Paramount has a new Paranormal Activity film in development. The first Paranormal Activity film was such a hit with horror fans that it launched a massive franchise that included five more movies, as well as a Japanese remake about a family terrorized by a demon.
What sets the Paranormal Activity franchise apart is that it uses "found footage" to tell its story by using a series of security cameras set up within the family's home mixed with production footage. It is this setup that makes each film seem realistic. Although most of the movies tend to get mixed reviews, fans love the series and keep coming back for more. The last film, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, earned a whopping $190 million at the worldwide box office. Considering the movies generally have a low budget, they have been a virtual cash cow for Paramount and Blumhouse Productions. In fact, the entire franchise has brought in over a total of $900 million worldwide.
Deadline reports that a new Paranormal Activity is currently in development at Paramount. Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions will produce the seventh installment in the franchise. No details are available about the new movie, and it does not yet have a title. In 2017, Blum addressed the possibility of a reboot of the Paranormal Activity franchise, although nothing about that was confirmed. At the time, he merely mentioned that the franchise was on hiatus, although it seems that the break is now officially over.
In 2015, Blum stated that the franchise would end with The Ghost Dimension, but it seems he has had a change of heart since then, although it probably has more to do with the potential to make even more money off a franchise with an extremely loyal fanbase. Blumhouse Productions has made a name for itself with its other horror movies, and has even since moved to television with the Into The Dark TV series on Hulu.
The company has also expanded beyond movie theaters and currently has a deal with Amazon for eight thriller movies. Despite all the new material coming from Blumhouse, though, Paranormal Activity fans continue to want more of the same. Although the world probably doesn't need a seventh Paranormal Activity film, moviegoers will still flock to theaters to see it. There is a special type of chills and thrills that come with those films, the kind of moments that often seem rare in modern horror.
Next: Found Footage is Stagnating in the Smartphone Age
Source: Deadline