James Wan has been a master of the paranormal for years thanks to the Conjuring andInsidious franchises, but never before has he taken on one of the 21st century’s most important genre properties. That is about to change, as Wan is among those bringing a new Parnormal Activity feature to the screen, with the move coming after the merging of his company Atomic Monster with that of Paranormal producer Jason Blum’s Blumhouse.
The feature has Paramount on board as a partner to co-finance, co-produce and distribute the movie. Oren Peli, the filmmaker behind the 2007 film that grossed $194.2 million on a shoe-string budget, will also produce via Solana Films. Blum is producing as well, with the theatrical feature said to be a priority for both Paramount and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster.
“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,” said Wan.
The original found-footage film was made for just $15,000 and helped launch Blumhouse after Blum discovered the film and then pumped additional money into the project for a release that became one of the most profitable movies of all time.
“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,” said Blum. “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.
He went on to name check the Paramount team, saying, “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.”
So far, the Paranormal Activity movies have spanned seven films, also including Paranormal Activity 2 (2010), Paranormal Activity 3 (2011), Paranormal Activity 4 (2012), The Marked Ones (2014), The Ghost Dimension (2015), and Next of Kin (2021).
“We’re thrilled to reignite the iconic Paranormal Activity franchise with two of the horror genre’s most visionary talents, James and Jason,” said Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg. 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.”
Horror mainstay Steven Schneider will executive produce for Room 101, Inc., with Michael Clear and Judson Scott executive producing for Blumhouse-Atomic Monster with executive Alayna Glasthal overseeing for the company.
