Trap trailer: Josh Hartnett’s serial killer plans his escape

Josh Hartnett awkwardly smiles and stares.
Warner Bros. Pictures

In the latest trailer for M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, Josh Hartnett is a serial killer who must escape a pop concert, a staged event set up by the police to capture him.

While attending the concert with his daughter, Hartnett’s character notices the police gathering outside the arena. The police have staged a Lady Raven concert to capture “The Butcher,” the nickname given to Hartnett’s serial killer. With 300 cops, there is seemingly no way out. However, The Butcher begins plotting his escape by creating diversions and posing as an employee.

“Enjoy the rest of the concert,” The Butcher says before his master plan commences.

Trap | Official Trailer 2

Trap is the latest noteworthy project for Hartnett, who is in the middle of a career renaissance. In 2023, Hartnett starred as Ernest Lawrence in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which won Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars. In that same year, Hartnett also appeared in Guy Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre and an episode of Black Mirror season 6. Hartnett recently made a cameo in The Bear season 3.

Besides Hartnett, Trap’s ensemble includes Ariel Donoghue, Hayley Mills, and Alison Pill. Saleka Shyamalan, M. Night’s daughter, plays the film’s pop star, Lady Raven. Saleka provides original music for the soundtrack as Lady Raven, with the song Release now available to stream.

Trap is written, directed, and produced by Shyamalan, marking his first film for Warner Bros. Pictures since 2006’s Lady in the Water. Shyamalan’s five previous films, including 2023’s Knock at the Cabin, stemmed from Universal Pictures.

Originally scheduled for mid-August, Trap will now be released in theaters on August 2, 2024.