15 years ago, this movie took the world by surprise … and scared everyone who saw it [Video]

Fifteen years ago, on September 25, 2009, Paranormal Activity was released in theaters and scared the pants out of audiences everywhere. Even before the movie’s premiere, it had already become legendary. Instead of debuting via a massive theatrical release rollout, the micro-budgeted movie was screened in college towns across the country to drum up word of mouth.

It worked. Thanks to the (somewhat still new) popularity of Facebook and the prominence of texting on phones, Paranormal Activity didn’t need a marketing campaign. Frightened audiences told everyone they knew about the scary movie they just watched. Soon, the internet was ablaze with word of this new movie that didn’t have stars anyone had heard of before.

The birth of a new horror franchise

Filmed in the found-footage style, the movie centers around a young couple, Micah and Katie, who are determined to capture the paranormal activity happening in their house. But it’s not just a ghost that’s haunting …