The supernatural entities of Paranormal Activity will soon return to scare viewers, as Paramount has announced a new film in the horror franchise. Coming on the heels of the merger between James Wan’s Atomic Monster and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions, it sees Wan sharing producing duties with Oren Peli, the filmmaker behind the original 2007.
Story details are being kept under wraps, but the project is said to be a priority for both companies (per The Hollywood Reporter). A release date, cast information, and nature of the film (such as whether it’s planned as a sequel, spin-off, or standalone title) were not shared, with series veteran Steven Schneider executive producing alongside Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s Michael Clear and Judson Scott.
“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,” said Wan in a statement. “I’m looking forward to expanding on its legacy and helping shape the next evolution of this scary found footage franchise.”
“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,” Blum said of reviving the franchise.
“Thankfully, we’re able to spend a little more than the US$15,000 we had on the first movie, but one thing will remain the same – do not see it alone.”
Famously, the first Paramount Activity instalment became the most profitable film of all time, and would go on to spawn a franchise that includes seven films to date. It was credited for popularising found footage within the horror genre, with the last theatrical feature dating back to 2015 — the seventh mainline entry, 2021’s Next of Kin, was released only to the Paramount+ streaming service.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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