10 Horror Movie Franchises That Wasted Their Perfect Ending

The Paranormal Activity franchise is a major cash cow for the likes of producer Oren Peli, Blumhouse and Paramount Pictures. Due to the lost cost of producing these films, the profit margins on each new PA release are massive. To highlight that, the eight movies in the series so far cumulatively cost less than $30 million, while bringing in a combined box office of nearly $900 - hence why a ninth movie is in development, despite the past three offerings each being promoted as the final entry in franchise.

Written and directed by Peli, the 2006 first PA outing saw Katie Featherstone possessed by a demonic entity. For Paranormal Activity 2, it's Katie's sister Kristi who finds herself similarly possessed by an ominous force (and eventually killed by Katie). By the time of the third entry, we went back to these siblings' childhood and discover how they were troubled by something sinister long before the events of the prior two films.

Sure, Paranormal Activity 3 did still leave viewers with questions, but not necessarily every question always needs a definitive answer.

Learning how Katie and Kristi were tormented as youngsters by a presence called "Tobi" and how this was part of a wider scheme involving a cult, that would've been enough for most horror hounds. Instead, we've had a further five convoluted, unneeded films that have tried to recapture the initial buzz of the early days of the franchise.