8 'Next Big Thing' Movie Directors Who Didn't Live Up To The Hype

3. M. Night Shyamalan

It was impossible to write a list about directors who achieved massive success only to never follow up on their potential without mentioning M. Night Shyamalan. The director sprung to fame with inventive thrillers like The Sixth Sense and Signs, but proceeded to prove himself as a one-trick-pony trapped by his own cliches and conventions.

Burned by the gimmicks that made him famous, he turned his attention to blockbusters, being drafted to helm the film adaptation of The Last Airbender as well as Will Smith's After Earth. Both were terrible, seemingly singling the end for the once-budding director.

With his name being poison to any project, Shyamalan turned his attention back to low-budget thrillers, producing the fine-if-uninspired horror movie, The Visit. He has recently reclaimed some of his former glory with 2016's Split, and everyone has their fingers crossed that he can maintain that momentum when the sequel drops next year.