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IMDbPro

M. Night Shyamalan

  • Producer
  • Director
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 500179
M. Night Shyamalan in The Last Airbender (2010)
Here's a plot twist: M. Night Shyamalan has a unique visual style threaded through his disparate supernatural, thriller, and genre films that goes much deeper than his surprise endings. From 'The Sixth Sense' to 'Glass' to 'Old,' IMDb dives into the trademarks of writer, director, producer, and actor M. Night Shyamalan.
Play clip2:22
A Guide to the Films of M. Night Shyamalan
22 Videos
99+ Photos
Born in Puducherry, India, and raised in the posh suburban Penn Valley area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, M. Night Shyamalan is a film director, screenwriter, producer, and occasional actor, known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots.

He is the son of Jayalakshmi, a Tamil obstetrician and gynecologist, and Nelliate C. Shyamalan, a Malayali doctor. His passion for filmmaking began when he was given a Super-8 camera at age eight, and even at that young age began to model his career on that of his idol, Steven Spielberg. His first film, Praying with Anger (1992), was based somewhat on his own trip back to visit the India of his birth. He raised all the funds for this project, in addition to directing, producing and starring in it. Wide Awake (1998), his second film, he wrote and directed, and shot it in the Philadelphia-area Catholic school he once attended--even though his family was of a different religion, they sent him to that school because of its strict discipline.

Shyamalan gained international recognition when he wrote and directed 1999's The Sixth Sense (1999), which was a commercial success and later nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Shyamalan team up again with Bruce Willis in the film Unbreakable (2000), released in 2000, which he also he also wrote and directed.

His major films include the science fiction thriller Signs (2002), the psychological thriller The Village (2004), the fantasy thriller Lady in the Water (2006), The Happening (2008), The Last Airbender (2010), After Earth (2013), and the horror films The Visit (2015) and Split (2016).
BornAugust 6, 1970
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornAugust 6, 1970
IMDbProStarmeterTop 500179
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Nominated for 2 Oscars
    • 16 wins & 46 nominations total

Photos109

Lauren Ambrose and M. Night Shyamalan in Servant (2019)
Norm MacDonald, M. Night Shyamalan, and Adam Eget in Norm Macdonald Has a Show (2018)
Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and M. Night Shyamalan in Conan (2010)
Bruce Willis and M. Night Shyamalan in Conan (2010)
Bruce Willis and M. Night Shyamalan in Glass (2019)
M. Night Shyamalan in The Sixth Sense (1999)
John Erick Dowdle, M. Night Shyamalan, and Drew Dowdle in Devil (2010)
John Erick Dowdle, M. Night Shyamalan, and Drew Dowdle in Devil (2010)
John Erick Dowdle, M. Night Shyamalan, and Drew Dowdle in Devil (2010)
M. Night Shyamalan, Jackson Rathbone, Nicola Peltz Beckham, and Noah Ringer in The Last Airbender (2010)
M. Night Shyamalan in The Last Airbender (2010)
M. Night Shyamalan, Shaun Toub, and Dev Patel in The Last Airbender (2010)

Known for

Bryce Dallas Howard in Lady in the Water (2006)
Lady in the Water
5.5
  • Producer
  • 2006
Signs (2002)
Signs
6.8
  • Producer
  • 2002
The Village (2004)
The Village
6.6
  • Producer
  • 2004
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Sixth Sense
8.2
  • Director(directed by)
  • 1999

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Producer

  • Untitled M. Night Shyamalan Project
    • producer
    • Pre-production
    • 2024
  • The Watchers
    • producer
    • Pre-production
    • 2024
  • Caddo
    • producer
    • Post-production
  • Labor of Love
    • producer
    • In Development
  • Lauren Ambrose, Rupert Grint, Toby Kebbell, and Nell Tiger Free in Pigeon (2023)
    Servant
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2019–2023
  • Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Dave Bautista, and Abby Quinn in Knock at the Cabin (2023)
    Knock at the Cabin
    • producer
    • 2023
  • Old (2021)
    Old
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2021
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy in Glass (2019)
    Glass
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2019
  • James McAvoy in Split (2016)
    Split
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2016
  • Wayward Pines (2015)
    Wayward Pines
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2015–2016
  • The Visit (2015)
    The Visit
    • producer
    • 2015
  • Will Smith and Jaden Smith in After Earth (2013)
    After Earth
    • producer
    • 2013
  • Tak Fujimoto, John Erick Dowdle, Sam Mercer, Brian Nelson, M. Night Shyamalan, Martin Whist, Elliot Greenberg, and Fernando Velázquez in Devil (2010)
    Devil
    • producer
    • 2010
  • Noah Ringer in The Last Airbender (2010)
    The Last Airbender
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2010
  • Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    The Happening
    • producer
    • 2008
  • Bryce Dallas Howard in Lady in the Water (2006)
    Lady in the Water
    • producer
    • 2006
  • The Village (2004)
    The Village
    • producer
    • 2004
  • Signs (2002)
    Signs
    • producer
    • 2002
  • Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis in Unbreakable (2000)
    Unbreakable
    • producer
    • 2000

Director

  • Untitled M. Night Shyamalan Project
    • Director
    • Pre-production
    • 2024
  • Trap
    • Director
    • 2024
  • Labor of Love
    • Director
    • In Development
  • Lauren Ambrose, Rupert Grint, Toby Kebbell, and Nell Tiger Free in Pigeon (2023)
    Servant
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2019–2023
  • Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Dave Bautista, and Abby Quinn in Knock at the Cabin (2023)
    Knock at the Cabin
    • Director
    • 2023
  • Old (2021)
    Old
    • Director
    • 2021
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy in Glass (2019)
    Glass
    • Director
    • 2019
  • James McAvoy in Split (2016)
    Split
    • Director
    • 2016
  • Andra Day in Andra Day: Rise Up (Inspiration Version) (2016)
    Andra Day: Rise Up (Inspiration Version)
    • Director
    • Music Video
    • 2016
  • The Visit (2015)
    The Visit
    • Director
    • 2015
  • Wayward Pines (2015)
    Wayward Pines
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Will Smith and Jaden Smith in After Earth (2013)
    After Earth
    • Director
    • 2013
  • Noah Ringer in The Last Airbender (2010)
    The Last Airbender
    • Director
    • 2010
  • Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    The Happening
    • Director
    • 2008
  • Bryce Dallas Howard in Lady in the Water (2006)
    Lady in the Water
    • Director
    • 2006
  • The Village (2004)
    The Village
    • Director
    • 2004
  • Signs (2002)
    Signs
    • Director
    • 2002
  • Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis in Unbreakable (2000)
    Unbreakable
    • Director
    • 2000

Writer

  • Untitled M. Night Shyamalan Project
    • Writer
    • Pre-production
    • 2024
  • Labor of Love
    • screenplay
    • In Development
  • Nikki Amuka-Bird, Rupert Grint, Dave Bautista, and Abby Quinn in Knock at the Cabin (2023)
    Knock at the Cabin
    • screenplay by
    • 2023
  • Old (2021)
    Old
    • written for the screen by
    • 2021
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy in Glass (2019)
    Glass
    • written by
    • 2019
  • James McAvoy in Split (2016)
    Split
    • written by
    • 2016
  • The Visit (2015)
    The Visit
    • written by
    • 2015
  • After Hours (2010)
    After Hours
    • guest ending writer (credit only)
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Will Smith and Jaden Smith in After Earth (2013)
    After Earth
    • screenplay
    • 2013
  • Tak Fujimoto, John Erick Dowdle, Sam Mercer, Brian Nelson, M. Night Shyamalan, Martin Whist, Elliot Greenberg, and Fernando Velázquez in Devil (2010)
    Devil
    • story
    • 2010
  • Noah Ringer in The Last Airbender (2010)
    The Last Airbender
    • written by
    • 2010
  • Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and Ashlyn Sanchez in The Happening (2008)
    The Happening
    • written by
    • 2008
  • Bryce Dallas Howard in Lady in the Water (2006)
    Lady in the Water
    • written by
    • 2006
  • The Village (2004)
    The Village
    • written by
    • 2004
  • Signs (2002)
    Signs
    • written by
    • 2002
  • Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis in Unbreakable (2000)
    Unbreakable
    • written by
    • 2000
  • Michael J. Fox in Stuart Little (1999)
    Stuart Little
    • screenplay
    • 1999
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos22

Why M. Night Shyamalan Put on His "Boogie Shoes" for 'Knock at the Cabin'
Clip 4:02
Why M. Night Shyamalan Put on His "Boogie Shoes" for 'Knock at the Cabin'
A Guide to the Films of M. Night Shyamalan
Clip 2:22
A Guide to the Films of M. Night Shyamalan
'Glass' Cast Connections: Finding a Lost Thread of 'Split' in 'Unbreakable'
Clip 5:31
'Glass' Cast Connections: Finding a Lost Thread of 'Split' in 'Unbreakable'
IMDb's Most Anticipated Movies of 2019
Clip 3:44
IMDb's Most Anticipated Movies of 2019
Devil
Clip 0:38
Devil
The Shark is Still Working: The Impact and Legacy of JAWS
Clip 0:47
The Shark is Still Working: The Impact and Legacy of JAWS
The Shark is Still Working: Steven Spielberg on the fate of the Orca
Clip 0:51
The Shark is Still Working: Steven Spielberg on the fate of the Orca
'Knock at the Cabin' Cast: Extended Interviews
Interview 15:42
'Knock at the Cabin' Cast: Extended Interviews
The "Servant" Cast Made an Ariana Grande Music Video on Their Creepy Set
Interview 2:07
The "Servant" Cast Made an Ariana Grande Music Video on Their Creepy Set
"Servant" Blends Cooking Shows & a Rubber Baby to Perfectly Ruin Thanksgiving
Interview 3:37
"Servant" Blends Cooking Shows & a Rubber Baby to Perfectly Ruin Thanksgiving
The Visit
Interview 2:05
The Visit
The Last Airbender
Interview 0:45
The Last Airbender

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • Alternative name
    • Manoj Night Shyamalan
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • August 6, 1970
    • Mahé, Pondicherry, India
  • Spouse
    • Bhavna VaswaniMarch 7, 1993 - present (3 children)
  • Children
      Saleka Shyamalan
  • Parents
      Jayalakshmi Shyamalan
  • Other works
    TV commercial for American Express (USA) (2006)
  • Publicity listings
    • 8 Interviews
    • 20 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Became the highest paid screenwriter in Hollywood when Disney gave him $5 million to write Signs (2002).
  • Quotes
    I play for a living...Success is tied to a feeling of magic, which I can protect.
  • Trademarks
      Frequently uses Philadelphia as the backdrop in his movies. As seen in the films Wide Awake (1998), The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000), Signs (2002) and The Village (2004).
  • Salaries
      The Village
      (2004)
      $10,700,000 (Story rights ($7,200,000); Writing services ($300,000); Producing ($3,000,000); Directing ($221,000).).

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