The upcoming romantic thriller Remain a collaboration between M. Night Shyamalan and Nicholas Sparks is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated releases of 2026. The film is set to premiere in theaters on October 23, 2026, following the literary success of its novel counterpart, which quickly climbed to the New York Times Bestsellers list at #2 in November 2025. The book ranked just behind Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben, and ahead of Ali Hazelwood’s Mate, giving fans an early taste of the emotionally charged story before its cinematic debut.

Co-written by Sparks and Shyamalan, Remain fuses the emotional gravity of a romance novel with the tension of a psychological thriller, a blend few expected but many are eager to see. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Tate Donovan, an architect grappling with depression and grief after the loss of his sister. His journey to Cape Cod to design his best friend’s summer home becomes a path to healing and danger when he meets Phoebe Dynevor’s character, Wren. Their connection challenges Donovan’s carefully structured life, unraveling a mysterious and emotional story that balances love, loss, and redemption.

The cast also features Ashley Walters (Adolescence), Julie Hagerty (Airplane!), Jay O. Sanders (Green Lantern), Tracy Ifeachor (Wonka), and Hannah James (Supergirl). With distribution handled by Warner Bros. Pictures, Remain is expected to receive a global theatrical rollout.

This collaboration represents a meeting of two distinct creative minds. Sparks, the acclaimed author behind The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and The Last Song, is renowned for crafting emotionally resonant love stories that often transcend genres. The Notebook alone grossed over $118 million worldwide and remains one of the most beloved romantic films ever made.

Shyamalan, by contrast, brings his signature brand of psychological tension and unexpected twists. His recent film Trap (2024), described as “The Silence of the Lambs at a Taylor Swift concert,” was both a commercial and critical success, earning over $83 million and placing Shyamalan among the top-tier psychological thriller directors of his generation. His extensive résumé includes acclaimed works like The Sixth Sense, Knock at the Cabin, Lady in the Water, and After Earth, each marked by his meticulous storytelling and haunting atmosphere.

The pairing of Sparks’ emotional depth and Shyamalan’s narrative tension makes Remain one of 2026’s most intriguing film prospects a story poised to bridge the gap between heartfelt romance and gripping suspense. With Gyllenhaal and Dynevor at its core, Remain promises to be not just a film, but a cinematic event, one that could redefine what audiences expect from a love story.