Remain, the novel by Nicholas Sparks, hit shelves last year. That’s not normally something io9 would take notice of, but Remain was a first for the oft-adapted author known for penning The Notebook and other sentimental tales—it was touted as a collaboration with director M. Night Shyamalan. It’s a head-scratching pairing even if you consider that both creatives aren’t exactly known for nuance.
Going back to The Sixth Sense, Shyamalan has famously been known to embrace big twists. With Sparks’ book getting an 18-month head start on the Remain movie, the story’s big reveal is already in print for the world to see.
But that reveal is incredibly obvious, and with the first teaser for the February 2027 film now here, we can see that Shyamalan—who wrote the screenplay solo from his and Sparks’ story—assumes his audience will figure out a certain plot “secret” from the get-go. Because it’s all but spoiled right here.
The only true mystery hanging over Remain is why Jake Gyllenhaal wanted to sign on—so maybe there’s more beyond what we see in Sparks’ book that attracted the normally discerning actor. “Trust the unknown,” after all.
“When reclusive architect Tate Gordon moves to a small coastal town to complete his latest project, he encounters an alluring young woman who pulls him out of his shell and into the center of a deadly mystery that hangs over the town,” reads the official synopsis.
Phoebe Dynevor plays the alluring young woman who simply adores board games; the movie also stars Ashley Walters, Julie Hagerty, and Jay O. Sanders.
Remain opens in North American theaters February 5, 2027; internationally, it opens February 2, 2027. Will you be checking this one out?
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