Paranormal Activity Producer Would Love to See the Original Star Return for New Film

Last year saw the confirmation that a new Paranormal Activity film was being developed, with producer Jason Blum recently confirming that, while he's currently unclear about what the narrative will explore, he'd love to see original star Katie Featherston return to the series in some capacity. While Featherston had appearances in a majority of the films in the series, many of those roles were relegated to little more than cameos, serving the purpose of being connective tissue among the installments or merely appearing through the use of archival footage. Her last appearance was in 2014's Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones and the last film in the franchise was 2015's Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension.

"You're right, I couldn't tell you if I knew," Blum joked to a fan who asked if he could reveal Featherston's return, per Fandom. "We're gonna do the movie. We're developing the movie, but I don't know where exactly the story's going to land. We're talking about different things. A hundred percent, we're making a movie, we just haven't gotten that far with the development. But I'll tell you this. I would love to bring her back and she's a great actress and she's an old friend and I hope we get to bring her back."

The original film helped put Blumhouse on the map, as its minimal budget yielded major profits when it was released, ultimately resulting in the franchise earning new installments on an almost annual basis.

The debut film focused on a couple who felt they were experiencing otherworldly events, resulting in them purchasing a video camera in hopes of collecting compelling evidence. Not only did the pair witness strange occurrences, but felt them physically, as well, with the husband ultimately being killed by Katie, seemingly due to possession by a demonic spirit.

What largely made the original film work so well was its insular feel and minimal mythology, both of which began to expand with subsequent releases. While many audiences might be excited at the notion of Katie's return, it's also possible that other audiences would be frustrated to see a new entry into the series rely on established narratives to make for a compelling experience.

The new Paranormal Activity is currently slated to land in theaters on March 19, 2021. Due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down virtually all movie and TV productions, we won't be surprised if this release is ultimately delayed, though it's possible that the film's claustrophobic nature could allow it to be completed without a large crew.

Would you like to see Featherston return? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!