Buena Vista Pictures

If you can wrap your brain around the fact that The Sixth Sense is now older than Kiernan Shipka, you can celebrate the 15th anniversary of M. Night Shyamalan‘s classic. Here are six fascinating facts about The Sixth Sense.

1. Casper almost killed the movie.

Right around the time that Shyamalan had gotten the idea for the movie, Casper was released. He figured another ghost movie would not be well-received, so he tossed the idea aside (we’re glad he came back to it).

2. Unlike us, Haley Joel Osment was not afraid

In a recent Reddit AMA, Osment explained that after filming all those scenes it was hard to be frightened by the movie. For him, there was “something desensitizing” about the production process and so he didn’t have the creepy nightmares through which many of us suffered.

3. That’s Donnie Wahlberg, BTW

The former New Kids on the Block member and brother to Marky Mark lost so much weight for the role of Vincent, Shyamalan did not recognize him when he arrived on set. (Bonus fun fact: Mischa Barton is also in the film, as the little girl who was being kept sick.)

4. It’s one of few #Fancy horror flicks

The Sixth Sense received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. It’s one of only four horror movies to accomplish such a feat (alongside The Exorcist, Jaws, and Silence of the Lambs).

5. So, The New York Times got it wrong

The Times gave the film a terrible review and Shyamalan was immediately afraid that nobody would get it. (We got it, dude).

6. I see birthday cake

The film was released (we assume purposely) on the director’s birthday. This could have made for some pretty sad birthday parties had the film flopped, but luckily it didn’t. Because it is an excellent film. So, Happy Anniversary to The Sixth Sense, and Happy Birthday to M. Night Shyamalan! (One more bonus fun fact: the director also had a cameo in the film as a doctor, which was partly a tribute to his many family members who are actual physicians.)

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