Breaking into Hollywood is no easy feat, even for the children of established filmmakers! That is what happened to the daughter of the iconic M. Night Shyamalan (director behind horror hits like The Sixth Sense, Split, Glass, and Unbreakable). Ishana Night Shyamalan just premiered her directorial debut, The Watchers.
The film was released on the 7th of June this month. It sounds exciting, with suspense and a great cast, but ticket sales haven’t been what anyone expected. It even fell short of allegedly the worst movie of 2024.
M. Night Shyamalan’s Daughter’s Debut Flops
M. Night Shyamalan‘s daughter’s movie — The Watchers — takes viewers to the remote countryside of western Ireland, where a young artist named Mina (Dakota Fanning) finds herself stuck. Looking for shelter, she meets a bunch of strangers, each hiding secrets.
As night falls, they discover something terrifying: they are being stalked by unseen creatures. The film’s dark atmosphere and talented cast, including rising stars Georgina Campbell and Oliver Finnegan, had many believing the film would be a hit at the box office.
However, The Watchers didn’t attract many viewers to the theaters. It only made $2.9 million (via The Numbers) on its first day, which was lower than expected. Interestingly, it even earned less than The Strangers: Chapter One, a horror movie that also didn’t do well but still made $5 million (via Box Office Mojo) on its opening day.
Critics Praise The Watchers Despite Box Office Disappointment
Despite not raking in big money, critics are giving The Watchers a thumbs up. They think it’s super creepy and Ishana Shyamalan did a great job keeping the suspense high.
Some even compare it to classic scary movies because it focuses on building fear and keeping things mysterious. For example, Rachel Leishman from The Mary Sue stated on Rotten Tomatoes:
Thrilling, mysterious, and twisting, it’s a great first outing for Shyamalan.
Sean Collier of Pittsburgh Magazine wrote:
It’s a remarkably strong start for Shyamalan, who draws desperate, raw performances from her cast and maintains a pervasive sense of dread throughout.
While how much money a movie makes at the box office can show success, it’s also important to consider what critics and audiences think. Early reviews for The Watchers have mixed opinions, but most of them like how it builds suspense! So, it remains to be seen how well the film will do in the future.
The Watchers is currently screening in theatres!
Frequently asked questions
How did The Watchers perform at the box office on its opening day?
The Watchers, the directorial debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan, made $2.9 million on its opening day, according to the article. That figure came in lower than expected and trailed The Strangers: Chapter One, another underperforming horror film that made around $5 million on its opening day.
What is The Watchers about?
The Watchers follows a young artist named Mina, played by Dakota Fanning, who becomes stranded in the remote countryside of western Ireland. She and a group of strangers she meets discover they are being watched at night by unseen creatures, leading to a tense, atmospheric horror story.
How did critics respond to The Watchers despite its box office numbers?
Critics were reportedly more favorable toward The Watchers than the box office numbers suggested. Reviewers praised its suspense and atmosphere, with The Mary Sue’s Rachel Leishman calling it “thrilling, mysterious, and twisting,” and Pittsburgh Magazine’s Sean Collier describing it as a strong start for director Ishana Shyamalan.
