Editing The Sixth Sense

{{short description|1999 film by M. Night Shyamalan}}
{{Other uses|Sixth sense (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Vincent Grey|people with similar names|Vincent Gray (disambiguation){{!}}Vincent Gray}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name                 = The Sixth Sense
| image                = The Sixth Sense poster.png
| caption              = Theatrical release poster
| director             = [[M. Night Shyamalan]]
| producer             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Frank Marshall (filmmaker)|Frank Marshall]]
* [[Kathleen Kennedy (producer)|Kathleen Kennedy]]
* [[Barry Mendel]]
}}
| writer               = M. Night Shyamalan
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Bruce Willis]]
* [[Toni Collette]]
* [[Olivia Williams]]
* [[Haley Joel Osment]]
}}
| music                = [[James Newton Howard]]
| cinematography       = [[Tak Fujimoto]]
| editing              = [[Andrew Mondshein]]
| studio               = {{Plainlist|
* [[Hollywood Pictures]]
* [[Spyglass Entertainment]]
* [[The Kennedy/Marshall Company]]
* [[Barry Mendel Productions]]
}}
| distributor          = [[Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]
| released             = {{Film date|1999|8|2|[[Prince Music Theater]]|1999|8|6|United States}}
| runtime              = 107 minutes
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| budget               = $40 million<ref name="boxofficemojo">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3527509505/|title=The Sixth Sense (1999)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=December 27, 2012|archive-date=January 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120163907/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sixthsense.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
| gross                = $672.8 million<ref name="boxofficemojo" />
}}
'''''The Sixth Sense''''' is a 1999 American [[psychological thriller]] film<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-m-night-shyamalan-horror-genre-20191129-3v745h53effwvlyvdvwui45hlq-story.html|title=M. Night Shyamalan says 'The Sixth Sense' isn't a horror film|last=Ganz|first=Jami|date=November 30, 2019|website=[[New York Daily News]]|access-date=2020-01-31|archive-date=January 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131104817/https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-m-night-shyamalan-horror-genre-20191129-3v745h53effwvlyvdvwui45hlq-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> written and directed by [[M. Night Shyamalan]]. It stars [[Bruce Willis]] as a [[Developmental psychology|child psychologist]] whose patient ([[Haley Joel Osment]]) claims he can see and talk to the dead.

Released by [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Pictures]] through its [[Hollywood Pictures]] label on August 6, 1999, ''The Sixth Sense'' received critical acclaim, with praise for the cast performances (particularly those of Willis, Osment, and [[Toni Collette]]), atmosphere, direction and [[Plot twist|twist ending]]. It was nominated for six [[Academy Awards]], including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]], [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] for Shyamalan, [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] for Osment, and [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] for Collette.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rinaldi |first=Ray Mark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-crystal-has-a-si/124979015/ |title=Crystal has a sixth sense about keeping overhyped, drawn-out Oscar broadcast lively |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519205244/https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-crystal-has-a-si/124979015/ |date=March 27, 2000 |access-date=May 19, 2023 |archive-date=May 19, 2023 |page=27 |work=Off the Post-Dispatch |publisher=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-status=live }} {{Open access}}</ref> The film established Shyamalan as a preeminent filmmaker of [[Thriller (genre)|thrillers]] and introduced the cinema public to his traits, most notably his affinity for twist endings.<ref>{{cite web |last=Howard |first=Michael |date=August 8, 2014 |title=Why The Sixth Sense Ending Has Never Been Matched |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a29642/the-sixth-sense-ending/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220172946/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a29642/the-sixth-sense-ending/ |archive-date=February 20, 2018 |access-date=August 13, 2018 |work=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]}}</ref>

The film was a commercial success, grossing over $672 million worldwide, becoming the [[1999 in film|second-highest-grossing film of 1999]] and Shyamalan's highest-grossing film to date.

== Plot ==
In Philadelphia, child psychologist Malcolm Crowe is at home with his wife Anna when Vincent Grey, a former patient Malcolm had treated, breaks into their house. Vincent accuses Malcolm of failing him before shooting Malcolm and then himself.

Months later, Malcolm has begun working with Cole Sear, a nine-year-old boy who reminds him of Vincent. He feels he must help Cole in order to rectify his own failure to help Vincent and to reconcile with Anna, who has become cold and distant towards Malcolm. Lynn worries about her son Cole, especially after seeing mysterious signs of physical harm. At a birthday party, when bullies see that Cole is scared of a cupboard, they lock him in it, causing him to scream in terror about someone seemingly inside with him. Once released, he faints and appears to have been physically assaulted, which his mother attributes to the bullies. Following this, Cole confides to Malcolm that he sees dead people.

Malcolm believes Cole is [[Schizophrenia|schizophrenic]] and considers dropping his case. However, after listening to an audiotape from a session with Vincent, he hears a man begging for help in Spanish when Vincent was supposed to be alone in the room, suggesting that Vincent had the same ability. He realizes that Cole is telling the truth and suggests that he try to communicate with the ghosts and help them in order to overcome his fears.

One night, Cole finds Kyra Collins, a female child ghost, vomiting. He works out who she is and goes with Malcolm to the funeral reception at her home. In her room, Kyra gives Cole a videotape that he gives to her father. The tape reveals that her mother poisoned her food, alerting her father to the cause of her death and saving her younger sister.

Cole is given a lead part in his school play. He is coached by a ghost director and gives his performance with Malcolm looking on. Before leaving, Cole suggests that Malcolm try speaking to Anna while she is asleep so she can hear his thoughts and feelings. Cole tells Lynn his secret. When she does not believe him, he tells her that his deceased grandmother visits him and describes details from his mother's childhood that he could not have known. Shocked, Lynn believes him.

Malcolm returns home to find his wedding video playing and Anna talking in her sleep, asking Malcolm why he left her. She drops his wedding ring, and he notices that it is not on his finger. Recalling what Cole told him about dead people only seeing what they want to see, Malcolm locates his gunshot injury, and he realizes that he did not survive being shot by Vincent. He has been dead the entire time while working with Cole. Malcolm comes to terms with the fact that he is a ghost and lets Anna know that he had to help someone. He tells her that she was never second to anything and that he loves her. Anna's face relaxes indicating she is at peace and can move on, and Malcolm's spirit departs in a flash of light.

== Cast ==
{{Multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=300
| image1 = Bruce_Willis_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg
| image2 = Haley Joel Osment in 2001 (cropped 2).jpg
| footer = [[Bruce Willis]] (left) and [[Haley Joel Osment]]
}}
{{cast listing|
* [[Bruce Willis]] as Malcolm Crowe
* [[Toni Collette]] as Lynn Sear
* [[Olivia Williams]] as Anna Crowe
* [[Haley Joel Osment]] as Cole Sear
* [[Donnie Wahlberg]] as Vincent Grey
* [[Glenn Fitzgerald]] as Sean
* [[Mischa Barton]] as Kyra Collins
* [[Trevor Morgan (actor)|Trevor Morgan]] as Tommy Tammisimo
* [[Bruce Norris (playwright)|Bruce Norris]] as Mr. Stanley Cunningham
* [[Angelica Page]] as Mrs. Collins
* Greg Wood as Mr. Collins
* [[M. Night Shyamalan]] as Dr. Hill
* Peter Tambakis as Darren
* Jeffrey Zubernis as Bobby
}}

== Production ==
=== Development ===
David Vogel, then-president of production of [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Walt Disney Studios]], read Shyamalan's spec script and loved it. Without obtaining corporate approval, Vogel bought the rights, despite the price of $3 million and the stipulation that Shyamalan could direct the film.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Weiner|first1=Allison Hope|title=Shyamalan's Hollywood Horror Story, With Twist|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/business/media/02night.html|access-date=December 30, 2014|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 2, 2008|archive-date=December 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230071619/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/02/business/media/02night.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> Disney dismissed Vogel from his position at the studio, and Vogel left the company shortly thereafter.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bart|first1=Peter|title=Moguls make switch after power turns off: Is there life after Hollywood?|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/07/02/moguls-make-switch-after-power-turns-off-is-there-life-after-hollywood/|access-date=December 30, 2014|work=Variety|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=July 2, 2012|archive-date=December 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230080905/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-02/entertainment/sns-201207020800reedbusivarietynvr1118056154-20120702_1_power-players-dick-cook-david-vogel|url-status=live}}</ref> Disney sold the production rights to [[Spyglass Entertainment]], while retaining the distribution rights and 12.5% of the film's box office takings.<ref>{{cite book|last=Stewart |first=James B. |year=2005 |title=DisneyWar: The Battle for the Magic Kingdom |location=New York |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |isbn=978-0743263818}}</ref>

During the casting process for the role of Cole Sear, Shyamalan had been apprehensive about Osment's video audition, saying later he was "this really sweet cherub, kind of beautiful, blond boy". Shyamalan saw the role as darker and more brooding but felt that Osment "nailed it with the vulnerability and the need&nbsp;... He was able to convey a need as a human being in a way that was amazing to see."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/i-wasnt-bluffing-m-night-shyamalan-recalls-sixth-sense-pitch-frenzy-followed-1228534|title="I Wasn't Bluffing": M. Night Shyamalan Recalls 'Sixth Sense' Pitch and Frenzy That Followed|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 2, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-06|archive-date=August 4, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804011526/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/i-wasnt-bluffing-m-night-shyamalan-recalls-sixth-sense-pitch-frenzy-followed-1228534|url-status=live}}</ref>

Willis was cast in the role of Malcolm Crowe as part of a deal to compensate the studio for Willis's role in the implosion of ''[[Broadway Brawler]]'' the year before.<ref>{{cite web
 | url =https://www.filmstories.co.uk/features/the-three-films-that-bruce-willis-was-cornered-into-having-to-make/
 | title =The three films that Bruce Willis was cornered into having to make
 | last =Brew
 | first =Simon
 | date =2020-02-24
 | website =Film Stories
 | publisher =
 | access-date =2021-09-27
}}</ref><ref name="deadline">{{cite web
 | url =https://deadline.com/2010/10/joe-roth-makes-second-spec-score-with-bruce-willis-drama-ten-72183/
 | title =Bruce Willis In Drama Deal For Pal Joe Roth
 | last =Fleming
 | first =Mike Jr.
 | date =2010-10-05
 | website =Deadline
 | publisher =
 | access-date =2021-09-27
 | quote = }}</ref>

[[Marisa Tomei]] was considered for the role of Lynn Sear.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Cormier|first=Roger|title=15 Twisted Facts About ''The Sixth Sense''|date=6 August 2016|magazine=[[Mental Floss]]|url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/66913/17-straightforward-facts-about-sixth-sense|access-date=10 November 2017|archive-date=January 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190122094554/http://mentalfloss.com/article/66913/17-straightforward-facts-about-sixth-sense|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Michael Cera]] auditioned for the role of Cole Sear,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a5953/michael-cera-quotes-0709/ |title=Michael Cera: What I've Learned |last=Jones |first=Chris |work=Esquire |date=June 18, 2019 |access-date=July 26, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=January 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107073154/http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a5953/michael-cera-quotes-0709/ }}</ref> and [[Liam Aiken]] was offered the role but turned it down.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/features/10595/ |title=Unfortunate Son |work=New York Magazine |last=Hill |first=Logan |date=December 2, 2004 |access-date=July 26, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=June 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627165902/https://nymag.com/nymetro/movies/features/10595/ }}</ref>

=== Filming ===
[[File:St. Augustine Church seen down New St. from N. 3rd St..jpg|thumb|[[St. Augustine Church (Philadelphia)|St. Augustine's Church]] in Philadelphia was used as a filming location]]
The color red is absent from most of the film, but it is used prominently in a few isolated shots for "anything in the real world that has been tainted by the other world"<ref name=Clues>{{cite AV media|last=Shyamalan |first=M. Night (director) |title=The Sixth Sense |type="Rules and Clues" featurette |publisher=Hollywood Pictures Home Video |year=2000 |format=DVD |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEC3bEGOztU |access-date=2023-12-20}}</ref> and "to connote really explosively emotional moments and situations".<ref>{{cite AV media|last=Mendel |first=Barry (producer) |title=The Sixth Sense |type="Rules and Clues" featurette |publisher=Hollywood Pictures Home Video |year=2000 |format=DVD |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEC3bEGOztU |access-date=2023-12-20}}</ref> Examples include the door of the church where Cole seeks sanctuary; the balloon, carpet, and Cole's sweater at the birthday party; the tent in which he first encounters Kyra; the volume numbers on Crowe's tape recorder; the doorknob on the locked basement door where Malcolm's office is located; the shirt that Anna wears at the restaurant; Kyra's mother's dress at the wake; and the shawl wrapped around the sleeping Anna.<ref name="Clues" />

All the clothes Malcolm wears are items he wore or touched the evening before his death, including his overcoat, his blue rowing sweatshirt and the different layers of his suit. Though the filmmakers were careful about clues of Malcolm's true state, the camera zooms slowly towards his face when Cole says, "I see dead people." The filmmakers initially feared this would be too much of a giveaway, but left it in.<ref>{{cite AV media|last=Marshall |first=Frank (producer) |title=The Sixth Sense |type="Rules and Clues" featurette |publisher=Hollywood Pictures Home Video |year=2000 |format=DVD |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEC3bEGOztU |access-date=2023-12-20}}</ref>

[[Location filming]] took place mostly in streets and buildings of [[Philadelphia]], including [[St. Augustine Church (Philadelphia)|St. Augustine's Church]] on 4th and New Streets in [[Old City, Philadelphia|Old City]] and on Saint Albans Street in [[Southwest Center City, Philadelphia|Southwest Center City]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Sixth Sense (1999) Filming Locations |url=http://www.themoviedistrict.com/the-sixth-sense/ |website=The Movie District |access-date=30 October 2019 |archive-date=October 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030132908/http://www.themoviedistrict.com/the-sixth-sense/ |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

== Release ==
''The Sixth Sense'' was released on August 6, 1999, by [[Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]. Buena Vista handled North American distribution while [[Spyglass Entertainment]] handled international sales. [[Buena Vista International]] acquired distribution rights in the United Kingdom, Latin America, Australia, and Singapore.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/spyglass-has-int-l-sense-1117480949/|title=Spyglass has int'l 'Sense'|first=Dan|last=Cox|date=October 1, 1998|work=Variety}}</ref>

=== Home media ===
After a six-month online promotion campaign,<ref name="sss">{{cite AV media |url=http://video.movies.go.com/thesixthsense/home.html |title=The Secrets of the Sixth Sense |publisher=Buena Vista Home Entertainment |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001016182759/http://video.go.com/thesixthsense/home.html |archive-date=October 16, 2000 |df=mdy-all |access-date=November 8, 2018 |website=video.go.com}}</ref> ''The Sixth Sense'' was released on [[VHS]] and [[DVD]] by [[Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment|Hollywood Pictures Home Video]] on March 28, 2000. It went on to become the top-selling DVD of 2000, with more than 2.5 million units shipped, and the all-time second best-selling DVD title up until then, as well as the top [[video rental]] title of all-time.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2015/10/2000-Annual-Report.pdf |title=2000 Annual Report |date=2001 |publisher=[[The Walt Disney Company]] |access-date=23 April 2022 }}</ref> The film generated at least {{US$|173,320,000|2000|round=-6|long=no}} from the US home video market,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sixth Sense (1999) |url=https://jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=2706&view=31 |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=JP's Box Office |language=fr}}</ref> including {{US$|125,850,000|2000|round=-6|long=no}} from VHS rentals in the US.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charts - Top Locations VHS |trans-title=Charts - Top Rental VHS |url=https://jpbox-office.com/v9_charts_general_video.php?view=vhsL |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=JP's Box Office |language=fr}}</ref>

In the United Kingdom, it was the third-most-watched film of 2003 on television, with {{Nowrap|9 million}} viewers that year.<ref>{{Cite news |title=UK Film Council Statistical Yearbook: Annual Review 2003/04 |pages=71 |publisher=[[UK Film Council]] |url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/uk-film-council-statistical-yearbook-annual-review-2003-2004.pdf |access-date=21 April 2022 |via=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref>

The film was released on [[Blu-ray]] in September 2008, and on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] in October 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blu-ray News and Reviews {{!}} High Def Digest |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1612/sixthsense.html |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=bluray.highdefdigest.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=4k Movie, Streaming, Blu-Ray Disc, and Home Theater Product Reviews & News {{!}} High Def Digest |url=https://ultrahd.highdefdigest.com/137133/thesixthsense4kultrahdbluray.html |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=ultrahd.highdefdigest.com}}</ref>

== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
''The Sixth Sense'' had a production budget of approximately $40 million (plus $25 million for prints and advertising). During its opening weekend, the film grossed $26.6 million, making it the largest August opening weekend, surpassing ''[[The Fugitive (1993 film)|The Fugitive]]'' (1993).<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Wolk|first=Josh|title=''The Sixth Sense'' sets an August record|url=https://ew.com/article/1999/08/09/sixth-sense-sets-august-record/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=July 13, 2022|date=August 9, 1999}}</ref> It would go on to hold this record for two years until it was overtaken by ''[[Rush Hour 2]]'' in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|last=Linder|first=Brian|title=Weekend Box Office: Rush Hour Jams Theaters|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/07/weekend-box-office-rush-hour-jams-theaters|website=IGN|access-date=July 13, 2022|date=August 7, 2001}}</ref> The film spent five weeks as the [[List of 1999 box office number-one films in the United States|number 1 film at the U.S. box office]], becoming only the second film, after ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'' (1997), to have grossed more than $20 million each for five weekends.<ref name="boxofficemojo" /><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Daily Variety]]|date=September 8, 1999|page=A1|title=Variety's Summer Cup: Milestones}}</ref> With a total gross of $29.2 million, ''The Sixth Sense'' set the record for having the largest Labor Day weekend gross until 2007 when it was surpassed by ''[[Halloween (2007 film)|Halloween]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2007/09/03/halloween-scares-up-a-labor-day-box-office-record/|title='Halloween' scares up a Labor Day box office record|date=September 3, 2007 |work=[[The Orange County Register]] }}</ref> During [[Labor Day]], it made $6.3 million, making it the biggest September Monday gross, holding that record until it was beaten by ''[[It (2017 film)|It]]'' in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/09/it-movie-stephen-king-september-record-monday-1202167805/|title='It' Posts Record Monday For September With $8.8M|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=September 12, 2017|access-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref> It grossed $293,506,292 in the United States and Canada, surpassing ''[[The Empire Strikes Back]]'' as the tenth highest grossing film of all time in that market at the time.<ref name=alltime>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Screen International]]|date=March 31, 2000|page=33|title=The Sixth Sense makes all-time top 10|last=Goodridge|first=Mike}}</ref> [[Box Office Mojo]] estimates that the film sold over 57.5 million tickets in the US and Canada.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Sixth Sense (1999) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3527509505/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804145651/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sixthsense.htm&adjust_yr=1&p=.htm |archive-date=August 4, 2016 |access-date=May 31, 2016 |website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref>

In Europe, the film sold 37,124,510 tickets at the box office.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sixth Sense |url=https://lumiere.obs.coe.int/movie/12020 |access-date=23 April 2022 |website=[[Lumiere (database)|Lumiere]]}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it was given at first a limited release on nine screens, and entered at number 8 at the UK box office before climbing up to [[List of 1999 box office number-one films in the United Kingdom|number one]] the following week with 430 theatres playing the film.<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?date=1999-11-05&region=uk
| title = United Kingdom Box Office Returns for the weekend starting 5 November 1999
| access-date = 2008-01-27
| publisher = [[Internet Movie Database]]
| archive-date = October 31, 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151031214102/http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?date=1999-11-05&region=uk
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?date=1999-11-12&region=uk
| title = United Kingdom Box Office Returns for the weekend starting 12 November 1999
| access-date = 2008-01-27
| publisher = [[Internet Movie Database]]
| archive-date = October 31, 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151031214106/http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/?date=1999-11-12&region=uk
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> It had a record opening in the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=3 December 2001|page=15|title=O'seas B.O. rises to wizard's wand|last=Groves|first=Don}}</ref> It had a worldwide gross of $672,806,292, ranking it ninth on the list of worldwide box-office money earners at the time.<ref name=alltime/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Grossing Pictures Worldwide |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltimeworldwide.html|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20001119182900/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltimeworldwide.html|archive-date=November 19, 2000|access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref>

=== Critical response ===
{{Multiple image
| total_width       = 275
| image1            = Haley Joel Osment in 2001 (cropped).jpg
| image2            = Toni Collette (8968233309).jpg
| align             = right
| caption_align     = center
| width1            = 380
| width2            = 380
| header_align      = center
| footer            = [[Haley Joel Osment]] and [[Toni Collette]]'s performances garnered high critical acclaim and were nominated for [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] and [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]], respectively.
}}
''The Sixth Sense'' received widespread critical acclaim, with Osment's performance  receiving high praise in particular.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-aug-13-ca-65205-story.html|title=Actor Has a Sense for Spooky Role|last=King|first=Susan|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=1999-08-13|access-date=2015-04-08|archive-date=April 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418145028/http://articles.latimes.com/1999/aug/13/entertainment/ca-65205|url-status=live}}</ref> On the [[review aggregator]] website, [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 86% based on reviews from 166 critics, with an average rating of 7.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "M. Night Shyamalan's ''The Sixth Sense'' is a twisty ghost story with all the style of a classical Hollywood picture, but all the chills of a modern [[Horror film|horror flick]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sixth_sense|title=The Sixth Sense (1999)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=October 20, 2023|archive-date=October 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030052222/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sixth_sense/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] rated it 64 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, meaning "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-sixth-sense/|title=The Sixth Sense|work=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=2014-10-28|archive-date=August 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811072308/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-sixth-sense|url-status=live}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com |access-date=November 28, 2021 |archive-date=September 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20170916153548/https://m.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] awarded the film a 3 out of 4-star rating and was particularly impressed by Osment’s performance, writing: "Haley Joel Osment, his young co-star, is a very good actor in a film where his character possibly has more lines than anyone else. He’s in most of the scenes, and he has to act in them–this isn’t a role for a cute kid who can stand there and look solemn in reaction shots. There are fairly involved dialogue passages between Willis and Osment that require good timing, reactions and the ability to listen. Osment is more than equal to them. And although the tendency is to notice how good he is, not every adult actor can play heavy dramatic scenes with a kid and not seem to condescend (or, even worse, to be subtly coaching and leading him). Willis can. Those scenes give the movie its weight and make it as convincing as, under the circumstances, it can possibly be."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sixth-sense-1999 | title=The Sixth Sense movie review & film summary (1999) &#124; Roger Ebert }}</ref>

In his review for the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', John Anderson wrote that the script was "clever" and called Osment's performance the best of the year from a child actor.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-aug-06-ca-63021-story.html|title=When It Comes to Creepiness, This Project Has a 'Sixth Sense'|newspaper= Los Angeles Times|date=August 6, 1999|access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref> [[Stephen Hunter]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' said the film was a "maximum creep-out."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/sixthsensehunter.htm|title='The Sixth Sense': Shocker Therapy|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 6, 1999|access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref>

By vote of the members of the [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America]], ''The Sixth Sense'' was awarded the [[Nebula Award for Best Script]] during 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NebulaWinsByCategory.html|title=Nebula Awards Winners by Category|author=<!-- Staff -->|work=[[Locus (magazine)|Locus]]|access-date=2014-10-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204000219/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NebulaWinsByCategory.html|archive-date=December 4, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The film was No. 71 on [[Bravo (US TV channel)|Bravo]]'s ''100 Scariest Movie Moments'', for the scene where Cole encounters a female ghost in his tent.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}} In 2024, Looper ranked it number 49 on its list of the "50 Best PG-13 Movies of All Time," writing that with the film's success, "filmmakers and audiences alike began to expect the unexpected, leading to a resurgence of interest in psychological thrillers and supernatural mysteries."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.looper.com/806086/best-pg-13-movies-of-all-time-ranked/ | title=50 Best PG-13 Movies Of All Time Ranked | website=Looper | date=October 14, 2024 }}</ref>

== Accolades ==
{{Further|List of accolades received by The Sixth Sense}}
''The Sixth Sense'' has received numerous awards and nominations, with Academy Award nomination categories ranging from those honoring the film itself (Best Picture), to its writing, editing, and direction (Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Original Screenplay), to its cast's performance (Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress). Especially lauded was the supporting role of actor [[Haley Joel Osment]], whose nominations include an [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Academy Award]],<ref name="oscars">{{cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2000 |title=1999 Academy Awards |website=oscars.org |date=April 22, 2015 |access-date=December 20, 2023}}</ref> a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Golden Globe Award]]<ref name="gg">{{cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/film/25569 |title=The Sixth Sense |publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association |access-date=December 23, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929135546/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/film/25569 |archive-date=September 29, 2006 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and a [[Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer|Critics' Choice Movie Award]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Ellen A. |last=Kim |date=December 22, 1999 |title=Another Day, Another Movie Award |work=Hollywood.com |url=https://www.hollywood.com/news/Another_Day_Another_Movie_Award/311784 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125120401/http://www.hollywood.com/news/Another_Day_Another_Movie_Award/311784 |archive-date=January 25, 2013}}</ref>  Overall, ''The Sixth Sense'' was nominated for six Academy Awards and four [[British Academy Film Awards]], but won none.<ref name=oscars /><ref name="BAFTA">{{cite web |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2000/film |title=Film in 2000 |website=British Academy Film Awards |access-date=December 20, 2023}}</ref> The film received three nominations from the [[People's Choice Awards]] and won all of them, with lead actor [[Bruce Willis]] being honored for his role.<ref name="peopleschoice">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-10-ca-52514-story.html |title=People's Choices: Sandler, Willis and 'The Sixth Sense' |work=Los Angeles Times |last=Snow |first=Shauna |date=January 10, 2000 |access-date=December 20, 2023}}</ref> The [[Satellite Awards]] nominated the film in four categories, with awards being received for writing (M. Night Shyamalan) and editing ([[Andrew Mondshein]]).<ref name="satellite">{{cite web|url=http://www.pressacademy.com/satawards/awards2000.shtml |title=2000 4th Annual SATELLITE Awards |website=International Press Academy |access-date=December 23, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106221121/http://pressacademy.com/satawards/awards2000.shtml |archive-date=January 6, 2010 }}</ref> Supporting actress [[Toni Collette]] was nominated for both an [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Academy Award]] and a [[Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture|Satellite Award]] for her role in the film.<ref name=oscars /><ref name=satellite /> [[James Newton Howard]] was honored by the [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers]] for his composition of the music for the film.<ref name="ASCAP">{{cite news |title=Howard, Donen Honored by ASCAP |first=Don |last=Heckman |date=April 27, 2000 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

In 2013, the [[Writers Guild of America]] ranked the [[screenplay]] #50 on its list of 101 Greatest Screenplays ever written.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays |last= Savage |first=Sophia |date= February 27, 2013 |title= WGA Lists Greatest Screenplays, From 'Casablanca' and 'Godfather' to 'Memento' and 'Notorious' |website=wga.org |access-date= June 9, 2017 |archive-date= May 2, 2020 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20200502131453/https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101-best-lists/101-greatest-screenplays |url-status= live }}</ref>

The February 2020 issue of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' lists ''The Sixth Sense'' as among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars."<ref>{{cite news|title=The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-oscar-best-picture-losers.html|magazine=[[New York Magazine]]|access-date=March 17, 2025}}</ref>

=== American Film Institute lists ===
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills]] – No. 60<ref>{{cite web |title=100 Years...100 Thrills |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-thrills/ |website=afi.com |access-date=20 December 2023}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes]]:
** "I see dead people." – No. 44<ref>{{cite web |title=100 Years...100 Quotes |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movie-quotes/ |website=afi.com |access-date=20 December 2023}}</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition)]] – No. 89<ref>{{cite web |title=100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) |url=https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies-10th-anniversary-edition/ |website=afi.com |access-date=20 December 2023}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of ghost films]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0167404}}
* {{AFI film|id=55204}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes|sixth_sense/reviews}}

{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of accolades received by The Sixth Sense|Awards for ''The Sixth Sense'']]
|list1 =
{{Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film}}
{{Nebula Award for Best Script/Bradbury Award 1973–2000}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Horror Film 1991–2010}}
{{Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Drama}}
}}
{{M. Night Shyamalan}}
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[[Category:1999 films]]
[[Category:1999 psychological thriller films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
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[[Category:1990s ghost films]]
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[[Category:American psychological thriller films]]
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[[Category:Films about death]]
[[Category:Films about filicide]]
[[Category:Films about mother–son relationships]]
[[Category:Films about poisonings]]
[[Category:Films about psychiatry]]
[[Category:Films about psychic powers]]
[[Category:Films about the afterlife]]
[[Category:Films directed by M. Night Shyamalan]]
[[Category:Films produced by Barry Mendel]]
[[Category:Films produced by Frank Marshall]]
[[Category:Films produced by Kathleen Kennedy]]
[[Category:Films scored by James Newton Howard]]
[[Category:Films set in 1998]]
[[Category:Films set in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Films shot in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by M. Night Shyamalan]]
[[Category:Hollywood Pictures films]]
[[Category:The Kennedy/Marshall Company films]]
[[Category:Murder–suicide in films]]
[[Category:Nebula Award for Best Script–winning works]]
[[Category:Satellite Award–winning films]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]
[[Category:Sony Pictures Classics films]]
[[Category:Spyglass Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Teen Choice Award winning films]]