The Event That Inspired M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Movie (No Spoilers)

American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is known for his movies’ shocking plot twists. His latest production, Trap, promises to keep audiences at the edge of their seats with its unpredictable storyline. Perhaps it’s even more surprising to learn that the premise is based on a true-to-life event known as Operation Flagship.

The story takes place inside a packed concert where the fictitious Lady Raven is scheduled to perform. (Interesting side note: Shyamalan’s daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, is Lady Raven!) Josh Harnett takes the lead role of Cooper, a regular suburban dad accompanying his daughter to see her favorite singer.

During the event, he discovers that the show is really an entrapment operation planned by the FBI. Agents want to capture a serial killer known as “The Butcher.” Based on their intel, the killer will be attending that evening. 

Disturbingly, it’s based on a real-life event, Operation Flagship. According to the director, Shyamalan,  “I heard about it when I was a kid and I thought it was totally absurdist, that this actually happened.” 

He told BBC News, “It was something that was in my head a lot when it happened.”

The Real Operation Flagship

The actual event unfolded nearly 40 years ago in 1985. Authorities plotted to arrest a large group of criminals during Operation Flagship. They offered approximately 3,000 fugitives free tickets to a football game and a chance to win a trip to the Super Bowl. But before they could attend, they had to claim their NFL tickets at a fake TV company.

Almost 120 “prize winners” showed up and were arrested, making the operation a success.

The 54-year-old screenwriter, producer, and occasional actor mentioned how hearing about it deeply impacted him. “This was real-life criminals, FBI, and police. They dressed up as cheerleaders and mascots and were dancing around with them and goofing around with them,” Shyamalan recalled.

Reflecting on it, he said, “Probably today they couldn’t do anything like this, but back in those days they were literally partying with them. They were like, ‘Come on in the room!’ and then checked their names and made sure it was the right people, and got around them and said, ‘You’re all under arrest.”

Will the story in Trap unfold in the same manner as the 1985 sting operation? You can catch the movie in cinemas to find out.