M. Night Shyamalan calls ‘Lady in the Water’ his most underrated film

Director M. Night Shyamalan has identified his 2006 film, ‘Lady in the Water’, as his most underrated work. Speaking during a retrospective organized by Beyond Fest and the American Cinematheque, Shyamalan expressed a desire for audiences to re-evaluate the project through a modern lens.

Shyamalan described the film as a unique fusion of his two cinematic identities: family-oriented storytelling and the thriller genre. He characterized the work as having ‘extravagant heart and colors’ and noted that it represents a significant part of his identity as an auteur.

Released following a string of successes such as ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘Signs’, ‘Lady in the Water’—starring Paul Giamatti and Bryce Dallas Howard—was met with critical backlash and commercial struggle. With an estimated production budget between $70 million and $75 million, the film earned approximately $72 million worldwide, making it one of the most difficult periods in the director's career.