Paranormal Activity 4 did not fare as well as the previous films in the franchise, critically or commercially. That's why were not surprised to hear that the Paranormal Activity 5 release date has been pushed back. Originally, Paranormal Activity 5 was set for release on October 25th, 2013 and has now been moved to January 3rd, 2014.
A specific reason for the delay has not been given, but January has been a huge month for horror over the last couple of years and Paramount had success with The Devil Inside's January release. Even if the main reason for the move was to capitalize on this new and popular horror month, the extra polish time can only help.
We're not sure how this release date will change the early release plans that the other movies had, as it may be tougher to have the fan screenings around the Christmas holiday. Paranormal Activity 4 was the first movie in the series to open on IMAX theaters and we wouldn't be surprised to see the next one take the same route.
Like the previous sequels, we don't have story or casting details and wouldn't expect them until later this year. We'll provide readers with an update as soon as more information becomes available.