M. Night Shyamalan’s Next Movie Casts Jake Gyllenhaal in Lead Role
M. Night Shyamalan’s next movie has reportedly cast Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role, with the first details about the project being revealed. The film is described as a supernatural romantic thriller, and Gyllenhaal is set to star in the untitled project. The report also notes that the movie is based on an original story co-created by Shyamalan and novelist Nicholas Sparks.
Sparks, known for his romance novels such as “The Notebook” and “Dear John”, is writing a novel based on the same idea with the same characters, though his version will be tailored to be more fitting for a novel format. The report also reveals that Shyamalan’s production company, Blinding Edge Pictures, is currently in talks with Warner Bros. to secure the film a theatrical release. The movie doesn’t yet have a release date or a filming window.
Gyllenhaal, who remains one of the most recognizable actors working in Hollywood today, has recently appeared in a range of films and TV shows, including “Road House”, “The Covenant”, “Ambulance”, and “Spider-Man: Far From Home”. He also recently starred in his first major TV series with “Presumed Innocent” on Apple TV+, which was a massive hit.
Shyamalan’s recent movies have all been fairly divisive, but the filmmaker is clearly committed to entertaining audiences and subverting expectations. A romance movie isn’t something he’s really done before, and that’s what makes Sparks’ involvement so exciting. Shyamalan has a lot of experience with thrillers and the supernatural, while Sparks has the same with romance, and putting these two creatives together could result in a truly unique experience that plays to each figure’s strengths.
Gyllenhaal has arguably not had a truly standout lead role in movie in a number of years, at least nothing on par with “Nightcrawler”, “Prisoners”, and “Zodiac”. Gyllenhaal has a dark side that sometimes comes out in his thrillers, and it will be interesting to see how this plays into a story that has a large focus on romance. Many questions remain about Shyamalan’s next movie, but it is already sounding like an exciting new direction for all involved.
