The Watchers Footage Reaction: A Horror Fairy Tale That Continues The Shyamalan Legacy [CinemaCon 2024]
A group of people stuck in an isolated location being terrorized by enigmatic and very possibly supernatural forces residing just outside the barriers of their refuge, all of which feels more like a waking dream than events taking place in the real world? "The Watchers" is a Shyamalan joint alright, just not the Shyamalan who gave us thrillers like "Signs," "The Village," and "Knock at the Cabin." This intriguing big-screen take on A. M. Shine's novel of the same name instead comes from writer and director Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night and a first-time feature filmmaker looking to mark a splash after helming multiple episodes of the acclaimed Apple TV+ series "Servant" (which M. Night also worked on as a producer and director) and doing second unit work on some of her pop's pictures since his return to low-budget thrillers around a decade ago, starting with "The Visit."
Ready to learn more? /Film's Ryan Scott is currently on the ground for the 2024 CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where he was able to attend the Warner Bros. panel and check out some brand-new "Watchers" footage for himself.
The Watchers in the woods
"The Watchers" comes on like an M. Night Shyamalan film, but according to Ishana Night Shyamalan, "We worked hard to make it a unique visual experience."
According to /Film's Ryan Scott, the trailer that debuted at CinemaCon opens with Dakota Fanning hitting a bar for a date, which turns sinister afterwards when she's driving through the woods and her car stalls. After being assailed by birds, she finds a sanctuary where an old woman hustles her into safety. "You have five seconds before the door is sealed."
Fanning is now in a room with other people, where she is watched for uncertain reasons. These people have been here for an indeterminate span of time, and a video provided by the husband of Georgina Campbell's character only heightens her confusion. She wanders through an underground passage that only seems to worsen her situation.
Shyamalan's film appears to be a dark fairy tale, one that contains supernatural monsters and other horrifying elements. We'll find out what Ishana Night Shyamalan has in store for us when "The Watchers" hits theaters on June 14, 2024. In the meantime, you can check out the official synopsis below.
From producer M. Night Shyamalan comes "The Watchers," written and directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan and based on the novel by A.M. Shine. The film follows Mina, a 28-year-old artist, who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. When Mina finds shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night. You can't see them, but they see everything.