The new trailer for Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin shows off fuller plot details surrounding the film's demonic possession. The found-footage franchise, which premiered in 2007, has told the story of a variety of families terrorized by a demon known as Toby throughout six films. The previous film, 2015's Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, was initially announced as the final film in the series.
Considering the franchise's long silence after Ghost Dimension, the announcement of the six-years-later follow-up Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, which will stream exclusively on Paramount+ starting October 29, came as quite a surprise. It is unknown how closely the film will follow the previous films. Still, it does have a solid franchise connection in screenwriter Christopher Landon, who previously penned Paranormal Activity 2, 3, and 4, as well as writing and directing the fifth film, the spinoff Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones. The film will be directed by William Eubank.
Previously, Paranormal Activity 7 had only received a short teaser, so plot details had been murky for some time. However, today on their YouTube channel, JoBlo has shared the first full-length trailer from Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin. Now, fans can explore the plot they will be able to expect much more thoroughly. The trailer shows a group of teens accompanying a young woman to shoot a documentary about reconnecting with her biological family, only to discover that the family has a sinister secret. Check out the trailer below:
The trailer gives a much closer look at what the film's plot will be about and how exactly the documentarians have gotten into an anti-technology religious home (at first, the family is presumed to be Amish, though they quickly prove that guess wrong). The trailer also reveals a closer look at the style of the movie, which has an overhead driving shot reminiscent of The Shining and delivers heavy The Witch vibes. While the look has progressed somewhat from the previous films, it still provides the handheld realism that the franchise is known for.
The trailer very explicitly reveals that the demon concerned in Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin is Asmodeus. This doesn't necessarily mean that Toby will not be present because Toby is a nickname rather than the demon's actual moniker. The film's family is different from that of Katie and Kristi, who the previous films have followed. However, these films have a habit of tying up their plots with the continuing mythology of Katie and her relations, so there may still be an appearance from actress Katie Featherston reprising the role. Landon returning to the franchise is a reassuring sign that, however, disconnected this may seem from the franchise's overarching mythology, fans can expect the continuity of the franchise to play a role in some significant way.
Source: JoBlo