M Night Shyamalan Reflects on 25 Years of ‘The Sixth Sense’: “It’s Wild”
August 6, 2024, marks the 25th anniversary of M. Night Shyamalan’s ground-breaking movie The Sixth Sense. Bruce Willis plays a child psychologist in this 1999 psychological thriller, and Haley Joel Osment plays a young child who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead.
The movie’s box office success—which earned it six Oscar nominations—launched Shyamalan into Hollywood stardom and continues to be a turning point in his career. 53-year-old Shyamalan considers how The Sixth Sense affected his life and work. He’s amazed at how much time has gone by since the movie came out.
Shyamalan also discusses his personal connection to this anniversary, mentioning that his daughter Ishana, who is now a 24-year-old director, was close to his age when he wrote the film. Ishana recalls the 1999 premiere, noting that her mother was most likely pregnant at the time.
Shyamalan and his wife, Bhavna Vaswani, have three daughters named Saleka, Ishana, and Shivani. For Shyamalan, this anniversary is both a celebration of the film’s legacy and an opportunity to cherish personal memories with his family.
Premiered on June 7, The Watchers, directed by Ishana Shyamalan, stars Dakota Fanning and is her first feature film. When talking about the importance of this occasion, Ishana revealed that she is really excited about the movie’s premiere and sees it as a mirror of her own thoughts and emotions about the world.
She also made a connection to her father, M. Night Shyamalan, who made Praying with Anger in 1992 as his first feature film, which was preceded by the critically acclaimed The Sixth Sense. Praying with Anger, according to Ishana, was a pivotal moment in her father’s life and encapsulated his creative vision.
Ishana expressed her desire for The Watchers to accurately represent her worldview and to meet the highest standards of quality. This release marks a significant personal milestone for her as a first-time writer and director.
In an interesting coincidence, M. Night Shyamalan’s new film, Trap, which stars Josh Hartnett and is currently in theaters, will be released the same summer as his daughter’s debut film. This coincidence is viewed as a full-circle moment for the Shyamalan family, emphasizing both their individual and collective contributions to the film industry.
He clarified that he has no idea whether any of his films, including Old, The Visit, or The Sixth Sense, will ever be produced. If this is his final film, he wants it to be a true reflection of himself because he doubts he will have the opportunity to make another.
Ishana revealed that her father advised her to simply go make a short film and stop talking. She went on to say that, in keeping with their close father-daughter and mentor-mentee relationships, he helps her overcome her anxieties. He tells her not to overthink it and to keep going.
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