News

You can't undersell the impact "Paranormal Activity" had on the found footage movie boom. While there were plenty of predecessors that made the horror subgenre feel downright revolutionary like "The Blair Witch Project" and "Cloverfield," Oren Peli's self-contained haunted house flick kicked the doors down when it came to studio interest. It delivered suspenseful thrills and chills on a micro-budget that allowed it to make an unbelievable profit for Paramount. Everyone tried to recapture the magic with varying levels of success.

Peli would spend the following years producing the "Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious" franchises, while conjuring an original idea for television with "Paranormal Activity 2" co-writer Michael R. Perry. The result was 2012's "The River," a found footage adventure-horror series that only ran for one season on ABC.

There had been some examples of found footage finding success on the small screen such as Animal Planet's "Lost Tapes,...

As soon as Saw X, the tenth entry in the Saw franchise (you can read our review Here), was released in September of 2023, franchise producers were already talking about the potential of a Saw XI. The official announcement came that December, along with a release date: September 27, 2024… but then it was said that the producers and Lionsgate had decided to take a little extra time with this one, Saw XI was pushed back to September 26, 2025. Now, our friends at Bloody Disgusting are reporting that we might not see another sequel in the Saw franchise at all, as a source “close to the production” has informed them that Saw XI has been cancelled!

According to this source, “It’s totally dead. It’s 100% over. Almost a year now.” The source added, “Everything went sideways in January 2024 … the producers started fighting.” One producer attempted to plow forward with the film, but the...

Paranormal Activity etched its name in horror lore as one of those rare marketing moments that altered the very fabric of the genre as we knew it. An undisputable monster in a genre of monsters. A cultural phenomenon that stood for everything we loved about the genre. A movie that made you feel something in a way only horror can provide. Some went home and turned on all the lights in the house. Some scoffed, proudly unbothered by its attempts to creep them out. But everyone saw it. Everyone talked about it. Most of them thirsty for more home video shenanigans. How the hell do you follow that up? This… is what happened to Paranormal Activity 2.

In 2007, Paranormal Activity made close to $200 million dollars on a $15,000 budget. Meaning the Corleone’s themselves could have put a severed horse head in the bed of every executive at Paramount Pictures to stop...

A run of successful horror remakes abruptly ended in 2010, which spelled trouble for Platinum Dunes. Producer Brad Fuller explains what happened next.

For almost a decade, Platinum Dunes was one of the most successful independent production companies in Hollywood. Beginning with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 2003, which made over $100 million on a sub-$10m budget, the studio seemed to have hit on a magical formula: make genre movies to a price, attached to classic horror titles.

Texas Chainsaw was therefore followed by a string of other remakes, all based on films from the 70s and 80s: 2005’s The Amityville Horror was followed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning in 2006; The Hitcher, Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street were all released between 2007 and 2009.

In the financial crisis era, audiences, it seemed, loved gory escapism. But in 2010, something strange happened: Platinum Dunes co-founder Brad Fuller noticed that his phone had stopped ringing.

Quick LinksParanormal Activity 2 Was a Solid SequelM3GAN Was Aided by Incredible MarketingInsidious: The Red Door Was The Most Financially Successful Insidious InstallmentParanormal Activity Was a Horror Sensation Like No OtherParanormal Activity 3 Was a Terrifying PrequelAlthough Disappointing, People Turned Up to The Theater For GlassGet Out Was an Award-Winning And Commercially Successful Modern Horror MasterpieceHalloween (2018) is One of The Better Halloween FilmsM. Night Shyamalan Caught Viewers Off-Guard With SplitThe Five Nights at Freddy's Film Adaptation is Blumhouse's Highest-Grossing Movie

Since its launch in the 2000s, film studio Blumhouse, headed by producer Jason Blum, has contributed immensely to the modern age of horror. Because horror movies tend to have a lower budget than other mainstream films, they are easily profitable and help the genre have continuous success at the box office, regardless of quality. Blumhouse took off thanks to Paranormal Activity, an extremely low-budget found-footage movie that paved the way for a franchise.

In 2006, Stephen King wrote an apocalyptic horror novel that remolded the contagion metaphor into something atypical. While zombies are front and center in this paranoia-fueled tale, these creatures are not reanimated corpses who have mutated beyond recognition, à la the infected in "The Last of Us." Instead, these zombies are former cell phone users who have transformed after a global network signal called The Pulse is sent out, turning them into rabid killers. This novel, "Cell," captures the unprecedented chaos brought about by this unlikely situation, with a struggling artist named Clayton serving as our entry point into this world on the brink of collapse.

It is worth noting that King wrote "Cell" during a time when cell phones weren't as accessible as today (to the point that they have evolved into a necessity), offering a technologically-wary perspective of a phenomenon yet to happen. This pessimistic outlook serves the purpose...

While the franchise consists of seven movies, the Paranormal Activity movies in order is different chronologically than it is by release date. The main thread of the found-footage franchise follows the sinister demon "Tobi" as he terrorizes families and households throughout the decades. The complex lore of the Paranormal Activity movies begins with the original 2007 film that introduces Tobi and his primary anchor for most of the series, Katie. As the films continue, the expanding backstory and interweaving network of characters gradually reveal a rich, detailed universe of supernatural horror.

The franchise includes backstories, time travel, recurring characters, and connections to Tobi and Katie. With such an intricate chronology, the question of where to start with the Paranormal Activity movies can seem daunting. Two franchise installments are prequels, and two interact directly with Katie's past. There is also an unofficial non-canon Japanese sequel, Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night, but that...

The terrifying Paranormal Activity series, a pioneer of the modern found-footage horror genre, is making its way to streaming.

Starting January 1, 2025, Paramount+ subscribers can experience the first five films of this iconic franchise: Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 2, 3, 4, and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones. Known for their eerie atmospheres, chilling supernatural elements, and innovative use of found-footage storytelling, these films remain a cornerstone of 21st-century horror cinema. Whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, these movies offer a haunting journey into the world of paranormal terror. Oren Peli directed Paranormal Activity, and also wrote that initial film.

Related How To Watch The Paranormal Activity Movies Order

Paranormal Activity is one of the most renowned found-footage supernatural horror movie franchises, but it's better if watched in the right order.

The Evolution of Terror Across Five Films

The franchise kicked off with Paranormal Activity (2007), a groundbreaking indie...

Horror franchises have continued to dominate the genre, often overshadowing new releases that do not have a connection to a well-known and popular series. Many of these franchises have a mix of good and bad movies, including icons like Halloween, Alien, Saw, and The Conjuring. These titles have had enough success to overshadow the lackluster installments, even if they're known for only one or two major films that keep the series alive.

Other horror franchises in the genre have not withstood the test of time or kept viewers interested in more bad installments than good or even decent ones. Series like Puppet Master and Paranormal Activity may have a cult following, but the overall critical and audience reception is exceptionally poor. Despite having multiple sequels, these horror series only have one distinguishable film.

Jaws (1975-1987) Should Have Never Been A Series

Steven Spielberg's Jaws is the most monumental creature feature and shark movie ever.

Oren Pelis supernatural found-footage horror film Paranormal Activity spawned a franchise that included seven movies, so the Paranormal Activity timeline needs some explaining. The films follow the history of two sisters named Katie and Kristi who are tormented by a demonic entity, "Toby." As the franchise expanded with sequels, prequels, and parallel installments, the exact timeline of events remains complicated. The franchise shares a basic premise: supernatural occurrences that are caught "found-footage" such as security systems, webcams, and more.

The 2021 installment Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin was a soft reboot since it is the first installment in the franchise to feature a new demonic entity: Asmodeus, based on the real-life Abrahamic dogma. The next title in the franchise, The Other Side, returned to Paranormal Activity's core story, centering on "Toby" once again and continuing the story from where Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension left off. The installments aren't released chronologically,...

This post contains spoilers for the "Paranormal Activity" franchise.

When "Paranormal Activity" was first released in 2007, it was a small-scale, indie found-footage endeavor spearheaded by Oren Peli, shot with an initial budget of around $15,000. After the feature made some waves and was acquired by Paramount, the trajectory of this horror offering, which was initially meant as a standalone entry, changed forever. Now armed with a new alternate ending, "Paranormal Activity" had an unbelievably lucrative run at the box office, and this overwhelming success went on to spawn a highly profitable franchise with stories that sported interconnected timelines and a shared found footage convention. Although the first few entries feel fresh and effective, a case of franchise fatigue can be felt over time, especially with the most recent soft reboot, "Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin."

It is perfectly okay to watch the "Paranormal Activity" films (check out our ranking of them here) according to release order,...

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Christopher Landon is reuniting with the folks at Blumhouse for another twisty thrill ride in Drop. Landon's collaborative history with the indie producing studio began with 2010's Paranormal Activity 2, becoming the Paranormal Activity franchise's primary writer for almost every subsequent installment, including directing the 2014 spinoff The Marked Ones, and though he was not part of the original final installment's team, but would return for Next of Kin. Beyond Paranormal Activity, Landon also made a name for himself with the Happy Death Day movies and Freaky, as well as the Netflix supernatural comedy We Have a Ghost.

In Drop, Landon tells the story of Violet, a widowed young mother going on her first date in years with a man named Henry at an upscale restaurant. Though things start off well, the night gradually takes a turn when an unknown person begins...

Freaky and Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon was supposed to be heading into production on Scream 7 – but that project turned out to be so troubled, he had to activate his ejector seat and get out of there. While he has since been replaced on Scream 7 by Kevin Williamson, he has been busy lining up other genre projects, signing on to direct the werewolf thriller Big Bad and the “fast-paced thriller” Drop. Coming our way from Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes, the production company team that has previously brought us the Purge franchise, Drop moved forward first, and is so far along that a teaser trailer was even show at the New York Comic Con over the weekend! That trailer hasn’t made its way online yet, but a teaser poster has, along with some story details. Here’s the poster:

Everyone’s sus. #DropTheMovie only in theaters April 11 pic.

Tobin Bell owns a metal briefcase that he uses to house nine composition books, each one containing the notes he took to prepare to play John Kramer, a.k.a. Jigsaw, in the movies that make up the Saw franchise.. Soon, he’ll start taking notes in a tenth book, because Saw XI is on track for a September 26, 2025 release – and he has confirmed to the LA Times that Kramer is “a main part” of the latest sequel.

The LA Times reports that the first page of the notes Bell took for the original Saw “includes a drawn spiral interrogating the likes, dislikes and motivations” of his character. The other pages “are occupied by a series of questions about the character. They start with the most basic details — ‘Where am I?’ for example — and evolve into increasingly specific queries until they form an inverse triangle brimming with insight he’s deciphered on his own.

Max has shared a curated list of films available to stream on the service in Summer 2024. Max is home to Warner Bros. Pictures films, classics and new favorites from A24, the Studio Ghibli library, and award-winning films spanning multiple genres.

The platform is showcasing its vast film library with curated summer watch lists of blockbusters, horror, family-friendly films, and more.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Warner Bros. Pictures’ Dune: Part Two, the groundbreaking sequel to Dune, is now available to stream on the platform along with recent hits like Wonka and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which also has an American Sign Language (Asl) version of the film available to stream.

Viewers can also find summer favorites like Mamma Mia!, Meg 2: The Trench, A Night at the Roxbury, and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Dune: Part Two

Horror fans can look to Max for their summer scares and favorite films from franchises,...

As soon as Saw X, the tenth entry in the Saw franchise (you can read our review Here), was released last September, franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules were already talking about the potential of a Saw XI. The official announcement came in December, along with a release date: September 27th… but they’ve decided to take a little extra time with this one, so a couple months ago it was announced that Saw XI won’t be reaching theatres until September 26, 2025. The script is still in the works, though, and now we know the name of at least one person behind it: Marcus Dunstan, who says this is going to be an “angry” film.

Saw X screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, who also wrote Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw, let it be known a while back that they’re not returning for the new...

Freaky and Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon was supposed to be heading into production on Scream 7 soon – but that project has turned out to be so troubled, he had to activate his ejector seat and get out of there. While he has since been replaced on Scream 7 by Kevin Williamson, he has been busy lining up other genre projects, signing on to direct the werewolf thriller Big Bad and the “fast-paced thriller” Drop. Coming our way from Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes, the production company team that has previously brought us the Purge franchise, Drop is moving forward first. We previously heard that it’s set to star Meghann Fahy, who was recently seen on season 2 of The White Lotus, and now Deadline reports that Fahy is being joined in the cast by Violett Beane (The Flash), Brandon Sklenar (1923), and newcomer Jacob Robinson. Deadline notes that child actor...

As soon as Saw X, the tenth entry in the Saw franchise (you can read our review Here), was released last September, franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules were already talking about the potential of a Saw XI. The official announcement came in December, along with a release date: September 27th. But over the last few months, the filmmakers have come to realize they need some extra time to make Saw XI something special, so the release has been pushed back a year, to September 26, 2025. So Lionsgate has unveiled a teaser trailer asking fans to play the waiting game, and you can check it out in the embed above.

Saw X screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (who also wrote Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw) have let it be known that they’re not coming back for the new sequel, but Saw X director Kevin Greutert...

Freaky and Happy Death Day director Christopher Landon was supposed to be heading into production on Scream 7 soon – but that project has turned out to be so troubled, he had to activate his ejector seat and get out of there. Things are looking good for him now that he has escaped from that mess, as he recently signed on to direct the werewolf thriller Big Bad, and now Deadline reports that he’ll be directing the “fast-paced thriller” Drop for Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes, the production company team that has previously brought us the Purge franchise. Drop has even found its lead already: Meghann Fahy, who was recently seen on season 2 of The White Lotus.

Details on the story Drop will be telling have not been revealed. All we know is the “fast-paced thriller” description and the fact that the screenplay has been written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach,...

As soon as Saw X, the tenth entry in the Saw franchise (you can read our review Here), was released last September, franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules were already talking about the potential of a Saw XI. The official announcement came in December, along with the reveal that the film will be reaching theatres on September 27th. Saw X screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg (who also wrote Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw) have let it be known that they’re not coming back for the new sequel – but our friends at Bloody Disgusting have learned that Saw X director Kevin Greutert will be back at the helm for Saw XI.

Greutert edited the first five Saw movies, and did the same on Jigsaw. He made his feature directorial debut with Saw VI and signed on to direct Paranormal Activity 2 after that. That movie...

Christopher Landon, the former director of Scream 7, will now helm the werewolf movie Big Bad. Landon stepped down from Scream 7 after the firing of star Melissa Barrera and the exit of Jenna Ortega. Big Bad could give Landon an opportunity to explore a new subgenre of horror after bringing many others to the screen.

Former Scream 7 director Christopher Landon has signed on to helm the new movie Big Bad. Although Landon was previously attached to direct the Scream sequel, he stepped down following production company Spyglass' decision to fire star Melissa Barrera after she shared pro-Palestine posts on social media. Shortly afterward, it was announced that her co-star Jenna Ortega had also dropped out of the project, for unspecified reasons.

Per Deadline, Christopher Landon has boarded his first directorial project since dropping out of the upcoming Scream 7. The project, Big Bad, will be adapted by Chandler Baker...

A24 are delivering a special gift to Max this December, as Leo Reich’s acclaimed stand-up show Literally Who Cares?! hits the streamer. The comedian has already won over the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Off-Broadway with runs of the show, but this performance was taped at EartH in London. Consider checking it out – if A24 got involved in the project, you know you’ll definitely see something weird and special.

But if you’re looking for something more serious, add the new three-part documentary series Murder In Boston: Roots, Rampage & Reckoning to your watch list this month. The upcoming series delves into the fallout from the investigation into Charles “Chuck” Stuart’s 911 call reporting that he and his pregnant wife, had been shot in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood in 1989.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and Max this month…

HBO and Max New Releases – December 2023

December...

Found footage films, like The Blair Witch Project, use homemade videos to create a sense of realism and generate anxiety-inducing scenes. The Blair Witch Project, with a budget of only $60 thousand, became the highest-grossing found footage movie with nearly $250 million worldwide. The subgenre of found footage films has lost popularity due to the rise of social media and improved camera technology, making it unlikely for another film to surpass The Blair Witch Project's box office record.

Found footage films are a long way from their popularity peak, and today it seems impossible to beat the biggest box office record within the sub-genre. Found footage filming is a technique that consists of telling a fiction story through a homemade video that is apparently capturing real-life events. Even though it has achieved the most notorious usage within the horror genre, there are other types of movies that take advantage of the found footage technique,...

According to star Matthew Lillard, Five Nights at Freddy's' day-and-date release on Peacock hurt its second weekend and will probably hurt its third. Lillard reflects on the lack of traditional publicity for the first movie and hopes that they can put together a plan to make the second one more successful. He is excited for them to greenlight the sequel and make it even bigger

One cast member shares high hopes for the release of Five Nights at Freddy's 2. While the horror movie sequel has not yet been officially greenlit, Five Nights at Freddy's (which is adapted from the video game franchise of the same name) was a massive box office hit. Although it opened theatrically on the same day it began streaming on Peacock, it had the best opening weekend for a 2023 horror movie, earning $80 million on its way to a worldwide total that has already passed the $200 million milestone.

According to THR, the Paranormal Activity franchise is set to become a stage play. I can’t say I saw that one coming.

Simon Friend, who commissioned the Life of Pi stage play, picked up the license to Paranormal Activity and is seeking to bring it to the West End. Grey House scribe Levi Holloway has signed on to write the play, but the project is still in early development at this time. Although I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fan of the franchise, I’ve got to admit that I’m a little curious about how they plan to adapt the found-footage story to the stage.

The original Paranormal Activity movie was written and directed by Oren Peli and followed Katie and Micah, a young couple who have recently moved to a new house and are being terrorized by a demon that has stalked Katie since childhood. The...

Scream fans were hit with bad news when it was announced that directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, better known as Radio Silence, would not return to helm Scream VII. After bringing the franchise back with 2022's Scream and finding even more success with Scream VI, the duo is too busy on their upcoming monster movie project for Universal to return, but their announced replacement, Christopher Landon, leaves the franchise in very capable hands that should make fans very excited.

What Radio Silence accomplished by revitalizing the Scream franchise was no easy task. Taking on a legacy spearheaded by the late master of suspense Wes Craven would make anyone stepping into those shoes nervous, but Radio Silence approached the job as fans first.

They respected what Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson created, and they wanted to do them justice while also adding their own spin to make sure their...

From "A Nightmare on Elm Street" to "Friday the 13th," "Hellraiser" to "Child's Play (aka Chucky)," '80s horror fans love a long-running franchise. While the 21st century doesn't have as many lengthy horror franchises per capita as the 1980s does, it still has a decent amount — and most of those are thanks to the efforts of one Jason Blum, Mr. Blumhouse himself.

Over the course of his career, Blum has sought to keep the traditions of vintage horror cinema alive not necessarily in the films themselves, but in broader ways. To wit, he's often found a lot of his films easily making their budgets back (and then some) at the box office; this year alone has seen "M3GAN" and "Insidious: The Red Door" hit the jackpot at cinemas, successes that are not only clear indicators of horror's continual popularity as a genre, but also Blum's savvy in keeping budgets low.

Sometimes sequels outdo their predecessors, but there is also the occasional surprise sequel that is a bigger hit than anyone ever anticipated. Making a successful follow-up to a popular movie often as hard as the original was in the first place. Still, with the right story in place and a proper understanding of what made the original connect, a sequel is fully capable of being worthy of its predecessor or even outdoing it.

Not all beloved sequels are expected to be popular or successful, though. Sometimes, a sequel comes along that either has little buzz going for it, is outright expected to fail, or ends up surpassing even the built-in expectations it carries. However, these kinds of sequels are the most fun as they often come with a the degree of surprise and enduring impact.

Related: 17 Iconic Movie Franchises Where The Best Film Is A Sequel

Terrifier 2

Art the Clown...

With its list of new releases for August 2023, Prime Video is relying on a heaping dose of fun library movies.

The first of the month brings a big influx of worthwhile flicks, including Galaxy Quest, Saw, F9: The Fast Saga, and Jurassic Park (the last two via Amazon’s Freevee free streaming option). Then some other recents hits arrive later on like the appropriately titled Cocaine Bear on Aug. 15 and the Chris Pine-starring Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves on Aug. 25.

August also sees the arrival of a major Amazon Original movie in the form of Red, White & Royal Blue. Based on a New York Times bestselling book, this LGBTQ romance follows a U.S. president’s son and a British prince. Over on the TV side of things, Prime Video subscribers can check out the Sigourney Weaver project The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart on Aug. 4 and Harlan Coben’s Shelter on Aug.

It’s been quite a year for Prime Video already. The service is seeing huge success with its second season of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” and its international espionage thriller “Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan” turned in its fourth and final season earlier this summer.

Unfortunately for Tolkien fans, there’s no new season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” to dive into this August, but there are some fantastic titles coming to Prime Video all throughout the month. From Prime Video originals to hot new movies, here are the top five titles The Streamable is most excited about on the service in August 2023.

30-Day Free Trial $8.99 / month amazon.com What Are the Best Shows and Movies Coming to Prime Video in August 2023? ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ | Aug. 4

Alice Hart has to endure a tragedy no child should have to face, losing her parents...

“You can ring my bell, ring my bell…”

The Losers gather at Boston International Airport to close out their coverage on Stephen King‘s Cell. Now that they’ve explored the 2006 novel, they’re dialing into the 2016 adaptation. Originally announced as an Eli Roth project two months after the book’s release, the film spent 10 torturous years in development hell before finally being unleashed.

What came to fruition is a feature by filmmaker Tod Williams that stars John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Owen Teague, Stacey Keach, and Joshua Mikel. What’s more, King himself penned the screenplay alongside 2009’s Last House on the Left scribe Adam Alleca. Was it worth the wait?

Join Losers Michael Roffman, Rachel Reeves, Ana Marie Cox, and Jenn Adams as they answer that very question. Together, they chart the entire decade-long production history, discuss the 1408 reunion between Cusack and Jackson, try to make...

Paranormal Activity screenwriting stalwart Christopher Landon shared a surprising studio note he got on one of the sequels in the popular horror franchise. The found footage series began with the original 2009 haunted house film, created by filmmaker Oren Peli. It quickly spawned a franchise, which Landon became involved in as a screenwriter starting with 2010's Paranormal Activity 2. He would go on to write the next three films and the most recent outing, 2021's Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, while also taking the directorial reins for 2014's Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones in addition to his screenwriting duties.

Recently, IndieWire sat down with Landon to discuss his latest directorial outing, the Netflix horror-comedy We Have a Ghost. During the conversation, he discussed his history with the Paranormal Activity franchise and revealed a bizarre studio note he was given while developing one of the sequels. Confirming an unwritten rule of the horror genre,...

This article discusses difficult subject matter including (but not limited to) postpartum psychosis.

Bess Wohl's timely and powerful "Baby Ruby" opens with the main character Jo (Noémie Merlant) carefully making a banner for her baby shower. Her methodical cutting and placement of the letters demonstrate how much she enjoys being organized and in control, as well as the pressure she feels to curate the perfect life and aesthetic for her website and social media pages. Jo is not just a person or a mother-to-be: she is a brand. After the birth of Ruby, she discovers motherhood is far more difficult than glossy Instagram photos portray it to be.

The entire film is through her point of view as she spirals into a whirlwind of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. She also starts having unsettling hallucinations that turn out to be symptoms of postpartum psychosis. One of the most captivating aspects...

Sunday Am Update: Typically, horror movies fall apart on a Saturday night, especially ones with bad reviews and lackluster audience exits. But Universal/Blumhouse/Miramax’s Halloween Kills kept it together, even with a day-and-date Peacock component.

The David Gordon Green-directed sequel, the 12th in the franchise, kept on course for a $50.35M 3-day, slightly higher than what we saw yesterday morning off a $17.2M Saturday, -25% from Friday. That’s a better Friday-to-Saturday hold, percent-wise, than previous Blumhouse October horror pics Paranormal Activity 3 and Paranormal Activity 2, both -35%. Also, Halloween Kills’ Saturday beats Paranormal Activity 2’s Saturday of $13M.

Overall, Halloween Kills is the best 3-day US/Canada opening we’ve seen for a horror movie during the pandemic, beating Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part II ($47.5M), and it’s the best opening for an R-rated movie during the pandemic, blowing away Warner Bros...

There comes a time in most franchises that the same story is being told time and time again. Some movies have managed to do this for a fair length of time, such as Saw, while others have done it for decades, like Friday The 13th and Halloween. Arriving in the 2000s, Paranormal Activity revitalized the "found footage" horror genre that was previously given a kick by The Blair Witch Project in the 1990s, but after 6 movies in the series, which were all interconnected in a looser way with each addition, the upcoming Paranormal Activity 7 will be the first complete reboot of the premise, and according to Jason Blum the movie has already been shot.

While promoting The Forever Purge, Blum spoke to Collider's Haleigh Foutch about the latest addition to the Paranormal Activity franchise and confirmed, "The movie's done. Yeah, we did it." While it may be a surprise to some,...

Exclusive: Timberman-Beverly Productions has partnered with filmmaker Tod Williams (The Door In the Floor) on a drama series focused on the rarely explored origin story of one of history’s most iconic figures, Napoleon Bonaparte. The project, which is being taken out to the streaming marketplace, hails from ABC Signature where Timberman-Beverly is under a deal.

Bonaparte’s rise to become the emperor of France is possibly the grandest epic driven by a single individual in all of human history, except it isn’t the story of an individual at all. It’s the story of a family, more specifically, a mother and her eight children, rising up from obscurity to become the most powerful dynasty in the world. Beautiful, unruly, intelligent, and competitive, but united as a pack of wolves when threatened. In this family, blood is thicker than everything.

The series will explore Napoleon the son, brother, and...

Terri Taylor has been the in-house casting director for Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Prods. since 2013, a job that’s unusual at the studio level. Blum and Taylor have built a language and relationship that goes back even further, to the studio’s 2010 “Paranormal Activity 2.”

When she’s not working on casting Blumhouse productions, Taylor invests her time in mentoring other casting directors within the Blumhouse world. “She is my mentor,” casting director John McAlary says. The two first met in 2007 when he first worked as an assistant. “She oversaw the process on “Welcome to Blumhouse.” He adds.

With “The Craft: Legacy,” the reboot of Andrew Fleming’s 1996 classic, debuting on-demand on Oct. 28, Taylor talks with Variety about the type of actors the studio is looking for, and shares her process for matching talent to story.

You and Jason Blum go back almost 10 years. How has the relationship grown?

I...

Christopher Landon is returning to the franchise that helped make his career, as the filmmaker is set to write Paranormal Activity 7. Landon, who most recently directed Happy Death Day and its sequel, Happy Death Day 2, built his career writing installments of the found footage horror franchise. Now, as revealed by producer Jason Blum, he's returning to bring the series back with a new installment.

Jason Blum, head of Blumhouse Productions, the studio behind Paranormal Activity, has been promoting The Invisible Man as of late. During a recent interview, Blum was asked about the status of the seventh movie in the long-running series, which has been in development since last year. Blum decided to reveal that Christopher Landon will be the one cooking up the story. Here's what he had to say about it.

"We are doing a new Paranormal Activity. We have Chris Landon, who wrote almost all of them,...

Christopher Landon, who wrote Paranormal Activity 2 through 5 is returning to the franchise to pen the new film – the seventh in the series. Not much is known about Paranormal Activity 7, but it’s safe to assume the movie will involve found-footage and also things going bump in the night. It’s currently […]

The post ‘Paranormal Activity 7’ Brings Back Writer Christopher Landon appeared first on /Film.

‘True History Of The Kelly Gang’, ‘Downhill’ among other new openers.

Universal’s Blumhouse Productions horror The Invisible Man faces off against Curzon Artificial Eye’s Cannes title Portrait Of A Lady On Fire this weekend at the UK box office.

Directed by Saw writer Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man stars Elisabeth Moss as a lady who believes her ex’s recent suicide was a hoax, and that she is being hunted by a being no-one else can see.

It marks an incredible 99th film production for Blumhouse, the company established by former Miramax executive Jason Blum in 2000.

43 of the...

10. “The Purge: Anarchy” (2014)

Domestic gross: $71,562,550

Worldwide gross: $111,534,881

Budget: $9,000,000

9. “The Purge: Election Year” (2016)

Domestic gross: $79,042,440

Worldwide gross: $118,514,727

Budget: $10,000,000

8. “Insidious Chapter 2” (2013)

Domestic gross: $83,586,447

Worldwide gross: $161,921,515

Budget: $5,000,000

7. “Paranormal Activity 2” (2010)

Domestic gross: $84,752,907

Worldwide gross: $177,512,032

Budget: $3,000,000

6. “Paranormal Activity 3” (2011)

Domestic gross: $104,028,807

Worldwide gross: $207,039,844

Budget: $5,000,000

5. “Paranormal Activity” (2009)

Domestic gross: $107,918,810

Worldwide gross: $194,183,034

Budget: $450,000

4. Glass (2019)

Domestic gross: $111,048,468

Worldwide gross: $245,316,968

Budget: $20,000,000

3. “Split” (2017)

Domestic gross: $138,141,585

Worldwide gross: $278,964,806

Budget: $5,000,000

2.”Halloween” (2018)

Domestic gross: $159,347,015

Worldwide gross: $255,490,189

Budget: $10,000,000

1. “Get Out” (2017)

Domestic gross: $176,040,665

Worldwide gross: $225,408,115

Budget: $5,000

Read original story 10 Highest-Grossing Blumhouse Films, From ‘Get Out’ to ‘Paranormal Activity’ (Photos) At TheWrap...

With Halloween steadily creeping up on us, you may be on the hunt for some great horror movies to enjoy for the duration of the month. Over the last few weeks, our “From Streams to Screams” series has offered up hundreds of streaming suggestions—everything from vampires and werewolves to the supernatural to anthological horror to even films that will leave you saying, “Wtf?” once they're over.

So for today’s “From Streams to Screams,” this writer thought it was the perfect time to celebrate all of the great horror movies that have come out over the last 20 years, proving that while they may not make them like they used to, there are still plenty of filmmakers creating great genre fare that are well worth your time.

Check out this rundown of 66 different contemporary horror classics, and I hope you find some new favorite movies amongst these most excellent titles.

Back in 2007, Oren Peli revolutionized the horror genre with Paranormal Activity, and last year, he teamed up with Imprezario Entertainment to bring of the most eerie urban legends to life in the new augmented reality mobile game Night Terrors: Bloody Mary. Now, Peli and Imprezario Entertainment invite horror fans to turn their home into their own haunted house with the next chapter of Night Terrors, Bloody Mary: Reflections of Evil, which is now conjuring screen-centric scares on iOS and Android.

Below, we have the official press release, artwork, and trailers for Bloody Mary: Reflections of Evil, and to learn more, visit the mobile app's official pages on the App Store and Google Play.

"Halloween comes early this fall with the resurrection of one of the most notorious urban legends - Bloody Mary!

Horror film director Oren Peli and Imprezario Entertainment join forces to turn your environment into an immersive and...

Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton will start in a currently untitled body-swap thriller from Christopher Landon, director of the “Happy Death Day” films, Blumhouse announced on Thursday. Landon will write and direct the film.

Newton will star as a high school student who suddenly switches bodies with a deranged serial killer, played by Vaughn. She will have less than 24 hours to find a way to reverse the switch before it becomes permanent.

The project continues a longtime relationship between Landon and Blumhouse going back to “Paranormal Activity 2” in 2010, which Landon co-wrote. Lando wrote three more films in the “Paranormal Activity” series before going on to direct “Happy Death Day” in 2017 and its 2019 sequel, “Happy Death Day 2U.”

Michael Kennedy is co-writing the upcoming film with Landon, with Jason Blum producing.

Landon, Vaughn and Newton are all represented by Wme.

Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton are in talks to star in Blumhouse’s untitled body-swapping thriller with “Happy Death Day’s” Chris Landon directing.

The film follows a teenager (Newton) who, after swapping bodies with a deranged serial killer (Vaughn), discovers she has less than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent.

Landon co-wrote the script with Michael Kennedy. Jason Blum will produce the pic.

Landon, a longtime Blumhouse collaborator, directed the two “Happy Death Day” movies; “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones,” which he also wrote; and he wrote “Paranormal Activity 3” and the screenplays for “Paranormal Activity 2” and “Paranormal Activity 4.”

After years in comedy films, Vaughn has been taking on more roles in adult dramas and thrillers, most recently appearing in the cop drama “Dragged Across Concrete” opposite Mel Gibson. He also has the drama “Sebert” bowing at Toronto next month, and was recently seen in the coming-of-age tale “Fighting With My Family.

Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that several original shows will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in April, including the fifth season of the crime drama “Bosch,” the sophomore season of the comedy “The Tick” and the first edition of the children’s animated show “Bug Diaries.”

Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first appearances on Amazon Prime Video in April including the Oscar-nominated horror film “A Quiet Place,” a slew of films in the Bond franchise and all three entries in the “Blade” trilogy.

Below is the full schedule of everything that is coming to Amazon Prime Video in April 2019. Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies leaving the service in any given month. We’ve done some digging and unearthed a few titles that will be exiting Amazon Prime Video in the first week of April.

See Netflix schedule: Here...

Exclusive, 2nd Update 9:05Pm: Jordan Peele’s Us is now looking forward to a $6M+ Thursday night. That beats the preview nights of The Nun ($5.4M), A Quiet Place ($4.3M), and it’s just under the midnight previews of Paranormal Activity 2 ($6.3M, 31% of its $20.1M Friday for a $40.6M three-day).

1st update, Thursday 7:39Pm: Our box office intel says that Jordan Peele’s Us from Universal/Monkeypaw Productions is on track for a $4M-plus Thursday night, possibly even $5M off showtimes that began at 7Pm.

These numbers could always fluctuate, and even if Us drops below $4M, it’s still a great result, easily putting away the $1.8M Thursday night preview for Peele’s Oscar-winning feature directorial debut Get Out back in February 2017.

Does Us make all of its cash upfront will be the question everyone will be asking until Saturday night. It’s a different type...

Amazon Prime Video has released its roster of new content coming to it April, and the list includes a new Prime Original along with new seasons of “Bosch,” “The Tick,” and “Diablo Guardián.”

The first season of “Bug Diaries,” a Prime Original animated series for preschoolers, follows Spider, Fly and Worm on their daily adventures recorded in their bug diaries. From riding on a dog’s back to dodging raindrops, the three bug buddies will appear on the streamer starting April 12.

Season 5 of “Bosch” picks up 15 months after Det. Harry Bosch caught his mother’s killer. Per the streamer’s description, new evidence in an old case leaves everyone wondering whether Bosch planted evidence to convict the wrong guy. And a murder at a Hollywood pharmacy exposes a sophisticated opioid pill mill, sending Bosch down a dark and perilous path in pursuit of the killers. It drops April 19.

Also Read:...

Hulu’s list of comings and goings for the month of April is out, and the roster for new content on the streaming service includes two Hulu Originals — the first season premiere of “Ramy,” and the seventh episode of “Into The Dark: I’m Just F*cking With You,” with other highlights including Season 3 of Freeform’s “The Bold Type” and John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place.”

“Ramy,” debuting April 19, tells the story of first generation Egyptian-American Ramy Hassan as he finds himself in his New Jersey neighborhood, stuck at a crossroads between the morals of his Muslim community and the moral ambiguity of his millennial generation. “Into The Dark: I’m Just F*cking With You,” coming April 1, finds two siblings in a secluded motel, where they become subject to practical jokes of an increasingly frightening nature.

Also Read: Oscar-Winning Documentary 'Free Solo' Now Available for Streaming on Hulu...

As horror fans (might or might not) know, you can’t welcome the dawning of a new year without another direct-to-vod Amityville horror story. Did you see the one about an Amityville dollhouse? Amityville theater? Amityville mantle clock. Hungry franchise filmmakers have long woven their individual threads into Long Island’s haunted history, but Daniel Farrands’ The Amityville Murders eyes a return to “factuality.” Based on the true story of Ronnie DeFeo, this is the crime that started it all.

Thank Paimon. An Amityville movie that’s finally based on actual events. Too bad it’s exhaustingly inferior to most canon or non-canon Amityville flicks – a sheepish drag that steals from Paranormal Activity around every ominous corner.

Farrands transports viewers to the three-week period where Ronald “Butch” DeFeo Jr. (John Robinson) becomes possessed by voices (according to testimonial), walls himself from reality, and eventually murders his family on November 13th,...