Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity, was a testament to just how well horror can do with very little and has endured as one of the scariest found footage franchises to date. However, Peli’s preferred alternate ending was much darker – so much darker that Steven Spielberg pressed to change it late in the production process. Paranormal Activity has become the benchmark for the found footage sub-genre, with the ending becoming somewhat iconic in its own right. This is a considerable achievement too, since Oren Peli had no experience as a director before this project – he bought all his equipment himself, the film was mostly improvised by the actors, who were paid very little for the project, and yet it became a profound success.

It’s hard to imagine a different version of Paranormal Activity given this success, but the 2007 movie almost wrapped up on a considerably different note. The Paranormal Activity ending was highly discussed after its initial release because of the shocking conclusion of the theatrical cut, but Peli originally had other ideas as to how he wanted his film to conclude. The original Paranormal Activity ending would have made for a much darker outcome, and wasn’t the only proposed alternate ending, but ultimately, Spielberg’s choice was the one that made it to screens.

Paranormal Activity’s Original Ending Explained

Katie Would Have Had A Bad Time

Paranormal Activity had several alternate endings, but one in particular stood out as Peli’s personal favorite, and was the most difficult for him to part ways with. In that ending, Katie (Katie Featherston) returned to the bedroom with a knife in her hand and was seen walking back and forth after her violent outburst in the kitchen. This would have gone on for two days straight. Later, Katie got a call from her friend who was concerned about her and Micah (who was ᴅᴇᴀᴅ).

In the original Paranormal Activity ending, once Amber arrived at the house looking for Katie, she was scared away by the demon who was possessing Katie and chased away. Police showed up later and found Micah’s body and Katie in a catatonic state. Their appearance caused Katie to break out of her trance and engage in an intense conversation with police, knife still in hand. A door slamming shut added to Katie’s erratic behavior, prompted police to take immediate action and fatally shoot her before proceeding to investigate the house.

The police found the camera still running, and this is where the original Paranormal Activity ending cuts to the credits. While this would – presumably – keep Katie from returning in the franchise, it would add definitive closure to the movie, and perhaps that was what the issue was in general. Horror franchises like these tend to rely heavily on a cliffhanger or open ending to set the pace for sequels in the future. Paranormal Activity could have continued without this, but would have had to close the door on Micah and Katie’s story – likely for good.

Steven Spielberg Wanted A Different Ending For Paranormal Activity

The Legend And The Studio Had A Different View On How To End The Iconic 2007 Horror

After Paranormal Activity was picked up by Paramount Pictures, Steven Spielberg decided that he didn’t like Peli’s original ending and offered up a different ending instead. Peli was given an additional $4,000 from the studio to shoot the new ending and make additional changes, as other scenes were changed and scrapped as well, per Paramount’s request.

Peli has stated in various interviews that he still stands by his original ending, and prefers it to the studio version, but has warmed up to the chosen ending over time. According to Peli, the original ending to Paranormal Activity wasn’t as widely appreciated by audiences, and the studio’s decision primarily came out of a concern that they needed to find an ending that would be more “universally loved“.

There Are Actually Three Endings To Paranormal Activity

The Alternate Cut Ends On The Darkest Note Of All

Most horror films barely manage to include one memorable ending, but Paranormal Activity managed to have three, as the original ending isn’t the only different version of the conclusion. While the theatrical ending approved by Steven Spielberg is the version most audiences saw, it wasn’t the only one. Nor was the original cut the only different ending to Paranormal Activity – there’s also a lesser-known alternate ending that’s arguably the most disturbing of all.

Then there’s the third ending of Paranormal Activity is the alternate finale included in the home media releases. In this version of the ending of Paranormal Activity, Katie returns to the bedroom after the murder, sits on the floor, and silently slits her own throat. There’s no demonic growling, no cops, no exposition – just a stark, brutal final image.

Each ending offers a drastically different tone. The original leans into realism and despair. The theatrical embraces horror, spectacle, and sequel potential. The alternate ending on the Paranormal Activity Blu-ray and DVD versions, however, is pure nihilism – a brutal punctuation mark that leaves little room for hope or continuation.

Which Paranormal Activity Ending Is The Best?

There’s An Incredible Amount Of Variety

When a horror film has three distinct endings, the inevitable question arises: which one actually delivers the strongest conclusion? With Paranormal Activity, each ending serves a different narrative purpose and emotional tone – some lean into dread, others into shock, and one into pure despair. Let’s break them down.

The version most audiences remember is the theatrical ending, where Katie disappears after a scream is heard off-screen. She then hurls Micah’s body at the camera with supernatural force and lunges at the viewer in a possessed frenzy. The screen cuts to black. There’s a key aspect of the theatrical ending of Paranormal Activity that stands out – it’s undeniably effective as a jump-scare finale.

It’s quick, shocking, and leaves the viewer rattled. It also firmly positions Paranormal Activity as a franchise-ready property, with Katie’s fate left deliberately open-ended. It’s cinematic in a way that’s designed for multiplexes, and it’s hard to argue with its impact – it left audiences screaming and catapulted the film to box office legend. However, the realism that made most of the film so chilling is sacrificed in favor of spectacle. The demonic face, the sudden lunge – these are classic horror tropes that clash slightly with the film’s low-fi found-footage DNA.

In the original Paranormal Activity ending, there are no jump scares, no demon theatrics – just a horrifyingly quiet conclusion. It’s a slow-burn conclusion that amplifies the feeling of dread and inevitability. This version feels the most grounded and believable, staying true to the film’s documentary-style presentation. It’s the kind of ending that sits with you long after the credits would roll, but it also arguably lacks the punchy finale that many horror fans crave.

Then there’s the darkest version, the alternate Paranormal Activity ending found on home media releases. It’s brief, it’s brutal, and it ends the film on a note of total nihilism. The alternate cut is arguably the most unsettling version. There’s something deeply horrifying about the simplicity and finality of this ending. It offers no explanation, no closure – just raw, disturbing violence. It’s a hard stop to the story and removes any sense of catharsis.

If the goal is maximum impact, the theatrical ending delivers. It’s the most accessible and the most traditionally “horror,” and it played a key role in launching Paranormal Activity into franchise territory. It’s not hard to see why it was chosen for the wide release. However, the original ending is arguably stronger from a storytelling standpoint. It aligns with the film’s tone and adds a layer of emotional weight, portraying Katie not as a villain, but as a victim of forces beyond her control.

The alternate throat-slash ending, meanwhile, is the most daring. It offers a raw final image that some horror fans consider the most memorable of the three – but it’s also the least narratively satisfying. In the end, the “best” ending depends on what you want out of Paranormal Activity. Scares? Go theatrical. Realism? Choose the original. Absolute dread? The alternate is waiting.

Paranormal Activity Sequels Have Alternate Endings Too

The Franchise Continued To Dabble In Different Conclusions

The first Paranormal Activity isn’t the only entry in the series that toyed with multiple endings. As the franchise grew in scope and ambition, the sequels also began experimenting with different conclusions – some darker, some more ambiguous, and some that never made it past the test screening stage.

The second installment, the prequel Paranormal Activity 2, also received alternate treatments. In the theatrical cut, possessed Katie enters her sister Kristi’s home, kills her, and kidnaps baby Hunter. However, alternate versions show more extended footage of Katie’s possession and make Kristi’s death even more disturbing. One scene reveals her head being violently smashed, offering a grimmer, more personal take on the killing.

While Paranormal Activity 3 didn’t include a fully alternate ending, several deleted scenes hinted at a deeper, more occult-heavy version of the film. In one such scene, Grandma Lois – revealed to be part of a demonic coven – performs a ritual with the children that expands the franchise’s mythology. Ultimately, the scene was cut, likely to maintain pacing, but it provided intriguing insights into the coven’s involvement.

While Paranormal Activity 3 may not have had an alternative ending like Paranormal Activity, Paranormal Activity 4 had an alternate cut as definitive as Katie’s self-inflicted knife wound. In the theatrical version, teen protagonist Alex simply vanishes during the film’s chaotic climax. But in the alternate cut, her death is shown on screen. She’s violently dragged away and killed, providing a much more definitive (and disturbing) ending. This version offers more closure – but also eliminates the ambiguity that some fans enjoyed.

While later sequels didn’t include officially released alternate endings, The Ghost Dimension, had some scenes cut from the final film that offered more detail about the demon Toby’s backstory and the cult’s long-term plans. These cuts would have deepened the lore, but perhaps at the cost of pacing and coherence.

All in all, alternate endings aren’t just a curiosity in the Paranormal Activity series – they’re practically a signature move. Whether to amp up the scares, clarify plot points, or just try something bolder, these variations show how the franchise wasn’t afraid to experiment – even if only a fraction of viewers ever got to see the results.