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M.Night Shyamalan enjoyed huge success with Unbreakable in 2000, which starred Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson. Fans eagerly hoped for a sequel, but nothing was forthcoming. Fast forward to January, 2017, and Shyamalan released Split, which starred James McAvoy as Kevin, who suffers from DID (or split personality disorder). Kevin takes three young girls hostage in an underground bunker (which turns out to be in the grounds of a zoo), and during the course of the movie we are introduced to more of Kevin’s personalities as each one is allowed to “come into the light.”
Throughout the film, a darker, more dangerous 24th personality is hinted at, and finally revealed in the last few dramatic scenes. Kevin morphs into The Beast, and escapes his confines, killing two of his hostages, along with his therapist. The third girl, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor Joy), escapes. It is only in a post-credits scene that Willis suddenly appears as the unbreakable David Dunn, and Split is revealed to exist in the same universe as Unbreakable.
Shyamalan confirmed that he would be making a third movie in the same universe some time ago, and he also confirmed he was in the middle of writing it. Now, in a series of brilliant tweets, followed up by an official announcement, Shyamalan has revealed that the third movie will serve as a sequel for both Split and Unbreakable, and that McAvoy, Willis, Jackson, and Joy, will all reprise their original characters.
It’s taken 17 years but I can finally answer the #1 question I get, “Are you making a f#&@ing sequel to Unbreakable or what?”
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
My new film is the sequel to #Unbreakable AND #Split. It was always my dream to have both films collide in this third film.
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
The iconic Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
The incomparable @SamuelLJackson will return as Elijah Price/Mr. Glass
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
The virtuoso #JamesMcAvoy returns as Kevin Wendell Crumb, Patricia, Dennis, Hedwig, Barry, Jade, Orwell, The Beast, Heinrich, Norma, Pol-
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
And the prodigy, @AnyaTaylorJoy will return as Casey Cooke
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
I’m reteaming with my partners @jason_blum and @Universalpics for this crazy comic book thriller.
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
And the film is called GLASS…
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
Universal Pictures will release #Glass on January 18, 2019 all over the world. How’s that for not keeping a secret!
— M. Night Shyamalan (@MNightShyamalan) April 26, 2017
Universal‘s official release reads as follows:
M. Night Shyamalan brings together the narratives of two of his standout originals—2000’s UNBREAKABLE and last year’s SPLIT—in one explosive, all-new comic-book thriller: GLASS. From UNBREAKABLE, Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn as does Samuel L. Jackson as Elijah Price, known also by his pseudonym Mr. Glass. Joining from SPLIT are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast.
Following the conclusion of SPLIT, GLASS finds Dunn pursuing Crumb’s superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of escalating encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an orchestrator who holds secrets critical to both men.
How the character of Casey fits into the narrative described remains to be seen, but seeing McAvoy’s characters playing opposite Dunn and Price is an extremely exciting prospect. Knowing Shyamalan, there will be plenty of twists and turns worked into Glass, to keep us all guessing right to the very end.
Images: Universal
