M. Night Shyamalan pens massive directing deal with Warner Bros. after ‘Knock at the Cabin’ success

M. Night Shyamalan has entered into a multi-picture first look exclusivity deal with Warner Bros., as his most recent release continues to stack up the numbers at the box office.

The brilliant but often frustrating director has seen several rises and falls in his career since its illustrious beginnings. Starting out with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, nearly every subsequent release failed to meet those same high standards. Infamously dubbed the next Steven Spielberg, he’s kicked back into his best following some strong releases in the 2010s and 2020s.

According to Deadline, Warner Bros. are very keen to have the director on their books with them signing a first-look deal as they attempt to bounce back from a disastrous 2022. The success of Knock at the Cabin has most definitely cemented the profitable value of Shyamalan’s name, with it marking yet another number one opening at the box office as well as decent reviews.

Warner Bros. co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy expressed their delight in having the auteur in their corner, with high praise coming for the director as they welcome his production company Blinding Edge under the WB roof.

“From The Sixth Sense through Split to his latest chiller Knock at the Cabin, he’s one of the few directors in contemporary cinema whose name alone promises a bold, singular vision, compelling original storytelling and a provocative, surprising and entirely unique experience at the theater. We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome him to the Warner Bros. family, and look forward to an exciting collaboration with Night and the entire Blinding Edge team.”

Shyamalan is most definitely an auteur, and his unflattering hit rate with movies at very least demonstrates he’s always going for his own vision. Some of his misses have been truly horrendous, like The Happening or After Earth, but Shyamalan is definitely a household name who continues to bring in audiences.

Knock at the Cabin has grossed $40 million from a $20 million budget, with a 68 percent approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes – making it his fifth-best reviewed film on average.