Split trailer: New M Night Shyamalan trailer looks bonkers, sees James McAvoy play a 9-year-old boy

He has 29 distinct personalities

M. Night Shyamalan, writer-director of The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs and more importantly The Happening, which saw Mark Wahlberg talk to a plant (below), is back with a new bizarre premise.

Split sees a trio of girls locked in a basement a la Room, held captive by James McAvoy’s sadistic Kevin.

Shyamalan is known for his bizarre twists and this one is a good ‘un: Kevin can “change his body chemistry with his thoughts” (sure) and has 29 different personalities.

One is a matronly lady in a skirt, another a 9-year-old boy named Hedwig.

“Are you trying to trick me? I’ll tell on you!” McAvoy yells in baby talk as the boy in the trailer for the film, which, like many Shyamalan films, could end up being wonderfully, unintentionally hilarious.

McAvoy looks to be having a blast playing all the different roles though, and is definitely bringing the creepiness in spades.

The Witch’s Anya Taylor-Joy, with the film being produced by horror super-producer Jason Blum.

Split opens in cinemas 20 January 2017.