A killer walks right into a trap — can he find his way out? M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap follows a serial killer as he heads into what he thinks is merely the biggest concert in Philadelphia. But the Lady Raven show is more than just a sanctuary for the thousands of teen girls who are excited to see their favorite pop star. It’s also an intricate and well-organized FBI sting operation to catch a killer who’s been on the loose for years. With plenty of twists and turns along the way, Trap is a wild ride from start to finish — a classic game of cat and mouse that keeps you guessing until the very last minute. 

Luckily, you don’t need a concert ticket for this event — here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 thriller, now streaming on Netflix in the US. 

What happens in Trap?

To celebrate her good grades, Philadelphia firefighter Cooper Abbott (Josh Hartnett) takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue), to see her favorite pop star, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan), in concert. But when they arrive at the event, Cooper notices that security is on extra-high alert. He watches as, one by one, guards remove other dads accompanying their daughters from the show, and realizes that every exit is blocked off by police. An employee at the arena tells Cooper that the FBI has reason to believe a notorious serial killer known as The Butcher is attending the concert, and they’re using the event to try to ensnare and arrest him. With the entire arena under surveillance, and thousands of armed police officers ready to sniff out the killer, The Butcher will have to find his way out without drawing attention to himself  — or his daughter.  

Saleka Shyamalan as Lady Raven in Trap.

Who’s in the cast of Trap?

• Josh Hartnett (40 Days and 40 Nights, Black Hawk Down) as Cooper Abbott
• Ariel Donoghue (Wolf Like Me) as Riley Abbott
• Saleka Shyamalan as Lady Raven
• Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Milk) as Rachel Abbott
• Hayley Mills (That Darn Cat!, The Parent Trap) as Dr. Josephine Grant
• Jonathan Langdon (Run the Burbs, Robyn Hood) as Jamie
• Mark Bacolcol (Altar Boy) as Spencer
• Kid Cudi (Don’t Look Up) as The Thinker
• Russell “Russ” Vitale as Parker Wayne   

Is Trap based on a true story? 

Directed by M. Night Shymalan (The Watchers, After Earth), Trap isn’t directly based on a true story, but the plot was partially inspired by a real-life sting operation known as Operation Flagship. In 1985, the US Marshals Service and the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department sent out more than 3,000 invitations by mail to fugitives with outstanding warrants living in the DC area. The invitations, which were sent using the name of the fictitious television company Flagship International Sports TV, stated that the individuals had been selected to receive free tickets to a Dec. 15 NFL game between the Washington Redskins (now known as the Washington Commanders) and the Cincinnati Bengals, as well as a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Super Bowl XX in New Orleans. 

When the fugitives arrived to retrieve their tickets at what they were led to believe was the network’s headquarters, they were greeted by undercover marshals and police officers posing as ushers, cheerleaders, mascots, and other event staff. Operation Flagship resulted in the arrest of 101 people. Speaking about the inspiration behind Trap, Shyamalan told BBC News that he heard about Operation Flagship as a kid. “I thought it was totally absurdist, that this actually happened … This was real-life criminals, FBI and police,” he said, “They dressed up as cheerleaders and mascots and were dancing around with them and goofing around with them.”

When can I stream Trap on Netflix?

Get ready to blast your Lady Raven album, because you can stream the movie now. 

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