The horror genre received a jolt of energy in 2009 (2007 if you saw it before it went mainstream) with the release of Paranormal Activity. Directed by Oren Peli and produced by Jason Blum, the low-budget found-footage project captivated audiences, becoming what is arguably considered one of the most unsettling horror films ever made. While the found-footage genre had previously found success with 1999's The Blair Witch Project, the first Paranromal Activity film was a phenomenon.
Made for $15,000 (with later budget additions bringing that total to a reported $215,000), the independent movie went on to gross $193 million worldwide. Thanks to its creepy vibes and eerily realistic premise, Paranormal Activity was, for all intents and purposes, a viral moment. Thus, before audiences knew it, a whole, seven-film franchise spawned in a relatively short amount of time. Unfortunately, while the series performed reliably well installment to installment, it experienced a decline—both in terms of critical reception and of audience interest. Eventually, the series seemed to come to an end with Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, released straight to Paramount+ in 2021.
Well, horror fans, rejoice, because what once seemed to be dead, lives once more. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that a new Paranormal Activity film is in development from Blumhouse-Atomic Monster and Paramount, who is acting as distributor. In a welcome surprise, James Wan, known for directing The Conjuring and the two Aquaman films, is also attached as a producer. According to the trade, the project, which is said to be a priority for Paramount, will be released theatrically.
In a statement released through THR, Wan expressed his love for the horror saga, and said he was excited to develop its next installment: "I've been a huge admirer of Paranormal Activity since the brilliant first movie, with its creeping slow burn and subtle ability to make the unseen terrifying. I'm looking forward to expanding on its legacy and helping shape the next evolution of this scary found-footage franchise."
Jason Blum also released a statement, sharing his excitement over partnering with James Wan for the venture and expressing his gratitude for having a much bigger budget this time around than the first Paranormal Activity had:
"Diving in with James for this exciting rebirth of the franchise that started it all for Blumhouse is exactly what we dreamed of when we merged with Atomic Monster. I'll be actively involved with him to introduce this new chapter. Thankfully, we're able to spend a little more than the $15,000 we had on the first movie, but one thing will remain the same—do not see it alone. We look forward to partnering with Josh Greenstein, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Jeff Shell and their teams at Paramount as we bring Paranormal Activity back to life."
Per THR, Paramount will distribute, co-produce and co-finance the horror feature. The director of the first film, Oren Peli, who's been a producer on all Paranormal Activity films, will also produce through Solana Films. No release date was given, but Variety further commented the project is being treated as a "priority development for all parties." Therefore, fans will hopefully not have to wait too long before experiencing the next story in the saga.
If you need a refresher on the franchise, below are all of its installments so far:
- Paranormal Activity (2009)
- Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
- Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
- Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
- Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
- Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
- Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)
What do you think about Paranormal Activity returning for another installment? What's your favorite film in the franchise? Drop your thoughts in the comments!