Superhero movies are everywhere nowadays, which can be seen with the various cinematic universes currently dominating the box office. And while Avengers: Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover movie ever, there's a unique one approaching with M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming thriller Glass. Shyamalan will bring together the characters from his recent hit Split alongside the 2000 classic Unbreakable. This includes Bruce Willis' superpowered David Dunn and Samuel L. Jackson's villainous Mr. Glass. While the public hasn't seen any footage of Split, the first images are arriving, including Mr. Glass is full villain accoutrements. Check it out below.
Not one for subtlety, we see Mr. Glass out in the world, and wearing a costume that would be appropriate for superhero settings like the MCU or DCEU. He's got his signature metallic purple trench coat, and is even wearing a broach with the letters "MG". From this image, which comes to us from EW, it seems Elijah Price has truly embraced his identity as a villain, teasing exciting twists once Glass arrives in theaters.
Unbreakable was a very unique look at a comic book movie, as things were grounded and set in the real world. The movie is about Bruce Willis' David Dunn grappling with his abilities, while Elijah Prince's villainous intentions develop. The movie ends with Mr. Glass being born, believing he was meant to the be villain to David's superhero. It's a psychological and complex look into superhero tropes, and now M. Night Shyamalan will be able to expand the narrative with Split.
An Unbreakable originally sequel seemed like a pipe dream, as the years went by without any developments. But then Split happened. Seemingly in a world of its own, the film's final scene featured Bruce Willis' cameo as David, revealing they're set in the same universe. Glass will bring together the full ensemble of characters, with James McAvoy, Anya-Taylor Joy, Spencer Treat Clark, and Charlayne Woodard all reprising roles from either Unbreakable or Split.
Glass will be set at least partly in a mental health facility, which will house the likes of David Dunn, Mr. Glass, and James McAvoy's Kevin Wendall Crumb. Sarah Paulson joins the cast as psychiatrist Dr. Ellie Staple, who specializes in treating patients who believe they have superpowers. But as anyone who has seen Split and Unbreakable knows, there are some seriously dangerous guys in that facility. It's unclear how they'll inevitably escape, but it'll be fascinating to see how M. Night Shyamalan services characters that were separated by over a decade of filmmaking.
With M. Night Shyamalan's name synonymous with unexpected movie twists, one has to wonder how Glass will end up shocking the audience. The pressure is on to deliver a satisfying conclusion for the franchise, and possibly win back some moviegoers who haven't been following Shyamalan's latest work.
Glass will arrive in theaters on January 18, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
