
Writer-director M Night Shyamalan released the first poster for his upcoming film Trap, which features Josh Hartnett in the lead role of a serial killer. The poster comes at the same time as a new trailer, featuring Hartnett's character Cooper attending the concert of a famous pop star, named Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan), alongside his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue). As Cooper exits the concert hall for a break, he sees security arrangements getting better. He learns from a person that cops have set up a trap for a serial killer who is among the concert crowd. The trailer itself clarifies that Hartnett is the killer, which is unlike most Shyamalan films with twist endings.
Explaining the reason for revealing the twist in the trailer itself in a conversation with The Wrap, Shyamalan said, "You can’t hide it as it happens so early. This is the fun of the film.”
Shyamalan also told Empire Online's Ben Travis that Trap is partly inspired by an incident from 1985 where "fugitives were offered free NFL tickets, and the chance to win an all-expenses-paid Super Bowl trip. Except, 100-odd hopefuls attended and discovered that it was a sting operation."
The film also stars Hayley Mills and Alison Pill. It is slated for an August 2 release.