We broke the news exclusively two weeks ago that the Dowdle brothers (Quarantine) ing for M. Night Shyamalan's first NIGHT CHRONICLES, only details were kept mum. This afternoon the official announcement was made on the film, which goes by the title of Devil. You can read all of the details inside for the film slated to be written by 30 DAYS OF NIGHT's Brian Nelson.
M. Night Shyamalan and Media Rights Capital have formalized the first project in their three-picture deal to hatch fright films. They've set Brian Nelson ("30 Days of Night") to write "Devil," which "Quarantine" helmers John Erick and Drew Dowdle will direct.
The supernatural thriller is based on an original story by Shyamalan, who'll produce with Sam Mercer under the Night Chronicles banner. The Dowdle siblings will be executive producers. The film will be PG-13 and will begin production next year.
MRC set the Night Chronicles as a financing and production partnership with Shyamalan in July. The company's goal is to generate one genre film per year over three years, with Shyamalan hatching the ideas and overseeing the selection of talent and the creative direction. Shyamalan will co-own the film copyrights and retain artistic control while MRC makes distribution deals, as it does on all the pictures it finances.
Shyamalan, who next directs "The Last Airbender" for Paramount and Nickelodeon, got an ownership stake in his most recent directing effort, "The Happening," in a co-financing configuration between India-based UTV and 20th Century Fox.
I'm not exactly sure what Shymalan's role is in this. If they are simply attatching his name to the project in order to use him as a brand name like they do with Tarantino I think the plan may backfire. After The Happening I don't think many people trust his name anymore. Not to say that he is incapable as a director, but his name alone doesn't gaurantee a hit anymore. Pg-13 horror movie plus tarnished reputation equals skepticism.
Shyamalan has definatley gone down hill in recent years. He blasted out of the gate with "Sixth Sense", and has steadily nosedived with every project. "Lady in the Water" was awful.
I have to admit, I kinda liked "The Village". I'm sure I'm one of only a few.
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