Movies
Summit Scores Scott Derrickson’s ‘Found Footage,’ First Story Details!
Summit Entertainment has won an auction for U.S. distribution rights to an untitled “found footage” thriller that Scott Derrickson (Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stiid Still) will direct, with Ethan Hawke starring. Jason Blum is producing with Brian Kavanaugh-Jones’ Automatik Entertainment and shooting starts in September, reports Deadline. The movie will cost under $5 million, but the success of the Blum-produced micro-budget horror pics Paranormal Activity and Insidious ramped up the bidding on the project.
From a script by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, “Hawke plays a journalist who travels with his family around the country to investigate gruesome murders he turns into books. After he moves his family into a house where another family was murdered, the journo discovers found footage that unveils horrifying clues beyond what caused the original tragedy.”
“Tell Me Lies” actor Sonia Mena is joining the recently announced Chase Yi on Paramount and Blumhouse’s new Paranormal Activity movie, Deadline reports this afternoon.
Ian Tuason (Undertone) will direct the eighth installment in the Paranormal Activity film franchise, set to release in theaters May 21, 2027.
Plot and character details remain tightly guarded at this stage, but the original Paranormal Activity, created by Oren Peli, first hit theaters in 2007. Its groundbreaking minimalist approach to found-footage ghost stories has spawned a seven-film franchise that’s grossed nearly $900 million worldwide.
It followed a couple terrorized by a strange presence shortly after moving into their suburban home.
While we wait for further news on plot or whether the demonic Toby will reappear, Tuason previously revealed to Bloody Disgusting that technology will play a huge role in his vision: “Technology — camera technology — has advanced to a point where it’s become a big part of the film and what I want to do there.”
That brings this project full circle for Tuason, as it was the original Paranormal Activity that inspired the filmmaker’s haunting debut, undertone.
Franchise originator Oren Peli will produce for Solana Films, with James Wan and Jason Blum producing for Blumhouse Atomic Monster. Michael Clear and Judson Scott will exec produce for Blumhouse Atomic, with Alayna Glasthal overseeing the project for the company. Other exec producers include Steven Schneider for Room 101, Inc., Dan Slater and Cody Calahan.
While we wait to learn more, a Paranormal Activity stage play arrives this summer.