Blinding Edge Pictures has just announced M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming film “The Towns” will be a long-anticipated sequel to “The Village” (2004). With the film’s public announcement, Eastern University has also announced their agreement to allow Shyamalan to film on their campus in St. David’s, PA in September and October of 2025. “The Towns” is set to be released in theaters November 2026.
“The Towns” will be Shyamalan’s only sequel outside of “Split” (2016) and “Glass” (2019) which both stem from his 2002 film “Unbreakable.” Shyamalan’s sequel is being released over two decades after the original film, which aligns with the director’s similar decision for the “Unbreakable” trilogy. With “The Towns,” Shyamalan may finally be able to tackle some of the lingering questions from the end of “The Village” while expanding upon the world outside the village, as the new movie title suggests.
A small amount of information concerning the cast has been leaked to the public, which is unusual for a Shyamalan project. Previous cast members Bryce Dallas Howard and Joaquin Phoenix are reprising their roles as Ivy Elizabeth Walker and Lucius Hunt. Sources say that Jenna Ortega has been cast in the lead role as the daughter of Walker and Hunt. The rest of the cast list is still not available to the public, but Oscar-nominated composer James Newton Howard will be returning to create another original score for the film.
The leak has also provided the premise of “The Towns” which will take place in the present day, twenty-one years after Walker and Hunt have escaped the village. The film plans on exploring what normal life looks like for Walker and Hunt, their struggle to control a rebellious daughter, and how the village still seeks to reclaim them. Similar themes of breaking free from authority and dealing with grief are expected to feature prominently in the film. Shyamalan’s signature twist ending has not been leaked, but there are certainly many secrets lurking in the woods waiting to be discovered. Shyamalan fans have been theorizing that the twist may include the dark chapters of Walker and Hunt’s past in the twenty years before the movie takes place.
Critics are skeptical about the film’s success since “The Village” received mixed reviews when it was released in 2004. Some question if Shyamalan will ever improve with his most recent movie “Trap” (2024) only received a 57% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Many fans and critics wonder if this film can surpass its predecessor in quality or if it will be as mediocre as other recent Shyamalan offerings.
Shyamalan has filmed many movies in the greater Philadelphia area including “The Sixth Sense” (1999), “Unbreakable” (2000) and “The Happening” (2008). In fact, Eastern University is not the first local university to be used in a Shyamalan film. According to 957benfm.com, Delaware Valley University was a prominent film location for “Signs” (2002) and several scenes of “Wide Awake” (1998) were shot at Bryn Mawr College. Eastern University is located about twenty miles from the original filming location of “The Village” in Chadds Ford, PA, making it the perfect fit for our village escapees.
Speculations suggest Eastern has been chosen for its wooded campus and ample water features. Fans of Shyamalan may pick up on his love of water imagery in his films, and it appears that “The Towns” will be no exception. Blinding Edge Pictures is looking for interested fall 2025 undergraduate students living on campus to participate as background in the film. More information about casting will be posted closer to filming.
Notoriously, Shyamalan films are highly secretive during production, and Eastern University must make preparations in order to accommodate Shyamalan and his crew. For those interested in working as part of the background for the film, NDAs will be required prior to shoot days. Students not participating in the film will not be permitted to enter shooting locations on campus during film days. Although it is unclear what the shooting schedule will look like, there is the potential for remote learning days across campus due to building accessibility.
It is unclear what buildings on campus will be used for filming, but the Radnor Police Department has agreed to help sanction off whatever spaces are needed for Shyamalan and his crew. Not only is the movie and its’ plot supposed to remain top secret, the police department expects a need for security due to high-profile actors staying in the area for an extended period of time.
In anticipation of the movie, Public Safety has decided to close off the upper McInnis parking lot during the filming months, leaving students with even less parking space available. Potential remote learning days may impact food on campus as well, with the possibility that the Dining Commons and Eagles Nest might have to close for filming depending on the shooting location.
Other accommodations for the film crew may be announced in the coming months as more discussions between Eastern and Blinding Edge Pictures take place. Eastern University is expecting mixed reactions from students and staff alike regarding the decision. Some people in the Eastern community may be excited about the project, especially with celebrities being on campus, while others may have concerns regarding the potential disruptions “The Towns” may cause. Either way, it is important for Eastern students and staff alike to brace for the many upcoming changes in the fall semester.
Colin Tomczak 
Eva Whited