Release OrderRecommended
0 / 7 watchedThe order the films came out. The story jumps around in time, so release order keeps every reveal where it belongs.
- 1 Paranormal Activity San Diego, 2006. Katie and Micah film the nights. Festival premiere 2007; wide release 2009.
- 2 Paranormal Activity 2 Follows Katie's sister Kristi. Its ending runs into the first film's final night.
- 3 Paranormal Activity 3 Prequel set in 1988. Katie and Kristi as kids; the coven and Toby get their backstory.
- 4 Paranormal Activity 4 Five years later. Teen Alex films Katie and the boy next door, Hunter.
- 5 Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones Spinoff in Oxnard. Jesse is marked by the coven; the finale crosses into the first film's 2006 events.
- 6 Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension The Fleeges' special camera can see Toby. Closes the Katie and Hunter arc. Released in 3D.
- 7 Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin Near-standalone. Margot visits Amish relatives in New York state. Paramount+ debut. Latest released entry.
About Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity is a found-footage horror series about the demon Toby and the coven of witches serving it. The first six entries (2007 to 2015) follow sisters Katie and Kristi, their partners and their children across sequels, a 1988 prequel and a spinoff. Next of Kin (2021) steps sideways to an Amish community with only the demon connecting it back.
Watch in release order. The timeline loops and doubles back, especially in parts 2 and 3, and the spinoff lands harder once you know Katie and Micah. Paramount dated the eighth film for May 21, 2027, with Ian Tuason directing and James Wan producing for the first time.
Good to know
The original premiered at Screamfest in 2007 and reached wide release in 2009; this guide uses 2007. The Ghost Dimension was billed as the final chapter in 2015, but Next of Kin revived the series on Paramount+ in 2021.
Eighth-film status as of September 17, 2026: cast includes Chase Yi, Sonia Mena and Maya da Costa, and filming ran July 13 to August 26, 2026 in Toronto per trade reports. Paramount calls it a priority theatrical release rather than a streaming debut.
