Its hard to ignore that Philadelphia-born directorM.

Night Shyamalanhas crafted one of the most indelible brands in filmmaking over the past 25 years.

These two films, separated by nearly two decades, share a compelling, hard-to-ignore connection.

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This revelation not only shocked moviegoers but instantly cementedShyamalan as a master of the unexpected twist.

However, the real shock comes in the final moments.

There, viewers witness the stunning return of David Dunn, Willis’s character from Shyamalan’s 2000 filmUnbreakable.

An edited image of Sonic and Knuckles in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

In bothThe Sixth Sense and Split, Willis is integral to the final twist.

The collaboration went so well that when Shyamalan approached Willis about hisSixth Sensefollow-up, Willis signed on toUnbreakablesight unseen.

“There was no script when I said yes.

Sonic, Amy Rose, and Shadow from the Sonic movies are surrounded by gold sparkles.

It was just an idea,” Willis toldPeople.

“[Shyamalan] wouldn’t tell me anything, he wouldn’t tell anybody.

I said, ‘I’m in.'”

Bruce Willis looking scared as Malcolm in The Sixth Sense

The back-to-back hits established Shyamalan as a young master storyteller to watch while solidifying Willis’ acting versatility.

The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.

Bruce Willis as Malcolm looking worried in The Sixth Sense

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.

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Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.

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M. Night Shyamalan’s Split follows Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a man with dissociative identity disorder, who kidnaps three teenage girls and imprisons them in an underground facility. When Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) realizes that she can play Crumb’s personalities against one another, she begins to form a plan for escape before she is sacrificed to a creature he refers to as “the Beast”.

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Movies

M. Night Shyamalan

The Sixth Sense