The teaser poster for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening is now online thanks to ComingSoon. The poster features the cheesy tagline text “We’ve Sensed It, We’ve Seen The Signs, Now… It’s Happening.” Check out the full poster after the jump.
The movie stars Mark Wahlberg as a man who takes his family on the run, in an attempt to survive a natural global environmental crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity. Mother Nature is sick of our polluting ways and has decided that we must go. An invisible neurotoxin is admitted into the air which causes people to become suicidal. John Leguizamo and Zooey Deschanel also star.
I think I was one of the few people who enjoyed Night’s last film, Lady in the Water. But that aside, I’m far from a fan. The Sith Sense and Unbreakable are great movies, Signs and The Village are the opposite. But I have faith in M Night. I think he now has something to prove. I know that the people who have read earlier drafts of the script have said that it’s his best screenplay since The Sixth Sense. So take that for whatever it is worth.
Shyamalan’s first R-rated effort will hit theaters worldwide on Friday, June 13th 2008.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Not to offend, but this movie reeks of “The Left Behind” Christian-doom series of books you can find selling out at Wal-Mart for 10 years now.
I didn’t mind the “keep the faith” catch to Signs, but this poster’s tagline is meant to stir up “Revelations” talk.
And hopefully, Al Gore doesn’t get attacked by a smog cloud in his cameo, or worse, raped by a tree.
December 7th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
“The Happening” is such a bad name, sounds more like a bunch of sixties era hippies get together and talk about how bad Lady in the Water was! Otherwise the concept sounds ok. I forget, did M Knight write this one, or did someone else write it?
December 7th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
He wrote it. The script is said to be strong.
December 7th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
TheDohDoh,
Oh, please. This film has nothing to do with religion or “Revelations”. Believe me, it’s not what I know you’re thinking it’s about.
December 7th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
This poster is not so great. And I agree with the person who said the title is terrible.
But I like that it involves Mark Whalberg.
And I’m one of the few who liked Signs (till you see the aliens) and the Village…though that’s mainly because Joaquin Pheonix is a very pretty man.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
@OC,
Oh really? Please research a bit before you shoot my opinion down. This poster is clearly supposed to express a key visual of The Rapture, as is oft-illustrated/described in the Left Behind books that I mentioned in my first comment. At “End-Times,” people will supposedly vanish without a trace leaving abandoned cars strewn along the highway. See this image, one of hundreds on the net depicting this event: http://www.reformation.org/large-rapture1.jpg
Shyamalan is a devout Christian in case you didn’t know. His first film was entitled Praying with Anger, his second, Wide Awake, was about a boy’s search for God and faith (mixed with the supernatural), and Signs is about the test of Christian faith, which is the reason Mel Gibson signed up to do it (he played a pastor) - that movie was a huge hit with the 700 Club and marketed to churches et al. There is even religious reference in Unbreakable (his best film IMO).
Now, take what I just said, and reexamine this poster. It is clearly supposed to be a wink to Christians and modern Christian imagery, just like the recent Dark Knight poster is a wink to viral Internet fanboys, while eluding much of the public. The poster’s tagline mirrors that of so many Left Behind books, and even directly references the director’s most-Christian work to date. Also, notice the white light above the city - which is omnipresent in the Left Behind books.
I did an entire research project in college on those books and their influence and popularity in American culture (no, I am not a fan nor am I paranoid). The Christian demographic is highly influential - just see The Golden Compass’s box office or the hush-hush that still surrounds The Passion’s $300 million take - so expect plenty of religious imagery in this film as well.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Lady In The Water was probably the worst film of last year. But, I’m going to give this one a shot. Sounds like it could be pretty exciting. However, this poster looks like straight to DVD type sh*t.
December 8th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
Every movie of Manoj’s was great so far. Waiting for a trailer, now.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Bring it on Night! I’m looking forward to the movie.
December 9th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
i read somewhere that “the happening” wasn’t mr. shyamalan’s first choice as title. first is said to have been “the green effect” which for some reason unknown to me has been abandoned. i’m looking foreward to this film, hopeful that mr. shyamalan wasn’t urded by the producers to alter and adapt his original vision. - i consider “signs” to be a great film, that is not about an alien invasion, but about fear, for which the aliens (as naively sketched as if ripped off directly and inetntionally from a ‘mars attacks’ bubble gum paper) are a metaphor. - i deem “lady in the water” for maybe the greatest film of the decade. it’s a fairy tale for adults, which speaks directly to the inner child’s belief, that we, even a sadults, might be able to alter our behaviour to a more feeling and compassionate one.
December 10th, 2007 at 6:28 am
The Sith Sense? Hell, I’d line up on opening day for that one! Lemme see some more Darth Maul fight scenes!
January 18th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
yeah, i think that this movie will be good. Another view at post-apolcaliptic future is always fun to see. prepare people forwhjat could come. I thought that they had banned this genre tho, o well its a very good one.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 am
“the end is the beginning, the beginning is the end” callenders 2008-2017
February 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
yo homies, dis be agood one
February 19th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Maybe it’s the change of some of humanity from third density to fourth? Read the books by Gina Lake. Enlightening!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:55 am
It always amuses me when people condemn a movie on the basis of the poster or what they “believe” the movie will be like. Go see it, or don’t go see it, that’s everyone’s choice. But you cannot pass judgement on a movie until AFTER you have seen it. Just as you cannot pass judgement on a book until after you have read it. Sure the poster is nothing special, but a poster does not a movie make. I will go and see this movie. Then I will decide if it is any good.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:06 am
It might amuse you, but people judge movies based on posters all the time, nothing is going to change that. People judge books on covers, music on CD art, people on how they look, politicians on how they smile, the list goes on and on. You are making your own judgement and others will make theirs. I agree that this isn’t a good thing, but it happens all around us all the time.
June 2nd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Happening: Bad Name
Lady in the Water: Lives in movie HELL!
The Concept: Seems great! I’m gonna give Shyamalamadingdong another shot at the big screen.
Sixth Sense: Great!
Unbreakable: Great!
Signs: Great!
Village: Ok!
Lady in the Water: HELL NO!
The Happening: Has a lot of promise and it looks very interesting. My most anticipated movie of the summer is this movie!
June 13th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
This movie is terrible please save your money its a waste of your time! makes no sense..and m. night’s career should be ended no joke!
September 1st, 2008 at 6:07 am
the movie’s good. the script is debatable, the cast is brilliant, the set is ok. stangley unlike most horror movies it was all filmed during the day - in a field…
The Happening is a bad title but hell….
the sorty line that carries it along is the fact that you go silent, then crazy then want to kill yourself, which was a good idea.
mark walberg and zooey deschanel are great together. i never saw her acting married though!! enjoy.