Will Smith personally hired M. Night Shyamalan to direct 'After Earth', Read why

Will Smith starred in and wrote a film called After Earth. The movie featured his son Jaden Smith in his first real role as a grown-up. The original idea of the movie was devised by Will Smith himself and he also produced the movie via his own company Overbrook Entertainment. The story of the movie revolves around abandoned post-apocalyptic earth and all the challenges that one will face. But did you know that Will Smith wanted and asked for M. Night Shyamalan to direct the film? Find out why the actor was so eager to get M. Night Shyamalan in his movie. 

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M. Night Shyamalan is an American filmmaker who directed the super-hit film The Sixth Sense (1999). As reported by IMDb, Will Smith wanted to work with M. Night Shyamalan for a very long time. Several years passed by, but Will Smith could not find a suitable project for him and M. Night Shyamalan to collaborate on. 

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When Will Smith was looking for a director for his movie After Earth, he personally hired M. Night Shyamalan to direct the movie. This then became the first time in 20 years that the director accepted a movie that was based on a screenplay not written by him. Another twist to the story is that M. Night Shyamalan always appears in his own movie. But this is also the first time he didn't appear in his own movie. 

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Carrie Rickey, a published writer for Slate, also mentioned on a public platform that Will Smith and M. Night Shyamalan also mentioned that the two didn't live very far from each other in their childhood. Will Smith and M. Night Shyamalan finally met at some event and became good friends. The directed also congratulated Will Smith on his sons Jaden's role in Karate Kid.   

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After Earth Review 

After Earth didn't fare well in the box office and did not do well with the audiences either. Many critics pointed out that Jaden's acting in the film was very melodramatic and mentioned they didn't enjoy the film at all. Reports also claim After Earth to be one of the worst films to be made by M. Night Shyamalan. 

Promo Pic Credit:  After Earth's Twitter