Paranormal Activity Reboot Writer Teases Director Is on Board

Filmmaker Christopher Landon is returning to the Paranormal Activity franchise by writing the upcoming reboot of the series, with the filmmaker also confirming that there is a director on board, yet he didn't want to reveal who the director was. With the series often cranking out sequels on an annual basis, it enlisted a number of different writers and directors, but Landon teased that the filmmaker on board for the new film is a "get," leading to excitement about who could be offering their unique perspective to the well-known found-footage franchise. The new Paranormal Activity is slated to hit theaters on March 4, 2022.

"I'm writing the new Paranormal Activity movie; we're rebooting that franchise," Landon revealed to Dread Central. "I'm super excited about the director, but I can't say who it is because they won't let me. He's a get. He's awesome! I think people are going to be really surprised by where we're taking this thing."

While some audiences might see 1999's The Blair Witch Project as the film to thank and blame for the surge of found-footage movies, that insular event didn't entirely serve as a catalyst for a boom in the filmmaking structure the way Paranormal Activity did in 2009. That debut installment proved the effectiveness of well-crafted scares in a house believed to be haunted, with the rise of paranormal investigation series on TV creating this perfect storm of a narrative premise and storytelling device that spawned countless imitators.

The debut film focused on a couple attempting to capture bizarre occurrences around their home, only for audiences to learn that Katie, played by actress Katie Featherston, had been the focus of otherworldly entities dating back to childhood. Over the course of five sequels, the films attempted to deviate from that core story, though it often found ways to circle back to the original connection between Katie and the supernatural.

As Landon pointed out, the new film is slated to be a reboot of the concept, though producer Jason Blum previously teased that he'd be interested in having Featherston return.

"You're right, I couldn't tell you if I knew," Blum joked to a fan who asked if he could reveal Featherston's return. "We're gonna do the movie. We're developing the movie, but I don't know where exactly the story's going to land. We're talking about different things. A hundred percent, we're making a movie, we just haven't gotten that far with the development. But I'll tell you this. I would love to bring her back and she's a great actress and she's an old friend and I hope we get to bring her back."

Stay tuned for details on the new Paranormal Activity before it hits theaters on March 4, 2022.

Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!