With 14 films under his belt, M. Night Shyamalan has nearly as many hits as he does misses. However, he remains a box office draw. Considering the bipolarity of his career, would another dud stop studios from proclaiming his name on posters?

His newest film Knock at the Cabin could be his best, but this mentality always seems to accompany Shyamalan’s films. Where does it come from, and where could he take us next? Let’s explore.

Shyamalan Has Had Some Real Winners

     Hollywood Pictures/Spyglass Entertainment

When your first movie out of the gate is held in such esteem that it’s allowed to be mentioned in the same breath as Hitchcock, you’ve got a heavy load on your back. When you insist on writing all of your own scripts and stories you may be hedging your bets. But when those movies hit, you’ll find yourself once again being referred to as a genius.

The Sixth Sense shattered the box office and reintroduced the twist ending to audiences bored by the usual fair. It has become one of those special films whose ending everyone already knows but still watches simply to see how it plays out. Its iconic line “I see dead people” sits in the annals of film lore along with the “ee ee ee” sound from Psycho. It was also his first film to be nominated for six Academy Awards. These included Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Original Screenplay. It also won a number of smaller awards including the Empire Award for Best Director and the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay.

His film Signs is also a fan favorite though many question the ending, while Unbreakable, Split, and Glass came together to reinvent how people looked at superheroes in the age of Marvel fandom. He even almost connected his film The Visit to them.

Sometimes Shyamalan Misses the Mark

     Paramount Studios

The problem is that Shyamalan has a troubling habit of disappointing audiences. His insistence on twist endings has led him to create films with promise, whose trailers seem to be showing new and exciting concepts. Yet, critics and audiences find that they are often disappointed with the final product and that the real twist is that they have once again put their trust in the sometimes-great director.

His film Lady in the Water was considered a self-aggrandizing tale with himself acting as the brilliant writer whose earth-shattering work changes the world. Meanwhile, The Happening made him a temporary laughingstock by making the trees the bad guys and Mark Wahlberg into a science teacher. Shyamalan also drew the ire of fans by directing The Last Airbender, a movie whose entire writing, production, and casting choices were seen as a possible career-ender for the director.

And yet his career persists and his films make money. But why is it that with so many movies audiences consider flops, we continue to flock to theaters to see them?

The Name Means Numbers

     Deadline

Despite his various failures, Shyamalan has proven his staying power. His concepts continue to intrigue and people cross their fingers that they have chosen the one movie that works. His movies bring in enough money to keep him attractive to studios and his hit-or-miss track record keeps audiences guessing. Every viewer has walked out of his movies asking their friends “…but that ending?”

Overall, his films have very mixed scores on Rotten Tomatoes, with his highest being The Sixth Sense with 86% and his lowest being The Last Airbender with just 5%. His box office numbers have also had a varied degree of success. However, it should be noted that only one film, his first (Wide Awake) was the only one to lose money. In fact, where The Sixth Sense brought in $673 million on a $40 million budget, even The Last Airbender brought in $319 million on a $150 million budget. The man knows how to make money and does it consistently, even when his films critically fail.

Knock at the Cabin Could be His Comeback

     Universal Pictures

His next film, Knock at the Cabin, has the clout of being based on a book he had no hand in writing. However, he chose a book whose ending is seen by many as falling into the same trap as his own movies. Also, he wrote the script, which often means its “loosely based on” an idea from an existing story.

And yet, audiences are ready for another Shyamalan comeback. The trailers look interesting, but then again they always do. He has also put together a cast that includes box office draws Rupert Grint (Harry Potter) and Dave Bautista (Glass Onion). Both are second fiddles but known character actors in their own right.

Knock at the Cabin will be a pivotal film for the veteran director. If it proves to be a hit, he may see himself retaining his crown as the comeback kid. However, should the film not gain favor with audiences, he may find himself relegated to streaming, regardless of how great his next projects might be.

So what does this mean for Shyamalan’s career, and how will it affect things going forward? It probably won’t. That’s the lesson of Shyamalan. Unlike Tarantino who people flock to with his flawless record, Shyamalan will continue to churn out content that thrills and enrages. We should write him off, but we just can’t help ourselves.