"Saw VI" Director Helms "Paranormal" Sequel

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

"Saw VI" director Kevin Greutert has signed on to direct the sequel to Oren Peli's surprise low-budget hit "Paranormal Activity" at Paramount Pictures, says Heat Vision.

According to Heat Vision: “Paramount has hired director Kevin Greutert to create the sequel to 2009’s biggest surprise hit, “Paranormal Activity,” which scared up $151 million in worldwide grosses in the fall on a shoestring $15,000 budget and a shrewd, opt-in Web marketing campaign.”

The film's story line and title are being kept secret, with the script being written by Michael R. Perry. Paramount will release it in theaters on the pre-Halloween weekend of October 22. The release sets it against that date’s box-office winner in previous years, the next installment in the “Saw” series.

Jason Blum and Oren Peli, who masterminded the first “Activity,” are producing the film. Said Peli on the new team of filmmakers: “These guys get it, and the fans won’t be disappointed.”

Last month, Paramount Film Group president Adam Goodman launched an initiative to spend $1 million a year to make 10-20 similarly micro-budgeted films each costing less than $100,000. The studio also is releasing Peli’s follow-up, “Area 51,” which is now in post-production.

I guess I’ll take Peli’s word for it that the new guys know what they are doing, but the director of “Saw IV”? Those films have just gotten significantly worse over the years in quality, so hopefully the next “Paranormal” won’t suffer. Either way, with all the money and attention that the first film has received, the sequel is sure to be a hit.

The sequel to “Paranormal Activity” will be released October 22, 2010.