Will Eubank is attached to direct a new, unexpected retooling of the “Paranormal Activity” franchise for Paramount Players, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.
Christopher Landon is attached to write the script and executive produce. Jason Blum of Blumhouse and Oren Peli are returning to produce the retooling. Steven Schneider will also return to the franchise to executive produce.
Paramount first teamed with Blum on the initial microbudget phenomenon in 2009, which went on to gross over $190M worldwide.
Created by Peli, who wrote, directed, and shot the initial installment, the new “Paranormal” will be released on March 4, 2022 and will be the first installment in the microbudget horror series since “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” in 2015. Known for their very low budgets — the original 2007 film was made on a $15,000 budget — the “Paranormal Activity” series was a lucrative franchise for Paramount but had future sequels temporarily shelved after “The Ghost Dimension” grossed only $78 million at the box office, down from a peak of $207 million for “Paranormal Activity 3” in 2011.
Eubank first broke out at Sundance with sci-fi thriller “The Signal,” which starred Laurence Fishburne, Olivia Cooke, Brenton Thwaites. “The Signal” was acquired by Focus.
Landon, a frequent collaborator of Blum’s, wrote previous installments of the “Paranormal Activity” franchise and directed 2017’s “Happy Death Day” and that film’s sequel.
Eubank is repped by CAA and Anonymous Content. Landon is repped by WME, Mosaic, and Bloom Hergott.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.