How to Watch M. Night Shyamalan’s Powers Universe in Order

Also known as the Eastrail 177 Trilogy, M. Night Shyamalan‘s Powers Universe consists of three feature films to date. Beginning with the psychological superhero thriller Unbreakable in 2000, the cinematic universe revolves around David Dunn, a seemingly ordinary man who develops impervious superpowers after miraculously surviving a fatal train wreck. Confused by his newfound makeover, everything changes for Dunn when he meets the mysterious Elijah Prince, a stranger with intimate knowledge of Dunn’s superpowers that he manipulates for his benefit.

Although Shyamalan’s new horror film Trap does not exist within the Powers Universe, it’s worth analyzing how to watch the Eastrail 177 Trilogy in chronological order and where to stream each movie online. Although Shyamalan categorically dismissed plans to make another sequel in 2019, suggesting he’s not interested in creating a cinematic universe (according to IndieWire), the filmmaker known for shocking twist endings could always change his mind and surprise fans with another cinematic entry. Until that day comes, here’s the best way to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s Powers Universe.

Unbreakable (2000)

Following M. Night Shyamalan’s landmark 1999 psychological horror movieThe Sixth Sense, the filmmaker reunited with Bruce Willis for Unbreakable. The first film in the Powers Universe, the inciting event in Unbreakable occurs in present-day Philadelphia. Security guard and former football star David Dunn (Bruce Willis) boards the Eastrail 177 train, a doomed locomotive returning to Philadelphia from New York. The train abruptly speeds up and crashes, killing every single passenger except for David, who not only survived but escaped completely unscathed.

David is summoned by a mysterious man named Elijah Price (played by Samuel L. Jackson), a man born with brittle bones who can hardly walk. Elijah is an eccentric comic book fanatic who confesses his theory regarding real-life superheroes. David is slowly convinced that he is a kind of telepathic Superman who wields incredible superhuman strength, stamina, and health. Although Elijah helps David by informing him his one weakness is water, Elijah ultimately usurps the superpowers for his own gain, dubbing himself Mr. Glass, and becomes the city’s most sinister supervillain.

Made before the cinematic superhero craze and rise of Marvel, Unbreakable was hailed for its unique vision, shocking plot twists, and re-imagining the Superman mythos. The fusion of psychological horror with heroic action movie tropes resulted in a refreshingly original movie that proves Shyamalan was not a flash in the pan. Nearly 25 years later, Unbreakable is arguably Shyamalan’s best movie, for no other reason than launching the popular Powers Universe.

Split (2016)

Sixteen years after Unbreakable, Shyamalan continued the Eastrail 177 Trilogy with Split. The plot concerns Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy), a kidnapper with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Despite undergoing therapy, Kevin possesses 24 distinct personalities competing for superiority in his mind, which manifests as physical powers to transform his body. Hedwig, the most dominant persona in Kevin’s mind, tries to control the hyper-aggressive and ultra-violent Beast, his most terrifying alter ego.

Split’s inciting event takes place when Wendell kidnaps a trio of young women outside the Philadelphia Zoo, including Casey (an early role for Anya Taylor-Joy). As Kevin tortures his captives, the movie veers into vexing psychological territory as Casey and Kevin’s therapist get into his head and begin toying with his various personas. It isn’t until the final moments that any connection to Unbreakable is made (outside the Philadelphia location). The final scene depicts David Dunn (Willis) in a local bar overhearing news reports of the Beast’s crimes. When a waitress notes the similarities between Kevin and a mysterious man in a wheelchair, Dunn states, “It was Mr. Glass.”

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The stunning admission led many fans to call Split the first “stealth sequel” for how it keeps its narrative cards close to the vest. Beyond a few similar locations, it’s nearly impossible to realize that Split and Unbreakable are intrinsically linked until the final moments. Moreover, the absence of Samuel L. Jackson made it difficult for fans to realize that, until the release of Glass three years later, Split was designed to function as a semi-secret supervillain origin story. Shyamalan is a cinematic magician with great sleight of hand, and Split proves that he knows how to misdirect the audience with effective tricks up his sleeve. While everyone was distracted by McAvoy’s brilliant performance, Shyamalan was setting his fans up for his prestigious third act.

Glass (2019)

Glass

Release Date

January 16, 2019

Runtime

129

Shyamalan’s grand plan comes together in Glass, the final entry of the Powers Universe released 19 years after Unbreakable. The title refers to the smart Elijah Prince’s supervillain moniker and the story finds David Dunn, Elijah Glass, and Kevin Wendell Crumb facing off in a Philadelphia psychiatric hospital. Dunn, now dubbed The Overseer for his heroic efforts and telepathic powers, attempts to stop Glass’s murderous plot from doing more harm to innocent civilians. As the three wage war for superpower supremacy, a showstopping battle occurs outside the facility.

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In addition to tying the loose storylines together, Glass brings back several characters from the Powers Universe trilogy, including Casey (Taylor-Joy), Elijah’s mother Mrs. Price (Charlayne Woodard), and the security guard Jai (Shyamalan). The film was praised for Jackson and McAvoy’s performances, the visceral action set pieces, and Shyamalan’s ability to conclude a secret 20-year trilogy satisfyingly. However, other critics skewered the film so badly that Shyamalan confessed to crying over the poor reception. According to IndieWire:

“Honestly, I was feeling like, ‘Will they never let me be different without throwing me on the garbage pile? The feeling of worthlessness rushed me, and to be honest, it doesn’t ever really leave. But anyway, the film went on, right? It became number one in every country in the world, and it represents my beliefs.”

Although Shyamalan maintains he has no plans to continue telling stories in the Powers Universe, if one thing Hollywood has taught moviegoers, it’s that anything is possible.

The Powers Universe Is the Same in Chronological and Release Order