Oren Peli’s supernatural found-footage horror movie Paranormal Exercise spawned a franchise that included seven motion pictures, so the Paranormal Exercise timeline wants some explaining. The movies observe the historical past of two sisters named Katie and Kristi who’re affected by a demonic entity, “Toby.” Because the franchise expanded with sequels, prequels, and parallel installments, the precise timeline of occasions stays sophisticated. The franchise shares a primary premise: supernatural occurrences which might be caught “found-footage” — reminiscent of safety methods, webcams, and extra.

The 2021 installment Paranormal Exercise: Subsequent of Kin was a mushy reboot since it’s the first installment within the franchise to function a brand new demonic entity: Asmodeus, based mostly on the real-life Abrahamic dogma. The following title within the franchise, The Different Aspect, returned to Paranormal Exercise‘s core story, centering on “Toby” as soon as once more and persevering with the story from the place Paranormal Exercise: The Ghost Dimension left off. The installments aren’t launched chronologically, nevertheless, however as a substitute, soar between completely different years and a long time.

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September 1988: Paranormal Exercise 3

The prequel to the Paranormal Exercise franchise, Paranormal Exercise 3, dives deeper into the historical past of the demonic entity following the primary characters of Kristi and Katie. It’s set in September 1988, practically twenty years previous to the primary two movies. On the time, the 2 sisters reside with their mom, Julie, and her boyfriend, Dennis. Kristi begins to see an imaginary buddy named “Toby” (typically spelled “Tobi”) who is definitely the demon that can plague the household for years to come back.

Dennis discovers a logo that belonged to a coven of witches that brainwashes younger girls of child-bearing age into having sons and promising them to a darkish entity. This bit of data explains the disappearance of Kristi’s son in Paranormal Exercise 2. The ending of Paranormal Exercise 3 culminates within the household looking for refuge at Julie’s mom’s home — solely to search out that she is a member of a coven of witches and is answerable for all of the evil that the household skilled in September 1988.

Paranormal Exercise 2 — August 2006

So, when does Paranormal Exercise 2 happen? Initially, it seems to be a sequel to the unique — till the twist ending reveals it takes place just a few months earlier than the occasions of the primary, finally merging collectively (which can also be why the timeline generally is a little complicated). Conversations about Katie and Micah’s experiences with a supernatural presence occur all through the second movie. Moreover, when Katie disappears on the finish of Paranormal Exercise — being managed by the demon entity Toby — the sequel reveals that she went to her sister Kristi’s home to take her son, Hunter.

Prior to those occasions, Kristi and her household are launched shortly after she delivers Hunter, their firstborn son. Shortly after his start, paranormal occurrences start to plague their dwelling to the purpose the place members of the family are bodily attacked. In the end, Katie takes Hunter, and she or he murders the vast majority of the household whereas seemingly possessed.

Paranormal Exercise — October 2006

The primary installment within the Paranormal Exercise franchise is ready in October 2006. It follows Katie and Micah, a younger couple who’ve lately moved into a brand new dwelling collectively. Because the movie progresses, the supernatural occurrences across the dwelling develop more and more stronger to the purpose the place Katie turns into possessed. The unique Paranormal Exercise ends together with her throwing Micah into the digicam and supposedly disappearing. Whereas there are different various endings, they aren’t canonical to the franchise. Subsequently, this timeline follows the unique theatrical ending of Micah dying and Katie disappearing.

Paranormal Exercise 4 — November 2011

The fourth installment within the Paranormal Exercise franchise appears to be a bit misplaced and considerably unimportant to the storyline, being set in November 2011. Besides, it reveals that Katie has moved to the suburbs and lives throughout the road from the Nelson household, who’s now suffering from the spirit named “Toby” that solely the youngest member, Wyatt, can see. Katie has, ultimately, acquired a toddler to pose as her son named Robbie who turns into pals with Wyatt.

It’s revealed within the fourth Paranormal Exercise film that Wyatt and Robbie have been each adopted and that Wyatt’s actual identify is definitely Hunter. In some unspecified time in the future between the second movie and now, Katie misplaced Hunter and is now making an attempt to get him again so as to sacrifice him to the demons she and her coven worship. Earlier than the viewers finds out what occurs to the Nelson household, Hunter/Wyatt, and Katie, the display cuts to black. Paranormal Exercise 4 nonetheless leaves holes within the timeline of the franchise that could possibly be resolved within the upcoming installment.

Paranormal Exercise: The Marked Ones — June 2012

Departing from the premise of the primary 4 motion pictures within the Paranormal Exercise collection, Paranormal Exercise: The Marked Ones follows a Latino neighborhood in California coping with the aftermath of eighteen-year-old Jesse Arista receiving the mark of a demonic cult. The film is ready after the occasions of the earlier motion pictures; Jesse discovers a witch’s altar in his dwelling and sees the apparitions of a younger Kristi and Katie.

Nonetheless, The Marked Ones introduces a brand new idea within the franchise: time journey. When a possessed Jesse forces his buddy Hector Estrella by a marked door, the latter finds himself within the setting of the primary movie, Katie and Micah’s dwelling. Hector takes on a task within the unique Paranormal Exercise ending. Thus, the fifth installment loops again to the primary, whereas additionally including the bigger risk of the Midwives.

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Paranormal Exercise: The Ghost Dimension — 2013

What was regarded as the finale within the Paranormal Exercise franchise, The Ghost Dimension, was launched in 2015 however is ready in 2013. It follows the Fleeges household who’ve relocated to a brand new dwelling in California. Shortly after transferring in, they uncover videotapes of Katie and Kristi being initiated into the coven of witches known as Midwives twenty-five years prior. The household discovers that the house they’re dwelling in was constructed on prime of Kristi and Katie’s dwelling that burned down in 1992; grownup Katie bought them the brand new home that was constructed on the land. Like in The Marked Ones, there may be time journey in Paranormal Exercise: The Ghost Dimension, with the climax transporting characters again in time to a pivotal second for Kristi, Katie, and Toby.

Paranormal Exercise: Subsequent Of Kin — March 2021

Leaping forward to March 2021, Paranormal Exercise: Subsequent of Kin was the following film within the Paranormal Exercise timeline. There isn’t any time journey on this entry — simply the tradition conflict of Margot, Chris, and Dale staying with an Amish neighborhood whereas Margot investigates her roots. The film incorporates a new antagonist, Asmodeus, who could possibly be linked to Toby and the Midwives; nevertheless, at this level, it seems Subsequent of Kin is a parallel story of possession within the Paranormal Exercise franchise.

Paranormal Exercise’s timeline is a protracted and complicated one with many twists and turns that remodel it from a linear development to a time-traveling, portal-jumping, interdimensional journey by the paranormal. Whereas the franchise has launched numerous alternate endings, with the introduction of extra installments, they grow to be defunct and non-canonical. Whereas Paranormal Exercise has used its sequels, prequels, and parallel movies to fill holes within the timeline, a few of these holes nonetheless exist. With an eighth installment arriving in 2023, Paranormal Exercise: The Different Aspect may both complicate the timeline much more or give a sound decision to all the franchise.

The place Does Paranormal Exercise: Tokyo Evening Match In The Timeline?

The 2010 spin-off Paranormal Exercise: Tokyo Evening did not obtain a world launch till 2022, though many hardcore Paranormal Exercise followers managed to search out methods to view it. Even when they hadn’t, information of its existence is frequent within the fandom – this is the place it suits within the timeline. Regardless of solely releasing in Japan, Tokyo Evening is the official Paranormal Exercise 2 in that territory and is taken into account canon. AMC included it within the bundle with the English Paranormal Exercise titles for streaming platforms, which proves the studio considers formally a part of the franchise.

Nonetheless, it’s also nonetheless a spin-off and takes place outdoors the continuity of the primary motion pictures. It is thematically linked in that it is a discovered footage Paranormal Exercise film and happens throughout the similar universe. It doesn’t, nevertheless, function the demon Toby or any of the occasions or characters from the opposite Paranormal Exercise motion pictures.

Paranormal Exercise: Tokyo Evening is ready in 2010, simply after the occasions of the primary Paranormal Exercise. It needs to be watched between Paranormal Exercise and Paranormal Exercise 4. Whereas it does not add to the primary narrative of the franchise, it does not detract from something both. When included chronologically within the Paranormal Exercise viewing order, it does a unbelievable job of fleshing out the broader supernatural universe that motion pictures like The Ghost Dimension and The Marked Ones exist in, including a brand new layer of immersion.

What’s The Future Of The Paranormal Exercise Franchise?

For individuals who love Paranormal Exercise, there is likely to be some unhealthy information. The Paranormal Exercise timeline is likely to be coming to an finish. It looks like the evil from the demonic Tobi would possibly lastly have ended with Paranormal Exercise: Subsequent of Kin. This comes straight from Jason Blum, who desires the Paranormal Exercise collection to finish with this film. Blum is the mastermind behind Blumhouse and all the Paranormal Exercise franchise. If he desires it to finish, there’s a good likelihood that the tip of the street has lastly arrived. On prime of that, Paranormal Exercise director, author, and producer, Christopher Landon will not be concerned.

“I had no intention of even actually being concerned as a result of I used to be like, oh, I’m completed with that franchise, I actually don’t wish to do it. After which I had this weirdo thought a couple of pretend Amish neighborhood and we ended up making the film. I imply, it’s a franchise. They’re all the time going to make one other one. I don’t see how they don’t, I simply don’t know what they’re planning, and I extremely doubt I’ll be concerned anymore.”

With Jason Blum now not concerned with making any extra Paranormal Exercise motion pictures, would the studio hold milking the franchise with a brand new inventive crew? The unique film was an enormous monetary success, however the sequels and prequels have handled the regulation of ending returns. Regardless of that, Paranormal Exercise: The Different Aspect nonetheless made $90.9 million on a $5 million finances, a superb purpose to proceed on. Nonetheless, with out Landon and Blum, it’d find yourself coming as a reboot, which implies the Paranormal Exercise timeline would possibly reset, and one other new demon would possibly seem if the films proceed.