M. Night Shyamalan has never been one to play it safe, and his upcoming psychological thriller Remain is no exception. During a candid conversation at the Beyond Fest retrospective in Los Angeles, the filmmaker pulled back the curtain on a subtle but powerful visual choice in the film's trailer—one that fans might have missed on first glance.
The director, known for his meticulous attention to detail, revealed that the aspect ratio in Remain isn't just a stylistic flourish. It's a storytelling device. As the protagonist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, navigates grief and a mysterious new connection, the frame itself shifts to reflect his internal state. Shyamalan explained that these changes are meant to mirror the character's emotional journey, drawing viewers deeper into his fractured psyche.
“I'm always drawn to things I've never felt before,” Shyamalan said, reflecting on his creative process. “With Remain, I wanted the visual language to feel as unstable and transformative as the character's experience.” The film, written by The Notebook author Nicholas Sparks, follows Tate (Gyllenhaal) as he moves to Cape Cod seeking solace, only to meet a woman who challenges everything he believes about love and loss.
The Beyond Fest event, held in collaboration with the American Cinematheque, showcased 12 of Shyamalan's films over 27 years, from The Sixth Sense to the Eastrail 177 Trilogy. For the director, the retrospective was a rare chance to look back—and he admitted it's been a deeply reflective experience. “I'm in a period of gratitude,” he said. “I want to remember why I started making these stories.”
Shyamalan also took time to praise his frequent collaborator Bruce Willis, whose work in Unbreakable and Glass remains a touchstone in his career. “Bruce brought a vulnerability to those roles that was essential,” he noted. While the future of the Unbreakable universe remains uncertain, Shyamalan hinted that he's always thinking about what's next—and that he's already deep into development on a new project after Remain.
For fans eager to decode every frame, Shyamalan's revelation adds another layer to Remain's mystery. The film, which also stars Phoebe Dynevor, is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated thrillers of the year. As the director put it, “I want every choice to mean something.”
For more on Shyamalan's career and his thoughts on bold filmmaking, check out our list of near-perfect thrillers and what's coming in spy thrillers.
