---
name: "M. Night Shyamalan"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/m-night-shyamalan"
fi1m_id: "m-night-shyamalan"
imdb_id: "nm0796117"
tmdb_id: 11614
wikidata_id: "Q51489"
roles: ["Writer","Director","Producer"]
born: "6 August 1970"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-05T03:33:43.204739+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# M. Night Shyamalan

## Identity

M. Night Shyamalan

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/m-night-shyamalan
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** m-night-shyamalan
- **IMDb ID:** nm0796117
- **TMDB ID:** 11614
- **Wikidata ID:** Q51489
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Night_Shyamalan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51489, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796117/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11614

Writer and director. Born 6 August 1970 in Mahé, India.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Director, Producer
- **Born:** 6 August 1970, Mahé, India
- **Active:** 1999–present
- **Also known as:** Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 8 directing, 1 writing
- **Frequently works with:** [Sam Mercer](https://film.one/person/sam-mercer.md), [Ashwin Rajan](https://film.one/person/ashwin-rajan.md), [Barry Mendel](https://film.one/person/barry-mendel.md), [Frank Marshall](https://film.one/person/frank-marshall.md), [Marc Bienstock](https://film.one/person/marc-bienstock.md), [Bruce Willis](https://film.one/person/bruce-willis.md), [Joaquin Phoenix](https://film.one/person/joaquin-phoenix.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 2 Oscar nominations
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 75 (2), 2000s 64 (4), 2010s 31 (2), 2020s 58 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Night_Shyamalan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51489, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0796117/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/11614

## Coming up

- *Remain* (2027-02-03), Nash

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Sixth Sense*](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md) (84), [*Trap*](https://film.one/film/trap.md) (58), [*The Last Airbender*](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md) (24)
- **Peacock:** [*Signs*](https://film.one/film/signs.md) (76), [*The Happening*](https://film.one/film/the-happening.md) (38)
- **Netflix:** [*Stuart Little*](https://film.one/film/stuart-little.md) (66)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Village*](https://film.one/film/the-village.md) (63)
- **Tubi:** [*After Earth*](https://film.one/film/after-earth.md) (38)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on M. Night Shyamalan

> M. Night Shyamalan makes fear personal, giving frightened people time to be heard. We value that patience, especially in *The Sixth Sense*, but his stiff dialogue and plotting can undo a strong premise.

In *Trap* (2024), Josh Hartnett’s Cooper counts the police at a pop concert while his daughter enjoys the show. Shyamalan gives us a man who must look ordinary while quietly working out how to escape, and Hartnett makes the effort funny and unnerving. For an hour, we are in capable hands. Keeping a story going after such a neat opening is where our confidence in Shyamalan begins to wobble.

*The Sixth Sense* (1999) was the breakthrough, with *Unbreakable* (2000) and *Signs* (2002) following it. The mixed and poor reviews came later, through films including *The Happening* (2008) and *After Earth* (2013). *The Visit* (2015) began the recovery. *Split* (2016) then kept a whole story close to one performance, a discipline we wish *Trap* had retained.

In *The Sixth Sense*, the person holding our attention is Haley Joel Osment’s Cole, a boy whose terror cannot be settled by adult reassurance. Shyamalan lets the psychologist’s attempt to understand him take time, and the silences make that effort feel necessary. We were moved by the seriousness with which the film treats Cole’s need to be believed. It sometimes pushes too hard for sympathy, and its solemn pace can drag, but the child remains more important than the next fright.

His fondness for doorways, reflections and carefully chosen colour asks us to look closely before deciding what we have seen. That visual care helps explain why his films can hold us even when the speech sounds unnatural. In *Trap*, the stiffness suits Cooper because his normality is already an act; the other characters gain rather less from it. The awkwardness becomes harder to overlook whenever Hartnett is off screen.

*Trap* also shows how readily he can forget the person keeping the film alive. Lady Raven performs songs in full, repeatedly, and the film keeps leaving Cooper to watch her. We lose interest in the stage before Shyamalan does. Hartnett gives him enough for a tight thriller, yet the film lets the story wander away from the performance. Start with *The Sixth Sense*, and give its silences a chance; approach *Trap* for Hartnett, with limited expectations of the writing.

## Biography

M. Night Shyamalan is an American filmmaker, screenwriter and producer, also credited as Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan. He was born on 6 August 1970 in Mahé, India.

Shyamalan wrote, directed and produced the 2024 thriller *Trap*. His other films as director and writer include *The Sixth Sense* (1999), *Unbreakable* (2000), *Signs* (2002), *The Village* (2004), *Split* (2017), *Glass* (2019) and *Old* (2021).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (9)

### Directed (8)

- *Trap* (2024), Fi1m 58, as Spotter — [page](https://film.one/film/trap.md)
- *After Earth* (2013), Fi1m 38, Screenplay, Director, Producer — [page](https://film.one/film/after-earth.md)
- *The Last Airbender* (2010), Fi1m 24, as Firebender at Earth Prison Camp (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md)
- *The Happening* (2008), Fi1m 38, as Joey (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-happening.md)
- *The Village* (2004), Fi1m 63, as Jay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-village.md)
- *Signs* (2002), Fi1m 76, as Ray Reddy — [page](https://film.one/film/signs.md)
- *Unbreakable* (2000), Fi1m 81, as Stadium Drug Dealer — [page](https://film.one/film/unbreakable.md)
- *The Sixth Sense* (1999), Fi1m 84, as Dr. Hill — [page](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md)

### Wrote (1) — the average rests on these

- *Stuart Little* (1999), Fi1m 66, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/stuart-little.md)

## Complete filmography (29)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Remain* (2027), as Nash · Director, Screenplay, Story, Producer
- *Caddo Lake* (2024), Producer
- *Trap* (2024), as Spotter · Writer, Director, Producer — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/trap.md)
- *The Watchers* (2024), Producer
- *Knock at the Cabin* (2023), as Infomercial Host · Producer, Screenplay, Director
- *Old* (2021), as Hotel Van Driver · Screenplay, Director, Producer
- *Servant* (2019), series, as Delivery Man · Executive Producer, Director
- *Glass* (2019), as Jai, Security Guard · Director, Producer, Screenplay
- *Split* (2017), as Jai, Hooters Lover · Director, Writer, Producer
- *This Is Us* (2016), series, as M. Night Shyamalan — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md)
- *The Visit* (2015), Writer, Producer, Director
- *Wayward Pines* (2015), series, Executive Producer, Director
- *After Earth* (2013), Director, Screenplay, Producer — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/after-earth.md)
- *Devil* (2010), Story, Producer
- *The Last Airbender* (2010), as Firebender at Earth Prison Camp (uncredited) · Writer, Director, Producer — Fi1m 24, [page](https://film.one/film/the-last-airbender.md)
- *The Happening* (2008), as Joey (voice) · Producer, Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/the-happening.md)
- *Reflections of Lady in the Water* (2006), Actor
- *Lady in the Water* (2006), as Vick Ran · Director, Producer, Screenplay
- *Hitchcock and Dial M* (2004), Thanks
- *The Village* (2004), as Jay · Director, Producer, Executive Music Producer, Writer — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/the-village.md)
- *Entourage* (2004), series, as M. Night Shyamalan — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/entourage.md)
- *Making 'Signs'* (2003), Thanks
- *Signs* (2002), as Ray Reddy · Director, Producer, Writer — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/signs.md)
- *Unbreakable* (2000), as Stadium Drug Dealer · Producer, Writer, Director — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/unbreakable.md)
- *Stuart Little* (1999), Screenplay — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/stuart-little.md)
- *The Sixth Sense* (1999), as Dr. Hill · Director, Writer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-sixth-sense.md)
- *Wide Awake* (1998), Writer, Director
- *Praying with Anger* (1993), as Dev Raman · Writer, Director, Producer
- *Magic 8 Ball*, series, Director, Executive Producer, Creator

## Gallery

- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-7917d7779b0f.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/M._Night_Shyamalan_%2828769148857%29_%28cropped_2%29.jpg/1280px-M._Night_Shyamalan_%2828769148857%29_%28cropped_2%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-8a0979f5c33e.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525280924%29.jpg/1280px-M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525280924%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-8e23522ca314.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525300354%29.jpg/1280px-M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525300354%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-eeaa1b35a81f.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525307314%29.jpg/1280px-M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525307314%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-fc8a47e2dbd9.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-8177ce9b2c8e.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-a148f47a50ea.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB
- ![M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-a08650ab8a8f.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan speaking at the 2016 WonderCon, for "Wayward Pines", at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Please attribute to Gag — Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525328114%29.jpg/1280px-M._Night_Shyamalan_%2825525328114%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-d9e00705843d.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-f4b488ffa696.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB
- ![M. Night Shyamalan](https://film.one/media/person/11179/gallery-544e3a302614.jpg) M. Night Shyamalan — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 2 nominated

- 2000: Best Director (nominated), for *The Sixth Sense*
- 2000: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated), for *The Sixth Sense*

### Other awards — 2 won

- Sitges Grand Honorary Award 2018: Sitges Grand Honorary Award (won)
- Great Immigrants Award 2006: Great Immigrants Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/m-night-shyamalan