Josh Hartnett Takes on Challenge Playing Serial Killer in 'Trap'

Josh Hartnett attends the red carpet at the 'Trap' premiere in New York City, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs
Josh Hartnett attends the red carpet at the 'Trap' premiere in New York City, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs
TT
20

Josh Hartnett Takes on Challenge Playing Serial Killer in 'Trap'

Josh Hartnett attends the red carpet at the 'Trap' premiere in New York City, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs
Josh Hartnett attends the red carpet at the 'Trap' premiere in New York City, US, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs

Josh Hartnett says his role as a shrewd serial killer in filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan's new movie "Trap" marks a departure for him as an actor.
"It's unlike anything else I've played," Hartnett, who has starred in films such as "Black Hawk Down", "Lucky Number Slevin", "Pearl Harbor" and "The Virgin Suicides", said at the London premiere of "Trap" on Monday.
"Honestly, taking on this character wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Night, because if you're going to take on something this wild and this out there, you need somebody who you really trust behind the camera," Reuters quoted the American actor as saying.
"And another thing is, I just always like a challenge."
In "Trap" Hartnett plays Cooper, who takes his teenage daughter to a pop concert that turns out to be an elaborate police entrapment operation set up to catch a serial killer - who turns out to be Cooper. The psychological thriller was written, directed and produced by Shyamalan, who is known for his unique plot twists.
"I try to create something really hyper original in the marketplace so I can compete," said Shyamalan, whose credits include "The Sixth Sense", "Signs" and "Split".
That originality means the work "sticks with you. The idea here was like a concert and a thriller together."
Getting into the mindset of the character involved reading about psychopathy and sociopathy and long discussions with Shyamalan about the tone they wanted the character and the movie to take, Hartnett said.
The result was another career high point, said Hartnett, 46, who started acting in the late 1990s and whose recent work includes roles in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" and Guy Ritchie's "Wrath of Man" as well as parts in TV series "Black Mirror" and "The Bear".
"Trap" is out in cinemas globally in August.



BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
TT
20

BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)

K-pop group BTS member Suga was discharged from the South Korean military on Saturday, the seventh and final member to complete the country's mandatory national service amid expectations of the band's comeback from a hiatus.

Suga finished his military tenure as a social service agent on Saturday with little fanfare as fans looked forward to his reunion with the rest of the band, a K-pop sensation since it started up in 2013.

"We confirm that Suga effectively completed his alternative service on June 18 by using his remaining leave. His official discharge date is June 21," BTS' label, Big Hit Music, said in a statement.

Unlike with his BTS bandmates, there was no public event planned to mark Suga's release because of overcrowding concerns.

The seven members of the group put their global music careers on hold in 2022 to begin their military service, starting with Jin in December that year. South Korea's mandatory national service can be for terms of up to 18 months.

Shortly after his official discharge, Suga posted a message on fan community platform Weverse, saying he was "sorry for the disappointment and concern caused by what happened last year", and also apologizing to his bandmates.

Last year, Suga was fined 15 million won ($11,500) by a court for drunk driving while on an electric scooter.

The group is expected to hold its largest-ever world tour in 2026, an NH Securities entertainment analyst said in a report.

Entertainment group HYBE, which manages BTS, is closely monitored by securities companies.

Details of a reunion have not been released.