We learned this morning that Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli’s one and only follow-up film, Area 51, is finally being released in select theaters and VOD next month, and now a trailer for the sci-fi found footage pic has landed online. The story centers on three young conspiracy theorists who attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, only to find horrifying, unimaginable secrets. Peli made this film back in 2008, directly after the success of Paranormal Activity, but it’s been sitting on the shelf ever since. Judging by this trailer, it's not hard to see why the film has sat on the shelf for so long. Even still, it feels like the movie would have had a much better chance of standing out five years ago as opposed to now, when the found footage genre has already been pretty played out. It's odd to think most of this was shot at a time when the genre was all the rage. Now it's just dated.

Watch the first Area 51 trailer below. The film stars Reid Warner, Jamel King, Ben Rovner and Jelena NikArea 51 will be released exclusively in Alamo Drafthouse theaters on May 15th, and will also be available on VOD and digital platforms at that time as well.

Click over to Apple to watch in HD.


Here's the official synopsis for Area 51:

Witness a new vision of terror from director Oren Peli. Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government’s top secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes horrifying, unimaginable secrets. Now you can experience their harrowing adventure in this footage pieced together from documentation of these chilling events.

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Image via Paramount