M. Night Shyamalan begins production on mysterious new horror flick 'Knock at the Cabin'

M. Night Shyamalan's new nightmare is one step closer to scaring the proverbial pants off of audiences. That's because the writer-director has officially begun production on his next horror team-up with Universal Pictures: Knock at the Cabin.

Slated for a wide theatrical release next February, the project is shrouded in the usual aura of mystery we've come to associate with Mr. Shyamalan, who will have a total of 15 features under his belt once filming wraps on Knock.

While plot details are thinner than Stephen King's Billy Halleck, intel on the cast is another story. The movie rocks a pretty dynamite ensemble of genre vets — some of whom have worked with the director before — like Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), Rupert Grint (Servant), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Old), Jonathan Groff (The Matrix Resurrections), and Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth).

Shyamalan's most recent effort — Old — brought in $90 million worldwide against an estimated production budget of $18 million. Based on a graphic novel by Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters, the film centers around a mysterious beach that causes those who visit it to rapidly age until they shrivel up and die. Old is only the second time Shyamalan has adapted an existing property for the big screen.

During an interview with Variety last summer, the filmmaker teased that his next screenplay would be adapted from a novel, though it's unclear if he was referring to Knock. "This was one that was brought to me to produce," he said. "And then I was like, 'Hmm, I have an interesting idea for this.' So we'll see how it's going, but it's very exciting. I have two ideas for movies after that that are just my ideas."

Catching up with The Hollywood Reporter at the start of this year, Shyamalan revealed that the script for Knock was the fastest one he's ever written throughout his career. "Signs was the fastest script that I wrote before this," he explained. "I don’t know if that’s to do with the engine, the movement of it, but we’ll see. I’ve enjoyed it so much, and it’s very emotional."

The movie is part of a production deal struck with Universal Pictures back in 2019. "Universal has doubled down — and continues to double down — that it’s their identity," he told THR. "So I’m hoping Jordan [Peele], Chris [Nolan], myself and anybody else that will come over, or at other studios, can prove that everyone wants to see fresh, original ideas in a movie theater."

We'll learn who exactly is trying to get inside when Knock at the Cabin arrives on the big screen Feb. 3, 2023.