M.Night Shyamalan has had many surprising turns in his career, and his newest venture may be more in keeping with what he is known for. His upcoming thriller The Visit tells the story of two children who go to visit their grandparents on their remote farm. There are various creepy twists and turns along the way, a style which Shyamalan has become famous for.
The Visit
However, did you know that Shyamalan wrote Stuart Little, and claims to have ghost written She's All That - both very different styles of film compared to what he is known for. To celebrate the release of The Visit, which is in UK cinemas from September 9th, we take a look at some other surprising movie connections.
- George Miller wrote Babe
Famed for this brilliant Mad Max franchise, the well-known director turned a corner when he wrote and produced Babe, a story of a little talking pig. The vast contrast between the mean machinery he was used to working with, compared to the curly tailed fluffy pig surprises many people when they learn this random connection.
Despite working on a different genre of film than he was used to, Babe was still a huge success and elevated Miller by showing his diversity. Miller then went on to write direct and produce the sequel Babe: Pig in the City in 1998. As if that wasn't enough, Miller is also the filmmaker that brought Happy Feet and Happy Feet 2 to the director's chair.
- Wentworth Miller wrote Stoker
Miller came into the limelight during his role on hit TV show Prison Break. His role as Michael Scoffield generated huge interest in him. However, Miller showed a different side to himself by writing Stoker.
Having previously stuck to acting roles, the transition may seem unusual, but in fact the screenplay for the film was a pleasant surprise. When India's father dies suddenly, an unknown uncle appears at the family home. Seemingly look to console the family his motives change, and in turn India develops an unusual obsession towards him.
Miller's debut screenplay was a success as Stoker was a movie that was packed with suspense, twists and turns, and interesting characters. He has returned to writing as he has penned the screenplay for The Disappointments Room, which is currently in post-production. D.J. Caruso is back in the director's chair and Kate Beckinsale will star.
- Leonard Nimoy directed 3 Men & A Baby
Nimoy is most recognisable for his role in the Star Trek series as Spock. Following that phase of his career, Nimoy moved to work in another area of the industry as a director. Unknown to some, he directed the much loved comedy 3 Men & a Baby.
The comedy movie was released back in 1988 and saw Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson come together as a great comedy trio.
When three bachelors find themselves forced to take care of a baby left by one of their girlfriends, they have to find a way to be there for one another as they embark on the unexpected adventure of raising a child.
Selleck, Guttenberg, and Danson would reprise the roles of Peter, Michael, and Jack in 3 Men and a Little Lady in 1991. However, Emile Ardolino took over the director's chair from Nimoy.
- Francis Ford Coppola directed Jack
Francis Ford Coppola will forever be known as the director of some of the greatest films of all time - The Godfather and Apocalypse Now to name just two. But what most people don't know is that Coppola had a different side to him as well, and the film he directed Jack perfectly shows that.
Starring Robin Williams, the story of Jack is that a boy suffers with an unusual aging disorder, forcing him to grown four times faster than the normal human being. While it may sound serious, the film is light heart-d and comical. A different side to Coppola's directing ability shines through as he shows how well he can adapt to different genres.
Jack is a moving and - at times - totally heartbreaking movie and it is not what you expect from a director like Coppola.
- M.Night Shyamalan wrote Stuart Little
Pairing Shyamalan with the comedy story of a little talking mouse seems like a strange idea, considering he is most famous for his terrifying horror films like The Sixth Sense and The Happening. However, it worked, and Shyamalan was able to bring the story to life.
When a little family adopt a mouse named Stuart, they have to protect him when their other pet, the family cat, wants him gone. The film was Oscar nominated in 1999, and was generally well received, proving that the horror director could effectively lend himself to more gentle and funny films.
However, as a filmmaker, we have not seen Shyamalan move too far away from the horror or thriller genre and he will be returning to it this week with his new film The Visit.
- Sylvester Stallone directed Staying Alive
John Travolta starred in Staying Alive, where he plays a man trying to be a dancer on Broadway. It may seem unusual then that this romantic drama that revolves around dance and music was directed by Sylvester Stallone.
Best known for his role in the Rocky films, Stallone developed an image of himself as a hard hitting actor, with a desire to act in gritty and physically demanding films. Although the film wasn't particularly well received, it was exciting for Stallone fans to see him engaging in a different role within the industry.
- James Gunn wrote Scooby Doo
Gunn is better known for writing films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Dawn of the Dead. Comical, funny kid's films like Scooby Doo may seem a little out of place for Gunn. However, his remake of the TV series was greatly celebrated.
As the first film after the TV series, Scooby Doo was original, but still familiar to fans. Despite not faring well in the eyes of the critics, the family film managed to drum up pretty good results in the box office!
Gunn returned to the Scooby Doo franchise in 2004 to pen the screenplay for Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Since then, Gunn has really seen his star rocket and is now one of the major directing and writing names in the Marvel universe.
The Visit is in UK cinemas now.
Tagged in M Night Shyamalan