Will Smith, son Jaden and M. Night Shyamalan working together is an interesting and possibly a very smart collaboration for all concerned. All three will be working together in Columbia Pictures’ untitled science fiction movie. Shyamalan will direct, which he wrote the script with Gary Whitta (The Book of Eli).

Variety reports the Shyamalan-Smith partnership covers quite a bit. The actor and director will produce, along with James Lassiter, Jada Pinkett Smith and Ken Stovitz via Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment shingle. Boy! That was a mouth full.

Though the details about the project are sparse, I have heard the story takes place 1,000 years in the future and tells the tale of a young boy and his estranged father who explore a vacant Earth after their ship crashes. It’s uncertain whether the film will have Shyamalan’s signature twist, though Sony described the movie as “sometimes scary.”

If you know anything about Will Smith’s career, you know he likes to take chances with new directors. Teaming up with Shyamlan is a different approach that may prove bankable for both.

“The chance to make a scary, science-fiction film starring Jaden and Will is my dream project,” Shyamalan told Variety.

The Shyamlan’s dream project is still in its infancy, and I look forward to hearing more about the production as it evolves into a major motion picture.