As Paramount Pictures broadens Paranormal Activity from underground midnight screenings to round-the-clock showings in 40 cities this weekend, writer-director Oren Peli has already scared up a start date and the financing for his follow-up. He starts production next week on Area 51, which will employ the "found footage" narrative structure of his last film and tell the story of three teens whose curiosity leads them to the notorious "Area 51" part of Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert.
"Paranormal Activity" cost just $11,000; this time Peli will be working with a relatively whopping $5 million budget, with financing locked through Aramid Entertainment Fund and Incentive Filmed Entertainment. IM Global will handle worldwide sales, while CAA will shoot for a domestic deal.
Returning as producer is Jason Blum, who produced "Paranormal Activity" through his Blumhouse Prods. banner. Room 101's Steven Schneider and IM Global topper Stuart Ford are executive producers.
"I'd rather not say anything about 'Area 51' except that I am very pleased to be working with the same team who stood by me for the two or three years it took 'Paranormal Activity' to get into theaters," Peli said.
David Molner, chairman of Incentive and Aramid Capital Partners, said the early returns on "Paranormal Activity" reminded him of the word of mouth momentum built years ago by "The Blair Witch Project."
"Everyone looks for a franchise, and we really think Incentive has found its first one in this new property from Oren and Jason," Molner told Daily Variety. "These are two first-class talents."
I wonder if I'm the only one who's actually a fan of the mockumentary style films. Everyone else just seems to tolerate it while I actually wish there were more films with this style.
I wonder how long it'll take for there to be a dvd release of Paranormal Activity...do we demand for that too? lol, hopefully Area 51 would be better than Signs, though signs wasn't a mockumentary, but you know what I mean...swing away, Peli, swing away.
Damn I thought it was based on the video game. Also I know some people that saw PA and said it was awful not scary and it was pretty much a comedy movie will all the people laughing.
I was under the impression this was the area 51 based on the video game, but I guess not. Not to excited about the plot really. I mean, it might be good, but the "3 teens who somehow manage to find their way in to a top secret airbase" sounds pretty stupid to me.
this is one movie where the hype is deserved. if people went into movies open minded and allow themselves to be scared as opposed to walking into movies like a hard-ass not allowing to be scared more people would enjoy the ride of being scared.nobody is saying this movie will have you in the corner, holding your legs toegether, rocking back and forth in a trance due to how scary it was. this movie will creep you out about as much as a movie can to an adult, which to me is such a priceless effect a movie can have. i haven't been this creeped out/scared by a movie since i saw the exorcist when i was 6. it's a ride people! enjoy it and stop being hard-asses and trying to show off how unscarable you are...not directed at any of you. just a general comment on the negativity this movie has been receiving.
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"Paranormal Activity" cost just $11,000; this time Peli will be working with a relatively whopping $5 million budget, with financing locked through Aramid Entertainment Fund and Incentive Filmed Entertainment. IM Global will handle worldwide sales, while CAA will shoot for a domestic deal.
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