M. Night Shyamalan is driving me crazy, I'm literally ready to pull my hair out over his endeavors. For years numerous reporters (myself included) have been saying that he's an incredible director, but his screenplays are complete sh*t. It's frustrating because he's becoming one of the most wasted talents in the history of Hollywood - and now he's taking all the negative reviews a little too personally and stepping away from the camera (although he'll still be directing "The Last Airbender," a live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon property). Read on for the story on his producing gig, which will result in one new thriller per year.
Media Rights Capital and M. Night Shyamalan have formed the Night Chronicles, a financing/production partnership intended to generate one thriller per year for three years.
Shyamalan will produce but not direct, marking the first time he will produce a film he didn't write and helm. Shyamalan will create the stories and ideas for the films and pick the writers and directors; MRC will finance.
Shyamalan and MRC will co-own the copyrights and retain artistic control.
Two factors in particular attracted MRC to the filmmaker: Shyamalan typically generates more movie ideas than he can execute, since he writes, directs, produces and often acts in the films he makes. And he has a track record of bringing his films in on budget.
The new venture marks the first major deal for Tory Metzger since she left CAA to become prexy of MRC Films, and she expects that Shyamalan will be very hands-on with the Night Chronicles product.
"These films will be based on ideas in keeping with what has made Night so successful, and has made him unique to his time," Metzger told Daily Variety. MRC will set up each project for distribution when Metzger and co-CEOs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu feel it's best for the film.The projects aren't formalized, and no writers have yet been hired, but Shyamalan has at least two ideas that could become films. The Night Chronicles will be based near Philadelphia, where the filmmaker lives and works. To oversee development, MRC has hired Ashwin Rajan, a veteran UTA agent who is Shyamalan's cousin.
The MRC deal is the second Shyamalan has made recently that gives him a copyright ownership stake. His pact with India-based entertainment company UTV on "The Happening" gave Shyamalan a 25% ownership stake in the negative; that inventive deal gave the director his usual upfront fee but traded his first-dollar gross participation for an ownership stake and 50% of the film's revenue stream, once 20th Century Fox and UTV recouped budget and P&A costs.
While the film hasn't performed as strongly as some of Shyamalan's past hits, "The Happening" cost around $50 million and is about to cross $150 million in worldwide gross. Shyamalan is in Japan to promote the film's opening there.
"Filmmakers have always been my inspiration," Shyamalan said in a statement. "Working with the next wave of innovative filmmakers will teach me many things that I can bring to my own writing/directing and give my stories the opportunity to be brought to the screen in a stunning way."
Shyamalan next directs "The Last Airbender," a live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon property. Paramount has skedded the film for release on July 2, 2010.
MRC is in the midst of its most ambitious film slate since launching. The company has completed production on a half-dozen films ranging from the Robert Rodriguez-directed "Shorts" to "The Other Side of the Truth," which Ricky Gervais co-wrote and co-directed with Matthew Robinson, and has a handful of projects in the pipeline.
MRC also recently launched its TV production slate that includes programming a Sunday-night primetime block for CW and has hatched digital projects that include an original animated series creation by "Family Guy's" Seth MacFarlane that will be distributed by Google and YouTube.
I disagree with introduction, I like almost every Shyamalan movie. I found some entertainment in The Happening too. It will be shame if he will produce instead direct in the future only because few Hostel fans who have too high expectations of every upcoming Shyamalan title. :(
Definitely good news. I lost faith in Night not only as a writer but a director too. The performances in 'The Happening' are proof that his skill as a director has gone the way of his writing. And if 'The Happening' is proof of anything else its that he's better at selling his ideas than actually rendering them on film. Consider that nobody wanted anything to do with 'The Happening' initially, and yet he still got it made (with studio support). This is a good decision on his part (as long as the ideas he's selling people aren't his own) to move on from writer/director to producer. Its the only thing he's still skilled at.
Well, what can i say... say Nay to originality, say Yay to remakes... with Shyamalan out of the way, it's another director not helming remakes from asia or any other country... it's really sad that this happens. He's just a good director who does not follow the protocol, and that's exactly what he done wrong... sad sad news. =(
'bout fuckin time! but it`s just another gimmick in a long line of Shyamalan stunts. He`ll still try to stick his face into every movie they make and they still have "Artistic control" which basically means they will make the movies how they want. They will be the same pieces of crap in new packages and tons of people will flock to the theaters because of his name. It works for Tarantino.
I think Shymalan is a phenominal director. i mean would it kill him to just step away from the script and let someone else write it? As a director he is fantastic and i really dont want him to just produce. I really do like Night, i like signs, sixth sense, love unbreakable, and i even liked the village. after that it was kinda down hill for me. Never the less, his direction has always been spot on, its simply the story lines and what not that are killing me. Come on Shyamalan, just direct...its the right thing for you to do.
Uhm, sorry, but this doesn't mean M. Night is not going to direct any more films after Airbender. He even says this venture will serve to help his own writing/directing. So, I guess you guys get to wear your "I Hate M. Night Shyamalan!" T-shirts a little longer.
Now, go work on that secret handshake.
M.Night is a great director and the last movie the hapening is a good movie better movie that most of the shit go to cinemas the laidy in the water is shit and prtencius movie but all the other movies e directed are good movies
He's a pussy!
I completely agree with the "intro".
the best this guy has ever written is the sixth sense and stuart little.
just sayin.
The Happening- boycotted
Lady in the Water -crap
The Village -garbage
Signs -awful
Unbreakable -terrible
Stuart Little -hahaha
The Sixth Sense -great
meh, the writing for Unbreakable and the Sixth Sense was quite good overall and were both fantastically well done movies -- the rest of his movies have so many problems and stupid stupid shit in them it makes me barf (Signs was at least "ok" up until the end with the fucking water bullshit. So fucking dumb.) He has to somehow channel whatever he did for the first two... bring that back again!! and Bruce Willis --- he cant make a movie without Bruce!
SOOOOOO maybe this decision will give him a chance to mesh with fresh talents and learn the errors of his ways!!!
This is bad news for any writers. Cause this is what Sham is saying. I am so talented and have so many ideas that I am going to bring in other writers and directors to see these ideas through. Which is a nightmare for any writer or director. Cause Sham knows what he wants. So if a writer goes off and writes something based on his idea. He's not going to like it and it's going to go through script hell until he just takes over the project and writes it himself. HIs Ego will get in the way.
I hate script hell. Script hell sucks. I know, because I'm in the middle of script hell at the moment. Being a hired gun on a project is creatively stiffling. The producer/director says "I want this-this-and this." Then they get those things and think you gave them something different.
OK, need to lay down now.
Gee thanks, shitbuster... you just gave all kinds of brain anuerisms.
silverfall:: dude did you really just knock Tarantino??
wow.. balls.. the most uneducated opinion ive ever heard, but balls....
I think Night should keep doing what he does, despite the web hate... yes The Happening bombed, but maybe he needs to get in that film school mindstate and pull something good out of the hat. we dont know yet..
I've liked all his movies but The Happening. I didn't see anything wrong with The Village and Unbreakable. They were better than a lot of critically acclaimed junk on here. The Happening was horrid, yes. But he's not terrible if he stays in his comfort zone and doesn't try to be gory when he can't be.
tom_dahm: I didnt knock tarantino`s work...I love his films...but, the movies he has produced, they arent as good. And he and Shyamalan both have a love of sticking their face into their own movies. I was just saying that people will go see a movie as long as his name is on it. Tarantino likes movies that not everyone can get into so some of the things he has produced have been hit or miss. Shyamalan will be doing more of the exact same thing he is doing now, but if the movie fails he can blame someone else.
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Media Rights Capital and M. Night Shyamalan have formed the Night Chronicles, a financing/production partnership intended to generate one thriller per year for three years.
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