M. Night Shyamalan’s new film poster is the retro horror revival I needed

Director M. Night Shyamalan is known for his film's shocking plot twists and with horror classics like The Sixth Sense under his belt, it's no surprise that the poster for his latest film is a smash hit with fans. The stylish and subdued design is an elevated take on the classics, with claustrophobic visuals and a broody colour scheme that promises an experience filled with twisted terror.

The best horror film posters are typically memorable for their striking design that can terrify us on visuals alone. It's not an easy task to create a sense of tension and fear through a static poster design, yet Shyamalan's latest film poster proves that minimalist visuals can be a powerful tool to captivate audiences.

The simple yet eerie poster features a close-up shot of lead actor Josh Hartnett, with bold text that reads "Trap" placed over his eye. Accentuating the terror on his face, the simple black-and-white monochromatic typography creates visual tension, ignoring the typical design cues of symmetry to create a disconcerting offbeat design. Against the sterile off-white, the predominant red colour palette offset by a shadowy black border gives the poster that classic horror feel.

Shyamalan fans were quick to share their praise, with one X user writing "The Shyamalan redemption arc continues." Another commented "It’s a simple but very attractive poster," while one user called it a "Very interesting and scary poster - I like the red colour and darkness." 

Alongside the poster was the release of the film's official trailer which you can check out below – I'm still trying to work out what the big Shyamalan twist will be. Trap will be released in the UK on 9 August and 2 August in the US so there's not long until we find out. 

We've already seen some stunning horror movie posters this year, and as a horror fanatic, I can safely say I'm very excited about the upcoming releases. If you missed it, check out the terrifying Longlegs posters that chilled me to my core. For more movie design inspiration take a look at the new Quiet Place movie posters that are effortlessly eerie.