Unlike 2011, when Paramount faced no direct competition, there's already a horror movie set for Halloween -- Dimension Films' Halloween 3D, which is scheduled to open Oct. 26. Still, the Paranormal franchise has held up fine against competition. In both 2009 and 2010, there were Saw installments in theaters when Paranormal and Paranormal 2 were released.


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The Paranormal franchise has been a sizable success for the studio and producers Jason Blum, Oren Peli and Steven Schneider (who shifted to a producer role on Paranormal 3 after executive producing the first two films). Released Oct. 21, Paranormal 3 opened to a massive $54 million in the U.S. (the top horror launch ever) and grossed $202.2 million worldwide -- besting the first two films, an unusual feat for a franchise's third outing. The projects are made on shoestring budgets; Paranormal 3 cost $5 million to produce.

The first Paranormal, which cost $15,000 to produce and opened in a limited run in September 2009, went on to gross $193.4 million worldwide. Paranormal 2 cost $3 million to produce and grossed $177.5 million worldwide.

Little is known about the fourth installment in the franchise -- no writer or director has been named. Peli was coy when asked about the project in an interview with THR in December. "We are never going to make a sequel ... just for the sake of making a sequel," Peli said, though he added: "It's safe to say there are discussions."