In his latest film, 'Trap', actor Josh Hartnett delves deep into the mind of a cold-blooded serial killer. Drawing inspiration from individuals within the entertainment industry, Hartnett revealed how he and director M. Night Shyamalan worked together to create a character that both unnerves and intrigues audiences.

Known for his unique storytelling techniques, Shyamalan aims to give viewers a fresh cinematic experience. "Night being Night, he wants to give the audience a new experience," Hartnett explained to Entertainment Weekly. "He'll take a ghost story and tell it from the point of view of the ghost. He'll take an alien invasion story and not really show the aliens. So this one is like a throwback thriller in a contained space from the perspective of the antagonist. It's like Die Hard from Hans Gruber's perspective."

'Trap' follows the story of Cooper, portrayed by Hartnett, a father accompanying his daughter Riley (played by Ariel Donoghue) to a massive concert. Unbeknownst to Cooper, the police have set up a sting operation to apprehend him, as he is known as "The Butcher" due to his chilling homicidal activities.

Hartnett revealed that his portrayal of Cooper was inspired by certain individuals in powerful positions. "There are a lot of CEOs, politicians, people in our business... a lot of people who are at the top," he shared. "They don't mind stepping over people or doing horrible things to get where they're going, and not having any empathy is a pretty big sign of being a psychopath. Whether or not you're murdering people, I've met people like this, you know what I mean? So it was easy to take it all a step further, make it a little bolder, and make his cover so intense."

Shyamalan, being mindful of showcasing the story from the killer's perspective, employed various techniques to portray the character's emotions. "What is he feeling or not feeling?" pondered Shyamalan. "He's an interesting character to be with because he's coming alive when things get scary. He gets more playful when things are getting tighter. But with the close-ups, you show him starting to panic. As it goes, our close-ups get tighter and tighter, and it starts to become a nightmare."

'Trap', which premiered recently, is projected to have a strong opening weekend at the box office, with earnings estimated to be between $15.5 million and $16.5 million.

Hartnett's channelling of his dark side combined with Shyamalan's masterful storytelling is set to keep audiences on the edge of their seats as they witness the harrowing journey through the eyes of a serial killer in 'Trap'.