Summary

• Trap blends the horror of a serial killer with the vibrant energy of a Taylor Swift concert, creating a chilling and immersive experience.
• The film's twist reveals that the seemingly normal dad attending the concert is actually the Butcher, adding layers of suspense and unpredictability.
• Inspired by real events like Operation Flagship and Taylor Swift's performances, Trap promises to be a terrifying rollercoaster for fans of both horror and concerts alike.

The horror film Trap sounds terrifying if you have attended or will attend the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, as there are several similarities between the film and the show. The M. Night Shyamalan film starring Josh Hartnett is about Cooper, a dad who takes his daughter to a concert. Once there, he finds out that the concert was staged purely to set up a trap for a serial killer, the Butcher, who is meant to be attending the concert.

As in most of his films, there is an possible twists in Trap, one of the movie's more subtle themes appears to be a link to Taylor Swift. The fictional performer in the film, Lady Raven, is also a female solo artist that sings pop songs and is very popular with young girls, creating a clear connection. This narrative similarity may mean that Trap is particularly scary Taylor Swift fans in light of her successful tour.

Trap's Story Becomes Even Scarier After Experiencing Taylor Swift's Eras Tour

What If A Serial Killer Attended The Taylor Swift Eras Tour

I love concerts, partly for the shared experience with other fans you would otherwise never meet. At the same time, you don't know anything about the people around you, and Trap hones in on that fear. What is even scarier in Trap's case, is that the person who is dangerous seems like a regular dad taking his daughter to a concert. This is potentially the last person you would expect to be a serial killer.

Given the cultural context of Taylor Swift's widely successful Eras Tour, combining this setting with the horror of a serial killer gives the whole movie a terrifying immediacy...

Shyamalan told Empire that he wanted the film to feel like a concert film, and said that he directed an entire concert for the movie. This added layer of realism makes the film sound even creepier. Given the cultural context of Taylor Swift's widely successful Eras Tour, combining this setting with the horror of a serial killer gives the whole movie a terrifying immediacy that would otherwise be lacking. We also don't know if the Butcher is just attending the concert to give his daughter a fun night, or if he is there for more sinister reasons. This uncertainty makes Trap an even scarier prospect for Swifties.

Did Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Actually Inspire Trap?

The Trailer Of Trap Has The Feel Of A Taylor Swift Concert

Trap is indeed somewhat inspired by Taylor Swift. Shyamalan pitched the film as “what if The Silence of the Lambs happened at a Taylor Swift concert” (Empire, via Screen Rant). Beyond that, Shyamalan also used a real-life trap to inform the movie's story. He felt inspired by the 1985 Operation Flagship, a sting where 101 fugitives were arrested by being lured to an NFL game with the promise of free tickets.

Josh Hartnett himself also stated how close the Trap concert experience is to an actual Taylor Swift concert (via Associated Press). When filming, he thought that the extras exaggerated their responses to the Lady Raven performance, and was worried they were not realistic enough. That is until he attended the Eras Tour himself with his daughters. Hartnett even messaged Shyamalan during the concert to comment on how he thought life imitated art.

Lady Raven is played by M Night. Shyamalan's daughter Saleka.

Trap certainly sounds like a film you would rather not see before or after attending the Taylor Swift Eras Tour. Because of M. Night Shyamalan's tradition of adding twists to his films, I also think the Butcher being at the concert is not going to be the biggest twist in the movie. Whatever is going to happen in the final act of Trap may be even more frightening than what we know about the film so far, but the movie could definitely hit a nerve with avid concert-goers – especially given the extent to which concerts are currently dominating the zeitgeist, thanks to Taylor Swift.

Source: Associated Press, Empire