Undertone director Ian Tuason tapped to direct new Paranormal Activity movie, slated for May 2027 release

Ian Tuason's buzzy A24 movie Undertone is slated to play Sundance this month after it premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival last summer. Now, Tuason has another major project on the horizon. He's set to direct the next installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise.

The latest Paranormal Activity will come from Paramount and Blumhouse. James Wan is set to produce the film, along with Jason Blum and the franchise's original director Oren Peli. This marks the eighth movie in the long-running franchise. The film currently has a tentative release date of May 21, 2027.

The original Paranormal Activity had its theatrical release in September 2009, following its rounds on the film festival circuit. The movie was made on a shoestring budget and currently has a lifetime gross of $107 million. The first movie sparked a global sensation and was one of the most profitable films in cinematic history. Paranormal Activity 2 did nearly as well as the first movie, with a current lifetime gross of $104 million. The franchise saw dimensioning returns with each sequel, but it's been a while since a new Paranormal Activity movie released in theaters. Sometimes, a break is needed to reinvigorate a franchise.

Like The Blair Witch Project a decade earlier, Paranormal Activity popularized the found footage subgenre and also produced a lot of knockoffs. The first film, however, remains an effective and unsettling watch. It centers around a young couple, played by Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston. They're haunted by a supernatural presence inside of their home. They then set up a camera to document what's terrorizing them, and each night, the supernatural occurrences worsen, building towards a shock ending.

Nina Kiri as Evy in Undertone- Courtesy of A24

Meanwhile, after it plays Sundance, Undertone releases in theaters on March 13. The movie stars Nina Kiri as podcast host Evy. While caring for her dying mother, she's sent recordings of a pregnant woman's paranormal encounters. She then discovers that the woman's story parallels her. Each tape Evy hears pushes her closer to madness.

Tuason is a good fit to direct the next installment. As someone who saw Undertone at last year's Fantasia Film Fest, I can state that he crafted an eerie film that contains dual narratives and an especially effective use of sound design and analog recordings. I'm curious to see the direction he takes the Paranormal Activity franchise.

There's no word yet if Tuason will also pen the script for the next Paranormal Activity or only direct.