Netflix recently added M. Night Shyamalan's newest psychological thriller to its catalog and it is already in the number one spot on the Top 10 movies in the US! Warner Bros. released Trap in theaters on August 2, 2024 and the film performed decently at the box office, pulling in over $83 million on a $30 million budget and now it's making an admirable show on Netflix.
Josh Hartnett's performance as serial killer Cooper, also known as "The Butcher," is what really makes Trap such a success. While he might be a brutal murderer, Cooper is also a fairly normal father trying to bond with his teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) by taking her to a concert for her favorite singer, Lady Raven, played by Shyamalan's daughter Saleka.
During the concert, Cooper starts noticing that the place is swarming with undercover cops and detectives. He learns that the entire concert has been set up as a trap for The Butcher after the police received a tip that he'd be in attendance. So, Cooper then has to find a way to escape the arena without tipping off the police to his identity.
Trap received mixed reviews from critics, but I had an absolute blast watching this movie. It's not as dark as some of Shyamalan's previous films, especially when comparing it to the bleakness of Knock at the Cabin. Trap leans more into its thriller roots, delivering an adrenaline rush and a surprising amount of comedy, too. It's a real crowd pleaser, anchored by Hartnett's chilling performance that easily fluctuates between charming and chilling.
The film has also been streaming on Max for several months now, so it's interesting that the movie is dominating at Netflix considering its been available to stream for some time. It just goes to show how powerful the "Netflix bump" remains, even in 2025. Other Warner Bros. movies like Furiosa and Dune: Part Two experienced something similar when they were added to Netflix.
As fans of Shyamalan know, the man rarely takes a break. He's already hard at work on his next project, one that has caught a lot of interest due to his collaborator. The filmmaker has partnered with best-selling romance author Nicholas Sparks to co-write a screenplay and a book. No plot details have been revealed, but it is being described as a romantic supernatural thriller. Jake Gyllenhaal has been tapped to star and Deadline recently announced Bridgerton alum Phoebe Dynevor was also cast.
Trap is now streaming on both Netflix and Max.