Paramount PicturesTo this day, the original Paranormal Activity movie remains a masterclass in what the found footage genre is capable of.
Much like The Blair Witch Project before it, 2007’s Paranormal Activity retains the power to leave us sleepless and wide-eyed with deceptively subtle scares. A heavy footstep. The breath of of an unseen monster lifting a strand of hair.
For me, it was the very first found footage horror I ever saw and the realism had a jarring effect on me no amount of CGI gore could have replicated. The characters’ confusing bickering felt genuine, as did their continuously rising panic.
You can remind yourself of your own first encounter with the game-changing horror classic with the eerie-as-hell trailer:
The indie hit (which became the most profitable movie, making almost $200 million from its $15,000 budget) would go on to spawn a cult series of creepy sequels, some of which arguably exceed the original when it comes to bloodcurdling moments of dread.
For example, one UNILAD team member is convinced Paranormal Activity 4: The Marked Ones is the most frightening of the bunch, regardless of its admittedly mixed bag of reviews.
And now, as difficult as it is to believe, we are fast approaching the seventh instalment in what has become a vast and very spooky cinematic universe.
Paramount Pictures have now announced a release date for the – as yet untitled – Paranormal Activity 7, as Deadline reports.
Paramount PicturesWith an official release date of March 19, 2021, it won’t be too long until we are being terrorised by our favourite household demon all over again.
Paramount Pictures will once again be joining forces with the Jason Blum founded Blumhouse Productions, which has built its reputation on producing scare-fests on a micro-budget. At the time of writing, little is known about the plot or cast, and a director has yet to be attached to the project.
However, Paramount chief Jim Gianopolous announced the seventh instalment was in development back in June.
Paramount PicturesAlthough recent films have received less critical praise, they can still cast a witchy spell when it comes to turning a profit. The sixth movie in the series – 2015’s Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension – was the lowest earner, but still managed to bring in $78 million worldwide with a humble budget of just $10 million.
Paranormal Activity 7 will be released March 19, 2021
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.