%
2010
5%
2013
12%
2015
68%
2016
79%
2019
37%
2021
50%
Knock at the Cabin
2023
67%
2024
57%
Glass, which ended theUnbreakabletrilogy, was met with a mixed response but not the scathing reviews of Shyamalan’s worst films. The same went for 2021’sOldand since then, he’s put outKnock at the CabinandTrap, which were both well-received and utilize twist endings in a positive way.
Next up for Shyamalan isRemain, slated for a 2026 release, which is one of his most intriguing projects. He wrote it with Nicholas Sparks, who is most known for his romance novels and is penning the novel version. Given Shyamalan’s track record afterThe Visit, there are high hopes for it.
