It’s hard to ignore that Philadelphia-born director M. Night Shyamalan has crafted one of the most indelible brands in filmmaking over the past 25 years. Ask the average movie fan to explain Shyamalan’s impact, and the answer is fairly simple: he consistently showcases a potent mix of skillful storytelling and unexpected plot twists that leave audiences reeling.

Among Shyamalan's extensive filmography, two movies stand out for their particularly mind-blowing twists: The Sixth Sense (1999) and Split (2016). These two films, separated by nearly two decades, share a compelling, hard-to-ignore connection.

M. Night Shyamalan’s 2 Best Movie Twists Involve Bruce Willis

Shyamalan's Bonkers Closing Twists Left Moviegoers Stunned – And Willis Played A Massive Role In Both

In The Sixth Sense, Willis stars as child psychologist Dr. Malcolm Crowe, who is tasked with helping young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a boy who claims to see dead people. The narrative builds with a haunting, ever-escalating sense of mystery and tension, culminating in the shocking ending that Dr. Crowe himself had been dead all along, unseen by anyone in the film but Cole. This revelation not only shocked moviegoers but instantly cemented Shyamalan as a master of the unexpected twist.

Fast-forward to 2016, when after disappointing reviews and box office receipts for recent films like The Last Airbender, After Earth, and The Visit, Shyamalan made a triumphant return with Split. Split follows Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a man with dissociative identity disorder who kidnaps three teenage girls. However, the real shock comes in the final moments. As the scene shifts to a diner, a news broadcast about the film's events leads to a conversation among patrons. There, viewers witness the stunning return of David Dunn, Willis's character from Shyamalan's 2000 film Unbreakable.

In both The Sixth Sense and Split, Willis is integral to the final twist. In the case of The Sixth Sense, it’s Willis's restrained and heartfelt performance that quietly steals the movie, helping the twist land with even more astonishment and poignancy. In Split, Willis shepherds in the unexpected crossover with Unbreakable, delighting audiences and instantly setting the stage for the inevitable sequel, 2019's Glass.

Bruce Willis & M. Night Shyamalan’s History Of Collaborations Explained

Sometimes, A Director And An Actor Just Fall In Sync

The story of how Bruce Willis and M. Night Shyamalan came to work together begins in 1999 with that Sixth Sense script, a story that defied the conventions of the typical Hollywood blockbuster. Despite his background in high-octane action films like the Die Hard series, Willis was quick to recognize the script’s potential as well as the opportunity to plunge into a different, more cerebral type of character in Dr. Crowe.

The collaboration went so well that when Shyamalan approached Willis about his Sixth Sense follow-up, Willis signed on to Unbreakable sight unseen. "There was no script when I said yes. It was just an idea," Willis told People. "[Shyamalan] wouldn't tell me anything, he wouldn't tell anybody. He just said, 'I have an idea for a script that I want to write for you.' I said, 'I'm in.' " The back-to-back hits established Shyamalan as a young master storyteller to watch while solidifying Willis' acting versatility.

Shyamalan and Willis's mutual iration and appreciation for twisty, complex narratives created a foundation of trust, allowing creative freedom to flourish in future team-ups Split and Glass, pushing the boundaries of traditional storytelling. The creative synergy between the two resulted in some of cinema's most memorable moments, demonstrating the magic that happens when the right creative forces align. While Bruce Willis's tragic aphasia diagnosis suggests audiences have seen their last collaboration, the duo's work remains thrilling and resonant, leaving a lasting legacy for all their fans.

Source: People