Things go bump in the night across Pennsylvania, especially at the locations featured in director M. Night Shyamalan’s films. Raised in Penn Valley, the filmmaker takes pride in producing and shooting many of his frightful movies and shows near his hometown of Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Visit the real-life locations behind Shyamalan’s horror classics, and don’t be surprised if you start seeing signs, or dead people, along the way.
1. The Sixth Sense
Shot in Philadelphia in the fall of 1998, “The Sixth Sense” instantly became a blockbuster hit, elevated Shyamalan to the ranks of A-list directors, and was nominated for six Academy Awards. More than 25 years later, you can still tour the locations of the film’s scenes in the city. Find the home where young Cole Sears starts to see dead people at 2302 St Albans Street, just south of Fitler Square.
Recreate one of the film’s early scenes and find the bench Bruce Willis’ character, Malcolm Crowe, sits on while waiting for Cole. Shortly after this shot, we see Cole running to the nearby St. Augustine’s Church on North Lawrence Street as Malcolm follows close behind.
2. Unbreakable
Another Bruce Willis classic filmed in Philadelphia, “Unbreakable” is the first film in Shyamalan’s Unbreakable trilogy. Visit Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, where Willis’ character works as a security guard. Although you cannot enjoy a drink at the Curtis Center like Dunn and his wife do in the film, you can still admire the gorgeous glass mosaic that is displayed in the lobby.
3. Signs
Rural Pennsylvania is the perfect setting for supernatural happenings, which is exactly what Shyamalan had in mind when shooting his science fiction horror film “Signs” in Bucks County. Although the farmhouse the film takes place in is no longer standing, visit Delaware Valley University where Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix encounter extraterrestrial beings on their cornfield. Other filming locations include Tyler State Park, where the car accident occurs, and Burns Pharmacy where Gibson’s character runs an errand while contemplating his recent out-of-this-world experiences.
4. The Village
Shyamalan’s thriller “The Village” gives a nod to his Pennsylvania roots. The film centers on an Amish-style community and its relationship with the creatures that lurk within the surrounding woods. The actual “village” where the film was shot is located off the eerie Cossart Road in Chadds Ford. Also known as “Devil’s Road,” you’ll notice the trees dramatically lean away from the road itself. According to legend, members of the DuPont family lived in a large mansion off the road, and its rumored strange cult-like activities were performed there. Although you won’t find an actual village here, keep moving as you make your way along this paranormal path.
5. The Happening
Follow Mark Wahlberg around Philadelphia and Phoenixville as his character faces an apocalyptic threat to humanity in “The Happening.” In the film, Wahlberg plays Elliot Moore, a science teacher at a Philadelphia’s Masterman School in Spring Garden. As the natural disaster spreads and his family flees the city, they find themselves at G Lodge Cafe in Phoenixville planning their next move. You too can plan your next move at the local eatery and decide what film location you want to uncover next.
6. The Visit
Visiting grandma and grandpa’s house ends up being anything but ordinary in “The Visit.” Shyamalan features Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station in one of the first few scenes as the children’s mother helps them board the train. The siblings find themselves in Pennsylvania farm country at their grandparents’ house located on Merlin Road in Chester Springs, where the elderly couple’s behavior soon becomes bizarre. Watch the movie before retracing its path to see why the Royersford Spring Company building holds significance to the final twist.
7. Split
James McAvoy’s character has 23 personalities in “Split,” but it’s the emergence of a 24th, known as the Beast, that is teased throughout the film and terrifies viewers. The second film in the Unbreakable trilogy, “Split” takes place largely indoors as McAvoy’s character holds his victims captive and reveals his personalities one by one. After the battle with the Beast, we catch a glimpse of Philadelphia when one of the abductees is rescued at the Philadelphia Zoo.
8. Glass
The final film in the Unbreakable trilogy, “Glass” features several Philadelphia destinations as David Dunn, the Beast, and the mysterious Elijah Price head toward their final showdown. Several shots throughout the film showcase the city’s iconic skyline, which was most likely filmed from Fairmount Park. You may remember the iconic scene in “Unbreakable” where Samuel L. Jackson’s character is holding up a Sentryman comic book in Ontario Street Comics. The final film in the trilogy returns to this location to give the characters a full-circle moment. Round out your tour with a meal at Stephen Starr’s Parc, which makes an appearance in the film.
9. Servant
Shyamalan takes his thriller expertise to the small screen in the Apple TV+ series “Servant.” Starring Rupert Grint, the show follows a Philadelphia couple as they navigate their daily lives after an unspeakable tragedy and encounter a mysterious force in the process. Filmed on Spruce Street in Center City, you can visit nearby landmarks such as Rittenhouse Square and Fitler Square.
For more must-see film and TV locations in Pennsylvania, check out our guide.