Movies - TV
The Twisted True Story That Inspired M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In “Trap,” Cooper (Josh Hartnett) and his daughter attend a concert but discover the police have the arena surrounded to catch a serial killer they believe to be hiding inside.
However, Cooper is the serial killer in question and is trying to evade capture as he has a potential victim bound in the basement of his home.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Shyamalan said Operation Flagship, a sting operation to catch hundreds of fugitives on the lam, was the real-life inspiration for the film.
By sending fugitives free tickets to a Washington Redskins/Cincinnati Bengals game, U.S. Marshalls were able to arrest 101 people.
Essentially, the tactic was to scam the fugitives by mail. They sent flyers assuring them that they had won a marvelous prize, but when they came to collect, they were arrested.
"It was hilarious," Shyamalan told Empire. "[...] The cops were literally cheerleaders and mascots. These guys were dancing as they came in. And they were all caught.”