"I Hate Seeing M. Night Shyamalan Playing Characters in His Movies": Walking Dead Creator Slams Unnecessary Creator Cameos, Calls Out SIXTH SENSE Director

Robert Kirkman and M. Night Shyamalan are both influential creators, unified by the lasting impression they've left upon their respective mediums – but one way they are radically opposed is in their feelings on creator cameos. M. Night is known for appearing on-screen in his own work; Kirkman, meanwhile, disavowed appearing in adaptations of his stories, particularly The Walking Dead, specifically citing Shyamalan's cameo habit as something he didn't like.

In the letters section of Walking Dead #88 – reprinted as part of the ongoing Walking Dead Deluxe full-color reissue of the series – Robert Kirkman called out M. Night Shyamalan's predilection for appearing in his own movies, though he also referenced iconic horror author Stephen King as another prominent example.

As Kirkman explained, he felt this was often a distraction from what he was watching, though he readily admitted certain exceptions. The Walking Dead and Invincible creator surmised that it came down to acting talent, though perhaps this added to the dig at M. Night.

Robert Kirkman Dislikes "Self-Serving" Cameos In Film & Television

Creator Appearances Interrupt Suspension Of Disbelief

The Walking Dead #88 was originally published as Season 2 of the AMC TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman's zombie series was entering production. Responding to a fan letter asking whether he might make an on-screen appearance in the series, Kirkman didnt't hold back on his disdain for creator cameos. As he explained in his answer:

My main gripe with it is that it always takes me out of the thing I'm watching. Peter Jackson is on the boat? Stephen King is the guy at the ATM? Stan Lee is Larry King (well, that one was AWESOME and hilarious). As much as I like something like Bill Murray playing himself in Zombieland, I really hate seeing M. Night Shyamalan playing characters in his movies. It seems self-serving.

A special exemption for Stan Lee and his role in Marvel movies aside, Kirkman indicated that he felt creator cameos made the film – at least as long as the creator was on screen – about them, rather than about the story.

Invincible

Invincible is a multimedia franchise that began with the graphic novel series by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. The series follows Mark Grayson, the son of Earth's strongest hero, Omni-Man, as he enters into his powers at the cusp of adulthood. A television adaptation began in 2021 and retells the core story of the comics while fleshing it out and expanding on characters and concepts introduced in the medium.

That said, Kirkman did go on to note a caveat to this opinion:

"If you're a good actor, like Spike Lee in Do the Right Thing, or Ed Burns in most anything (I like Ed Burns) that makes sense...but just popping yourself in something for no real reason other than you like to be seen on screen *cough* McFarlaneintheSpawnmovie *cough* is something that's always annoyed me.

Still, even this exception to his general rule is far from emphatic, as Kirkman has little more to say on the subject of creators acting in their own films than it "makes sense" if they're talented actors. Instead, he goes on to reiterate how irksome he finds it, citing Image Comics cofounder and iconic writer/artist Todd McFarlane's role in the Spawn adaptation as a particularly egregious example of what he's trying to avoid: making a cameo for "no real reason" beyond self-edification.

Throughout his creative career, with both Invincible and The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman has proven himself to be a consummate storyteller. This makes his position on creator cameos particularly interesting; it reads as a potent mix of personal preference and professional posturing. With his comments, Kirkman effectively drew a line in the sand, and dared himself not to cross it – a statement of artistic integrity he has held to resolutely in the decade-plus since The Walking Dead #88 first came out.

Cameos Are Part Of M. Night Shyamalan's Charm As A Director

Love Him Or Hate Him

Starting with The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shyamalan has left an indelible mark on cinema history. His filmography may sharply divide critics, and evoke wildly diverse responses from audiences, but his impact on the medium over nearly three decades can't be diminished. Certainly, this wasn't Robert Kirkman's intent with his comments in the letters section of Walking Dead #88 – however, the fact that Kirkman evoked the director as a prominent example in his critique of creator cameos is, in itself, indicative of Shyamalan's influence on pop culture.

M. Night is rightfully associated with his use of the "twist ending," but while at least some of his films are celebrated for their late-act revelations, his cameos in those same movies are much more frequently subject to outright mockery. As Kirkman inferred, many viewers are especially critical of the quality of Shyamalan's acting. Robert Kirkman is far from the first to question whether the director's on-screen roles detract from his movies. For better or worse, his cameos are a part of M. Night's brand as a filmmaker – to the point where his movies would almost feel incomplete without one.

The Sixth Sense

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller about a young boy who can see and communicate with ghosts. Bruce Willis as Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist who tries to help Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, while grappling with his own personal demons. The movie features a twist ending that has become iconic in pop culture.

The most generous assessment of the films of M. Night Shyamalan is to say they operate on a level of subtle camp. At no point in any given movie is this more apparent than when he pops up in a small, though often important, role. Though it may be "self-serving," as Robert Kirkman described it, the argument can be made that Shyamalan's cameos are also in service of the larger sensibility of his body of work. Whatever the case may be, Kirkman's comments are ultimately most representative of his own understanding of the role of the creator in their work.

Robert Kirkman Vows He Won't Do A "M. Night"-Style Creator Cameo

Never Say Never

Robert Kirkman's comments on creator cameos were not about any single creator – from M. Night, to Todd McFarlane, to Stephen King – but instead, emphasized his own unwillingness to participate in the trend. Certainly, there is a share of the moviegoing audience that loves creator cameos, just as there is a share of creators who love making them. In the end, Kirkman might not begrudge anyone the right to like what they like, or do what they want to do, but he seems to have maintained his distaste over time.

"So, you'll never see me on screen," Robert Kirkman ended his response in the letters section of The Walking Dead #88. In the years since, this has held firm – though it is always possible that he might have a change of heart. Amazon's animated Invincible series might provide fair ground for a compromise; while most average Walking Dead viewers likely wouldn't recognize Kirkman if he appeared on the show, even fewer would be familiar with his voice, were he to lend it to an Invincible character.

Whether Robert Kirkman ever breaks his longstanding rule against making a cameo in an adaptation of his work, or stays steadfast for the rest of his career, his position on the matter is worth analyzing. Especially in juxtaposition with how M. Night Shyamalan and other creators feel about the same subject – many readers will find themselves on both sides of the discourse, while others will straddle the line, able to recognize the merit in both Robert Kirkman and M. Night Shyamalan's positions.