Director M. Night Shyamalan will move production of his new thriller Devil from his hometown of Philadelphia to Toronto because Pennsylvania can't guarantee his film will get a tax credit.

NRI Shyamalan's movie "Devil" relocate to Toronto from Philadelphia

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 25, 2009
S. Singh

According to local news media, Jane Saul, director of the Pennsylvania Film Office tells Philly.com:

“Last week, at the 11th hour, Devil withdrew its application for credits because of uncertainty with respect to whether film tax credits would be in the state budget,. This is an obvious sign that without the film tax credit in place, we lose film business, and in turn, jobs.” Looks like Night will be racking some frequent flier miles flying back and forth from Toronto.

M Night Shyamalan, who filmed each of his movies around the city, brings in an estimated $375 million to the local economy. This whole project is financed by him, could no longer wait for legislators to approve the film tax credits and decided to move the production to Toronto, Canada.

The Philadelphia Inquirer said the film sat in limbo for 56 days waiting for legislators to approve tax incentives for the film industry.

Toronto’s film commissioner Peter Finestone confirmed today that the film, written and produced by Mr. Shyamalan, is expected to be shot in Toronto this fall. We are very happy to have him doing his work here. It is good news for us, and it continues to say that Toronto is a centre for excellence. It sends a very positive message back to other film makers that this is a place that can deliver the product that you want without any surprises

In Oct., 2008, the media reported:

The "Sixth Sense" director will produce the supernatural thriller "Devil," an independently financed project based on his idea. No plot details were revealed. It will be directed by "Quarantine" duo John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle from a script by Brian Nelson ("30 Days of Night"). The project will be the first feature Shyamalan has written or produced without directing.

It will be the first under a three-film financing/production partnership with independent financier Media Rights Capital, dubbed the Night Chronicles. The subsequent two films, set to begin production in 2010 and 2011, respectively, will also be based on his original stories. John Erick Dowdle recently directed "Quarantine," an adaptation of the Spanish horror hit "(Rec)" he co-scripted with brother Drew. "This is a dream for me. I wanted to find filmmakers that inspire me and I found them," said Shyamalan, who will co-own the films' copyrights with MRC and shop them for distribution. Shyamalan, who recently experienced recent critical lambasting for his $64.5 million-grossing supernatural thriller "The Happening," is now directing "The Last Airbender," a family fantasy which is set for a 2010 release through Paramount

• Shyamalan lives near the Philadelphia suburb of Malvern and has filmed eight of his nine movies in Pennsylvania, including The Sixth Sense, starring Bruce Willis.