M. Night Shyamalan is the name that sparks curiosity and has proven himself one of the greatest modern filmmakers of this generation. Shyamalan’s projects are distinct because they carry a lot of weight and his films feature unforeseen plot twists, that would not have been anticipated by his viewers. Over the years, M. Night Shyamalan has given us several iconic films like Lady in The Water, Glass, Knock At The Cabin, and many more.
His films have not only left a lasting impact on the viewers but also at the box office. However, M. Night Shyamalan’s best film, The Sixth Sense tops them all as he became a prominent name in the film. The film was such a great watch that it made Disney fire one of its top executives.
David Vogel Purchased M. Night Shyamalan’s Rights For The Sixth Sense Without Clearance From His Bosses
M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense remains the best film that the filmmaker has ever created, and it has established itself as a movie that has influenced pop culture. It is built on three basic premises Shyamalan’s cinematic expertise, plain and having a simple plot.
Despite following a simple formula, the film was a huge hit because according to The Numbers, the film grossed $672.8 million at the worldwide box office. As a result, when the film’s script was first presented to Disney, David Vogel, then-President of Disney did not wait for the clearance from his superiors. He decided to own the rights to the script by paying the amount from his pocket.
As per reports from the Desert Sun, during the late 90s, the inner politics in Disney were “intricate and toxic,” and a new system was implemented to hire a new boss to watch over the boss to stop greenlighting films that could have been worth the investment.
Hence, Vogel lost his creative freedom, but things changed when the then-president decided to skip his lunch and read a script, it was none other than The Sixth Sense which had “more potential” than any movie he had ever read.
He broke the system by paying the $2.25 million for the rights from his pocket because The Sixth Sense had “more potential to be a big hit than any other movie I had ever read.” He bypassed normal methods so that he could enjoy the rights.
David Vogel’s boss was furious at him when he learned that he bypassed the norms for the rights of the script and they ended up with Spyglass financing the film. Amid the toxic politics, Disney earned only 12.5% of the distribution fee.
Later, Disney asked Vogel to restructure his contract and relinquish some of his powers. But that was not all because one of the bosses wanted complete control of The Sixth Sense, Vogel refused and fired him in 1999’s July.
Bruce Willis Praised M. Night Shyamalan While Working in The Sixth Sense
Growing up M. Night Shyamalan was a huge fan of Bruce Willis, and over the years, he has collaborated with him multiple times. However, when he was working with his idol for the very first time in his big break, The Sixth Sense. The Signs filmmaker recalled how the Pulp Fiction actor gave him a compliment that he still remembers.
During an exclusive interview with Jake’s Takes, M. Night Shyamalan talked about how much he used to admire Bruce Willis and how he was the hero, whom he “grew up with.” Shyamalan said,
He is this blue-collar hero that I grew up with, and not just for me but for Quentin [Tarantino] and Wes [Anderson], and you name it, Fifth Element. Every time, he took risks and just jumped in, and when he believed in you, he was just behind you, and would be the muscle behind you to go ‘Hey, go for it.’
Later in the interview, the Knock At The Cabin director recalled one incident during the production of The Sixth Sense, where Willis called for him in his trailer and gave him the best compliment ever.
Shyamalan added,
He was like ‘I’ve only felt this one other time, what you made me feel, [which was] with Pulp Fiction and Quentin.’ …It was tough to get on his good side, but once you did, he was your big brother and just fought for you in any circumstance.
It was a great praise for the young director that showcased how Willis believed in his cinematic vision and his process of filmmaking. Fast forward to 2024, Shyamalan is one of the hottest names in the film industry who would pull the rug from your feet as the climax of his film.
The Sixth Sense can be rented on Apple TV.
