Shyamalan's no Spielberg Entertainment Weekly places Signs director ahead of George Lucas

Arthur J Pais

Newsweek, please note: Despite your cover story proclaiming M Night Shyamalan to be the next Steven Spielberg, there are some who think that the 32-year-old filmmaker might have to wait for some time.

In its annual power issue, for instance, Entertainment Weekly listed Shyamalan at nine while Spielberg was at second spot, following Tom Hanks.

Hanks, who has perhaps the least number of flops for a major star whose career has spanned over two decades, was hailed by EW for "delivering strong grosses for the typically dark Road To Perdition, snagging Emmys for Band Of Brothers, and even having the savvy to co-produce the surprise smash My Big Fat Greek Wedding (headed for a $185 million gross in America)."

Tipped to be a strong contender for major Oscar nominations, Road To Perdition has grossed $150 million worldwide and is still travelling. It could easily end with $200 million worldwide --- and more in case of strong Oscar nominations MBFGW, which has just opened abroad and has grossed about $10 million in Britain, is expected to gross $185 million in America. It had remained untouchable till Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson adopted it.

Shyamalan's position at nine was no small chappati. The filmmaker whose Signs is headed for a solid $230 million in gross in America, and had already amassed $125 million abroad in just about five weeks followed the following high achievers: Hanks, Spielberg, Mel Gibson (who scored his biggest hit with Signs), Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey and filmmakers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

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EW's criteria for gauging Hollywood power is simple, notes Jay Woodruff an editor who oversaw the selections, "What it boils down to is the ability to get projects that you care about off the ground. It's all about green light," he says. "The greater someone's greenlight power, the higher they are on the list."

The EW list came around the same time when Shyamalan received the annual Kodak Achievement Award. He is the youngest recipient of the award that has gone to such stalwarts as Martin Scorcese.

Though George Lucas's Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones is a far bigger success than Signs, he was found at No 15 on the list. Shyamalan forged ahead because despite his relatively young age, he has acquired an enormous clout to choose his projects and stars and have the final cut on his film.

Shyamalan was followed by Adam Sandler, Eminem, Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott, George Lucas, Nicole Kidman, David Letterman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith and many other names on the list of 50 top power house of talents.

'Not only one of the highest-paid writer-directors in Hollywood ($12.5 million plus back end to write and direct Signs) but like, Lucas and Spielberg, he is able to draw a mass audience on his name alone,' EW wrote of Shyamalan who found a place on the list for the first time. 'Doesn't hurt that he consistently persuades major actors (Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson) to star in his relatively inexpensive, wildly profitable films.'

But does Shyamalan’s movies have a negative side? Logic may take a backseat in them, many of us have known for long.

'Dude,' wrote EW 'aliens who have mastered interstellar travel but can't get through a pantry door?!'