Is M. Night Shyamalan's Trap based on a true story? Inspiration behind the film, explored

The master of twist, M. Night Shyamalan is back with another twisted tale with Trap. But this time, the thrill of capturing the bad guy is staged within the chill of a music concert.

The film is not based on a true story. However, this peculiar idea is inspired by Operation Flagship, a years-long operation by US Marshals to capture hundreds of fugitives, by scam and trickery.

Apart from this hilarious law enforcement endeavor, M. Night was inspired by the experiences of attending various concerts with his daughters Saleka, Ishani and Shivani.

The film is being produced under Warner Bros. Studios, who previously collaborated with Shyamalan for his 2006 venture Lady in the Water. The film will be released in the United States on August 2, 2024, and stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Alison Pill.

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What inspired M. Night Shyamalan's Trap?

The film was inspired by two things, Operation Flagship and extravagant music concerts.

It's about a covert police operation to catch a serial killer by trapping him inside a concert. This may seem like a unique and high-concept film that can't possibly be true. But that isn't the case.

Although the pop star music concert thing has never happened, US Marshals adopted the scamming and trapping tactics to capture over a hundred escaped fugitives in a 1985 operation called Operation Flagship.

Shyamalan found the entire endeavor hilarious, as the cops were disguised as cheerleaders and mascots during the sting operation. He decided to give the whole thing a sinister take. “What if The Silence Of The Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert?” was the simple pitch from Shyamalan that got the film a thumbs-up from the studio.

He was also inspired by the various music concerts he attended with his daughters, as it became a space to create strong bonds with each other. Trap is at its heart a father-daughter story but not the conventional type of father-daughter story. Who expects conventional from Shyamalan, though?

For him, the film is more personal, as his daughter Saleka is playing the role of pop star Lady Raven in the film.

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What is the film Trap about, and what to expect?

Cooper, a serial killer, dubbed as 'The Butcher' by the media and police, is on a nice father-daughter outing at a music concert of a pop singer Lady Raven.

He finds out that the entire concert is staged by the cops to catch 'The Butcher' aka him. The film is about Cooper's struggle to survive the trap laid by the cops and get out of the concert unharmed, with his daughter, of course.

However, this is what the trailer made us believe about the film. Those who know Shyamalan's work know that there's always a twist to his stories. Is Cooper really the killer? Is the trap truly laid for him? Fans are already scratching their heads to point out the possible twist.

It's a Shyamalan film, so anything is possible. But there's also a possibility that the film might not live up to the expectations. The acclaimed director is also known for some misfires on the silver screen. However, no matter how the product turns out, viewers going to the theatre can expect a unique experience from a Shyamalan venture.

The film is not just set in a concert, as it's a concert within a movie, which fans would only be able to fully enjoy inside a cinema.

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Final Thoughts

Trap has generated a lot of buzz among fans since the release of its trailer on April 19, 2023, which is not common for a medium-budget film. Viewers can expect a suspenseful and thought-provoking experience typical of Shyamalan's style, with twists and complex character dynamics.

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The film debuts in theaters on August 9, 2024.