Producer Jason Blum had said the Paranormal Activity franchise went dormant for a while after the release of 2015’s Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension because he felt the series had gotten tired – and it wasn’t his idea to make Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, a failed attempt at a revival (that he described as “terrible”), back in 2021. He has been open about the fact that he feels there has been “enough already” when it comes to Paranormal Activity movies… but he just can’t seem to stop it. The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that a new Paranormal Activity movie is in the works at Paramount, with genre regular James Wan (the Conjuring Universe, Saw, Insidious, etc.) joining the franchise to produce the film alongside Blum.
Blum’s Blumhouse Productions recently merged with Wan’s company Atomic Monster, pulling Wan into the Paranormal Activity world. Paramount is co-financing and co-producing the film with Blumhouse-Atomic Monster, while original Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli is also on board to produce through his company Solana Films. This project will get theatrical distribution through Paramount and is said to be a priority for all of the companies involved.
Steven Schneider will executive produce for the film Room 101, Inc., while Michael Clear and Judson Scott do the same for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster. Executive Alayna Glasthal is overseeing the project for the company.
Wan provided the following statement: “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.” Blum added, “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.“
Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg had this to say about the franchise revival: “We’re thrilled to reignite the iconic Paranormal Activity franchise with two of the horror genre’s most visionary talents, James and Jason. Jason’s role in shaping this franchise into a global cultural touchstone, together with James’ singular taste and track record for innovative storytelling, sets the stage for a thrilling new chapter.“
Released in 2009, the original Paranormal Activity was followed by Paranormal Activity 2 (2010), Paranormal Activity 3 (2011), Paranormal Activity 4 (2012), Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014), Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), and Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021). In Japan, the unofficial entry Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night was also released in 2010.
Are you glad to hear that there’s a new Paranormal Activity movie coming our way? What do you think of James Wan joining the franchise? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
While we wait to see what this movie is going to be like, Paramount Game Studios and DreadXP are working on a Paranormal Activity video game and there’s a stage play called Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live on Stage, which is coming to London’s West End this Friday.
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