Every ‘Paranormal Activity’ Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

From a microbudget sensation to a sprawling mythology told through found footage, the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise has shifted from suburban bedrooms to covens, cults, and even an Amish enclave. Below is a straight countdown from the weakest entry up to the standout, ordered by widely reported audience scores. Each blurb focuses on concrete details—who made it, what it covers in the timeline, and how it fits the larger saga—so you can trace the series’ lore without spoilers or guesswork.

‘Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension’ (2015)

This entry introduces a “special” camera that can visualize the unseen, tying new footage to earlier tapes of young Katie and Kristi while pushing the mythology toward a concluding chapter. Gregory Plotkin directed, with Paramount releasing the film in 3D formats as part of a shortened theatrical–digital window experiment. It follows the Fleege family as they uncover recordings linked to the franchise’s demon, Tobi, while cross-cutting to events glimpsed in prior installments. The production was handled by Blumhouse, with Paramount distributing worldwide.

‘Paranormal Activity 4’ (2012)

Set after the disappearance of key characters from earlier films, this sequel shifts the focus to Alex Nelson’s family in suburban Nevada as they start documenting disturbances connected to a neighbor boy. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman directed, continuing the series’ home-camera aesthetic while weaving in consumer tech like the Xbox Kinect for visual effects gags. Paramount released the film broadly in theaters and IMAX, and it teases the subsequent spin-off during its end credits. Box-office tracking showed a strong, but franchise-lower, opening compared with its immediate predecessors.

‘Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones’ (2014)

Positioned as a side-story that connects back to the main narrative, this spin-off follows Jesse in Oxnard as strange markings and occult artifacts tie his fate to the established demon lore. Christopher Landon wrote and directed, with recurring elements—like VHS tapes and coven mythology—bridging the plot to prior events. The film expands the setting and characters while preserving the handheld, diegetic-camera style. Paramount distributed worldwide under the Blumhouse banner.

‘Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin’ (2021)

Framed as a documentary shoot, this chapter moves to a secluded religious community where Margot searches for answers about her mother and uncovers a new angle on the franchise’s demonic presence. William Eubank directed and Christopher Landon wrote, with Paramount+ handling release as a streaming original in the U.S. It mixes the series’ found-footage DNA with more conventional cinematography during key sequences. Production was by Paramount Players and Blumhouse, with principal photography completed shortly before release.

‘Paranormal Activity 2’ (2010)

Functioning largely as a parallel prequel to the original, this installment centers on Kristi and Daniel Rey’s household and the events surrounding their infant son, Hunter. Directed by Tod Williams from a screenplay by Michael R. Perry, Christopher Landon, and Tom Pabst, it uses home-security cameras to broaden the franchise’s surveillance motif. The story threads directly into the first movie’s timeline, clarifying the demon’s connection to the sisters’ family history. Paramount released it widely under the Blumhouse banner.

‘Paranormal Activity 3’ (2011)

Serving as a prequel focused on Katie and Kristi as children, this chapter shows the sisters’ first contact with Tobi and the coven linked to their family. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman directed, employing inventive in-world camera rigs—like a panning fan mount—to stage set-pieces inside the family home. It became the franchise’s highest-grossing entry worldwide and set several opening records for a horror release at the time. The film was produced by Blumhouse and distributed by Paramount.

‘Paranormal Activity’ (2007)

Oren Peli’s original film established the template: fixed and handheld cameras documenting a couple’s escalating nighttime disturbances inside their home. Shot for a famously tiny production budget and acquired by Paramount, it rolled out via targeted screenings before expanding into a wide release. The movie’s diegetic-camera approach and minimalist effects became the blueprint for the series’ visual language. Blumhouse produced, with the film ultimately grossing far beyond its cost.

Tell us your own order—drop your picks for the scariest entries in the comments!