Writer-director Christopher Landon is no stranger to the horror genre. As his new film “Freaky” arrives in theaters today, audiences best know Landon for his other recent comedic horror films. He was behind the camera for “Happy Death Day,” and its sequel “Happy Death Day 2U,” which he also wrote. While there may yet be another installment in the “Happy Death Day” series to complete the trilogy, Landon also plays a massive role in another successful series produced by Blumhouse: the “Paranormal Activity” films. And with a reboot around the corner, Landon is teasing a mystery director that will surprise fans.
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Landon wrote or co-wrote each of the first four sequels to the original “Paranormal Activity” film from 2007 and directed the fifth installment in the series, “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones,” in 2014. Now Landon is on the cusp of a reunion with the franchise that put Blumhouse on the Hollywood map. In a recent interview with Dread Central about “Freaky,” Landon hints that, among other upcoming projects, he also has a hand in where “Paranormal Activity” heads next.
“I’m writing the [next] movie; we’re rebooting that franchise,” Landon said. “I’m super excited about the director, but I can’t say who it is because they won’t let me. He’s a get. He’s awesome! I think people are going to be really surprised by where we’re taking this thing.”
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Fans of the “Paranormal Activity” films will be thrilled about a fresh start to the series since its last installment in 2015. The new film’s mystery director is even more enticing. With the Blumhouse connection, any number of visionary directors that have worked with the studio could be the answer. Leigh Whannel is a possibility, as his latest rendition of “The Invisible Man” was a massive success for the production company earlier this year, and 2018’s “Upgrade” has become something of a cult film. But he seems to be pretty busy with a variety of other projects.
M. Night Shyamalan is another option. Blumhouse has helped the once massively popular director have a recent career resurgence with “Glass,” “Split,” and “The Visit.” But again, he’s pretty busy with his new Universal deal. The studio could also opt to work with an upstart male horror director yet to work with Blumhouse, and the speculation there is endless.
Whoever the mystery director ends up being, “Paranormal Activity” fans can rest assured that a series veteran like Landon helms the reboot script. Will he veer the franchise in a comedic direction like his other recent films? It’s certainly possible, as “Freaky” is a continuation of Landon’s blend of horror and comedy, this time a slasher with a “Freaky Friday” twist. Kathryn Newton stars as a teenage girl who swaps bodies with Vince Vaughn’s serial killer The Blissfield Butcher and is in a race against the clock to switch their bodies back before it’s too late.
“Freaky” releases in theaters on November 13 and will be available on video on demand on November 30.