8 Film Franchises That Became Victims Of Their Own Popularity
5. Paranormal Activity Stuck To The Exact Same Formula For Seven Films
When it comes to sequels, there are many examples of film-makers deciding to stick squarely with what works. For almost nine years now, the Paranormal Activity franchise has been playing up to the 2007 movie's fans. It's understandable Paranormal Activity is ridiculously successful, literally the most profitable film ever made.
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Yet its popularity has starved the franchise of innovation across five subsequent entries. What did fans love? The stationary cameras at night! Banging doors! Doors creaking open! Prolonged periods of silence and then LOUD NOISES. The whole thing is a shame, too, because the first film was genuinely unsettling, and introduced a strong cast of characters. The most the franchise has done is play around with the chronology of events, and create a fairly elaborate (yet extremely repetitive) singular narrative. These days, it's so infatuated with jump scares that they're actually part of the marketing strategy, with "audience reaction" trailers and TV spots becoming wildly popular. What many fans hoped would continue to push the boundaries of modern horror stagnated almost immediately.