In the summer of 1999, 'The Sixth Sense' became a sleeper hit blockbuster by relying on one of the most famous plot twists in movie history. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the film grossed $672 million. Its success was driven by 'spoiler' culture—audiences were desperate to see the film before the ending was ruined for them, and many returned for second viewings to find the clues they missed. It proved that a medium-budget supernatural thriller could reach blockbuster status through word-of-mouth and clever writing, briefly making Shyamalan one of the most bankable directors in Hollywood.