Here is what happened in A. M. Shine's The Watchers and all the biggest spoilers about the ending ahead of the 2024 movie adaptation.
A. M. Shine's debut gothic horror novel The Watchers was published in 2021 and is now set to become a Hollywood blockbuster releasing on June 7.
The adaptation will be helmed by M. Night Shyamalan's daughter Ishana in her directorial debut, with the acclaimed filmmaker set to produce and Dakota Fanning leading the way as the book's main character Mina.
What's The Watchers' Plot All About?
The Watchers is centered around 28-year-old Mina, who finds herself stranded in the neverending woods of West Ireland after a car breakdown. Before the unfortunate turn, down-on-her-luck artist Mina was on her way to deliver a parrot to a buyer for a good amount of money.
During her search for... well, anything... Mina comes across a structure that she is dragged into by a woman, leaving her stuck in a cabin with three strangers and a promise of certain death outside from the creatures that haunt the woods at night.
The simple structure only has a light that activates at night and a glass wall, through which the creatures observe the humans, mimic their appearances, and attack them should they step out from under the light.
The three strangers Mina becomes trapped with are the strict and paternal Madeline, the struggling widow Ciara, and the troubled teenager Daniel. Before the events of The Watchers, the group had another member, Ciara's husband John, who was believed to have been killed by the monsters after an escape attempt.
Eventually, the group discovers a room filled with computers and resources under the cabin, along with a video from an Irish professor called David Kilmartin.
In the video, Kilmartin, details his research into Irish folklore, as part of which he built this cabin to hide away in overnight while he observed the Watchers as his team was slaughtered in the foods through the dark.
KIlmartin also appears to offer a method of escape through a compass and directions to a boat from which escape would be possible before nightfall.
The group executes this plan but the young Daniel is tricked into chasing after one of the monsters, disguised as Ciara's lost husband John, only for him to be massacred while the rest escape and make their way home.
Spoilers Explained for The Watchers' Ending
Ultimately, The Watchers closes out with a twist as Mina goes to the university to destroy Kilmartin's work, as per his wishes, only to be shown a photo of him with his wife, who bore the face of Madeline but had supposedly died five years ago.
After discovering the shocking revelation, Mina returns home to find her house broken into and a paper note with Ciara's address missing.
The lead travels to the aid of her fallen bunker companion and explains to her that Madeline, the woman who initially brought them all into the cabin, was a Watcher herself who had taken the form of Kilmartin's wife.
The monster had transformed into this appearance to keep the group locked away in this bunker to be studied and observed, seemingly with the goal for the Watchers as they are called to infiltrate human society.
The pair speculate that Madeline will soon arrive to kill them both to continue covering up the Watchers' activities, which she eventually does, however, Mina is able to convince her to take mercy and leave.
The Watchers does leave room for a sequel, which will be released from A. M. Shine on October 10, 2024 in the form of Stay in the Light. The movie adaptation of the original novel hits theaters on June 7.
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