The #1 Thriller on Netflix is the Debut Film From an American Horror and Mystery Dynasty
Ishana Night Shyamalan had big shoes to fill with her directorial debut, The Watchers. Her filmmaker father, M. Night Shyamalan, has struck box office gold on multiple occasions and has even managed to win over critics with several of his cinematic offerings. The younger Shyamalan didn’t quite reach the lofty heights of her father with her first picture. But most agree that her debut feature shows a certain promise. With Watchers recouping its budget at the box office and charting on Netflix following its debut on the platform, we’ve likely not heard the last of her.
The rookie filmmaker faced accusations of nepotism, with her celebrity father being heavily involved in the production process. It’s no secret that she got a leg up from her dad. M. Night Shyamalan worked as a producer on The Watchers and self-financed the project, eventually selling the picture to Warner Brothers for a reported $30 million. With that said, it’s hard to blame the young director for being born into a successful family and leveraging that to chase her dreams. Ultimately, the film grossed $33 million globally during its theatrical exhibition.
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s directorial debut drew comparisons to her father’s signature style, with some critics calling out the film as a soulless carbon copy of her filmmaker father’s output.
The picture sits at an approval rating of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s critical consensus reads, “Heavy on eerie mood but undone by an obtuse script, The Watchers can only hold the gaze for so long before tedium sets in.”
The younger Shyamalan wrote the screen treatment, in addition to sitting at the helm. The Watchers is adapted from the 2021 novel of the same name by A. M. Shine.
Dread Central was on hand to cover the project leading up to the film’s theatrical release. You can scope a trio of video interviews we conducted with the younger Shyamalan and two of the film’s stars right here!
The film sits as the most-watched horror thriller on Netflix today and claims the #6 slot overall. If you’re curious to check out the flick, head over to Netflix and give it a shot.
The setup for Ishana Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers goes as follows:
A 28-year-old artist gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. Finding shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are stalked by mysterious creatures every night.
That’s all we have for you, for the time being. Stay tuned to the site in the near future for more essential updates on which films within your niche interest set are available to stream and where to find them. If you’re eager to continue the discussion on the perception of nepotism in the film industry, come find me on Threads @FunWithHorror.
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