Paranormal Activity movies in order
There are seven Paranormal Activity films. The first six share one story told out of order: the third film is a prequel set in 1988 and the second runs alongside the first, so release order is recommended because each film reveals its link to the others as it goes. The Marked Ones is a spin-off with a new cast and is optional; the Japanese film Tokyo Night is not part of the series. Next of Kin (2021) is a reboot with no connection to the earlier films and can be watched on its own.
Release order at a glance
The order, with notes
| # | Title | Year | Runtime | Type | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paranormal Activity | 2009 | 86 min | Main film | Start here. Set in 2006. Runtime unverified: the film page's infobox gave no value, so this is the franchise page's figure. |
| 2 | Paranormal Activity 2 | 2010 | 91 min | Main film | Begins in August 2006, two months before the first film, and ends after it. |
| 3 | Paranormal Activity 3 | 2011 | 84 min | Main film | Prequel set in 1988, showing Katie and Kristi as children. |
| 4 | Paranormal Activity 4 | 2012 | 88 min | Main film | Sequel to Paranormal Activity 2, set in November 2011, five years on. |
| 5 | Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones | 2014 | 84 min | Spin-off | Spin-off set in June 2012 with a new cast; its ending ties back to the first film. Optional. |
| 6 | Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension | 2015 | 88 min | Main film | Set in 2013, after Paranormal Activity 4; its story ties closely to Paranormal Activity 3. |
| 7 | Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin | 2021 | 98 min | Main film | Reboot with no link to the earlier films; released on Paramount+. Can be watched on its own. |
Runtimes are theatrical cuts. Source: Wikipedia film pages, checked 14 Oct 2026.
Where to start: Start with Paranormal Activity (2009). It is the film the others are built around, and the second, third and fourth films each fill in something it leaves open.
Chronological order
Hollow dots are spin-offs and series. Dates are story settings where the films state them, otherwise release years.
How many Paranormal Activity movies are there?
Coming soon
Change log
- 14 Oct 2026 — Page created and checked against Wikipedia.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranormal_Activity
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranormal_Activity_8
- Paranormal Activity on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity 2 on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity 3 on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity 4 on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension on Wikipedia
- Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin on Wikipedia