Paranormal Activity, the micro budget supernatural chiller that first put Blumhouse on the map, is still one of the most profitable films ever made. Indeed, writer/director Oren Peli shot it for about $15,000 and it ended up bringing in over $193 million at the box office.
Admittedly, audiences were split on the movie, with some people loving the thick atmosphere and sense of tension throughout, while others found it a bit boring until right near the end. Still, it was a hugely influential film that brought a modern spin to the haunted house subgenre. Of course, it also spawned a very successful franchise, one that’s now about to be rebooted.
Yes, The Hollywood Reporter brings word today that William Eubank, who helmed the excellent Kristen Stewart thriller Underwater, has signed on to direct the pic, with Happy Death Day‘s Christopher Landon penning the script after serving as a writer on a number of previous franchise entries. Plot details are scarce, but insiders say it’s an “unexpected retooling” of the series that will once again be in the style of found footage.
Scheduled for a March 4th, 2022 release, not much else is known about the reboot right now, but no doubt the project will elicit more than a few eye-rolls from horror fans, with many people feeling the franchise has been driven into the ground already. And after 6 films including the 2007 original, we can understand where they’re coming from.
Still, no brand with earning potential can ever be left on the shelf for too long and whether you like it or not, Paranormal Activity is now being rebooted. And if nothing else, at least there’s some exciting talent involved in the project to help bring it to life.