The Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn’t Exactly a Secret During Production

The Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn't Exactly a Secret During Production

As someone who grew up in the late ’90s, I can vividly remember the sheer excitement and anticipation that surrounded the release of The Sixth Sense. Haley Joel Osment, the young prodigy who brought Cole Sear to life, recently shared some fascinating insights into the production of this iconic film, revealing that the twist ending wasn’t treated as a closely guarded secret during filming. This was an era before spoiler culture ran rampant and social media hadn’t yet taken over our lives, making it much easier to keep such secrets under wraps.


Haley Joel Osment, who became famous for his role as young Cole Sear in “The Sixth Sense,” recently revealed that the movie’s shocking ending wasn’t kept under wraps during filming. With social media still years away, it was easier to maintain secrecy about the twist. Osment attributes this success to factors such as a lack of spoiler culture at the time and disbelief that the project would be successful, which combined to ensure that many viewers didn’t learn about “The Sixth Sense” twist until they watched it in theaters.

During an interview with IndieWire, while discussing his latest movie “Blink Twice”, Osment reminisced about the creation of his most memorable role. Surprisingly, he mentioned that the twist in “The Sixth Sense” was not considered a major secret during production.

“I can’t recall any meetings, discussions, or strategic planning sessions regarding the protection of that secret. Much of it was due to the time we were in. There wasn’t as much spoiler culture as there is today, especially in the late 1990s. Also, the internet wasn’t as widespread, so people couldn’t easily take and share photos from the set without having them developed first.”

Osment additionally mentioned that he can’t remember the adults expressing much optimism about The Sixth Sense becoming a financial success. However, the movie ultimately grossed approximately $673 million on a budget of $40 million. The film garnered immediate critical praise, placing director M. Night Shyamalan in the limelight as the next potential Spielberg. The motion picture was nominated for six Academy Awards across categories such as Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. Without a doubt, it became one of the most financially successful horror films ever produced.

“We hadn’t anticipated it becoming as big as it did. We were all very proud of the film we produced, and I recall sharing a meal with Night during the press tour just before its release. He expressed his hope that word-of-mouth would keep it in the top three for a couple of weeks. However, none of us predicted it would reach number one.”

Even though it initially gained success on an international scale, the producers recognized the story’s potential due to its unexpected finale, as revealed in a subsequent interview by Haley Joel Osment.

“The international spotlight turned it into something that felt like a clandestine matter, yet I don’t recall agreeing to any confidentiality agreement. Now, it’s astonishing because these days, just auditioning for certain voice roles may require an NDA for lines that won’t even make the final cut. Clearly, we’ve moved into a new era.”

The Sixth Sense Paved the Way for Shyamalan’s Career

The Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn't Exactly a Secret During ProductionThe Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn't Exactly a Secret During ProductionThe Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn't Exactly a Secret During ProductionThe Sixth Sense Star Says the Twist Wasn't Exactly a Secret During Production

The Sixth Sense

The surprising finale of “The Sixth Sense” significantly impacted M. Night Shyamalan’s filmmaking style, leading him to incorporate a climactic twist in most of his subsequent movies. While some of these twists were effective, many fell short or failed to generate the same level of shock as “The Sixth Sense.” This expectation for a twist ending in all of Shyamalan’s films often resulted in disappointment when the conclusion did not meet the high expectations set by “The Sixth Sense.” However, Shyamalan has experienced a comeback with movies like “Old” and “Knock at the Cabin.” His new film, “Trap,” which seems to reveal its twist in the initial trailer, is currently playing in theaters.

The Sixth Sense
is available to stream on Max.

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2024-08-19 03:31