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Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) movie poster

Timeline

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2021 · 120 min · English
Echo score 74
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Directed by
William Eubank
Starring
Roland Buck III, Tom Nowicki, Jill Andre, Wesley Han, Gunner Wright, Kyli Zion

After being abandoned as an infant, Margot seeks answers about her origins and the disappearance of her mother, leading her to an isolated Amish community. There, she uncovers disturbing secrets about her family's history and confronts a troubled past. As Margot investigates, she realizes that some truths are best left undisturbed, and the community holds a darkness she may not be ready to face.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
  6. 6 Every angle
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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Margot's Troubled Past

    Margot and her friend Chris decide to create a documentary about her troubled past. The project is set in motion by Margot's painful memories of being abandoned as a baby by her mother, Sarah, outside a hospital.

  2. Meeting Samuel

    Driven by the need for closure, Margot meets her blood relative Samuel through a genetics website. Samuel, eager to connect, joins Margot and Chris as they venture on this emotional journey together.

  3. Journey to Beiler Farm

    The group travels to Beiler Farm, a secluded Amish community that holds the key to Margot's past. Upon arrival, they are welcomed by Jacob, the patriarch of the commune, who is also Sarah’s father.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  4. Strange Noises at Night

    That night, Margot is startled awake by mysterious red lights in the distance. Samuel explains that a bear is threatening the livestock, which adds an uneasy atmosphere to their stay at the farm.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  5. Encounter in the Barn

    While exploring the barn, Margot meets a little girl who brushes her doll's hair. The girl cryptically mentions that 'Sarah is still there', raising eerie questions about her mother’s presence.

    Where
    Barn, Beiler Farm
  6. Jacob's Tale

    In an interview with Jacob, he recounts the story of his daughter Sarah, revealing her struggle between independence and societal pressures. This deepens Margot's empathy for her mother, who faced great personal turmoil.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  7. The Ominous Church

    The team analyzes drone footage and discovers a locked church near the farm with the inscription '*so weit nicht weiter*', warning them of forbidden boundaries. Jacob advises against entering, heightening the mystery.

    Where
    Near Beiler Farm
  8. Bizarre Rituals

    They witness a shocking ritual where the community sacrifices a two-headed goat in the barn. This event deeply unsettles Margot, intensifying her quest to uncover the truth about the farm.

    Where
    Barn, Beiler Farm
  9. Dark Discovery

    While searching the church, Margot and Chris find disturbing murals of a demonic entity named Asmodeus. Their discovery of a hidden compartment leads Margot to hear unsettling noises from a dark pit, enhancing her fear.

    Where
    Church
  10. Disturbing Revelations

    Margot realizes Jacob possesses intricate details about her life, unsettling her further. She confides in Chris about her desire to leave, feeling increasingly threatened by the farm's dark secrets.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  11. The Shadow Attack

    That night, a terrifying shadow attacks Margot in her room, leaving her shocked and covered in blood. Despite a doctor's casual diagnosis, Chris and Dale suspect something sinister is unfolding.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  12. Folklore Uncovered

    Chris and Dale learn from a local that the inhabitants of Beiler Farm are not Amish. They begin piecing together frightening folklore about the village of Beskytter and its ties to Asmodeus.

    Where
    Nearby Village
  13. Confrontation and Escape

    After discovering that Margot has gone missing, Chris confronts Jacob inside the church. They narrowly escape from a skeletal creature pursuing them, risking their lives to flee into the snowy wilderness.

    Where
    Church
  14. Confronting the Creature

    Margot remembers her mother’s name during the creature's rampage, which momentarily distracts it. Unfortunately, they stumble upon Dale's lifeless body while searching, deepening their horror.

    Where
    Beiler Farm
  15. Inferno and Aftermath

    As the farm erupts in flames, a frantic Margot and Chris manage to escape the chaos of the community. A police patrol finds a crying child in the barn, revealing Samuel's sinister transformation, bringing their ordeal to a chilling close.

    Where
    Beiler Farm

Last updated: October 27, 2024 at 20:50

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Timeline questions answered

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Sarah abandon Margot at the hospital?

Sarah became pregnant after falling in love with a man outside the Amish commune. Facing intense pressure from the community's strict customs and unable to reconcile her desire for independence with societal expectations, she made the painful choice to abandon her newborn daughter at the hospital. Jacob explained that Sarah was always more devoted to her freedom than to family life.

Foreshadowing: Margot's initial motivation to investigate her origins stems directly from the haunting security footage of her abandonment.

  • sarah
  • margot
  • abandonment
  • hospital
  • amish
Q2

What is Asmodeus?

Asmodeus is a demonic entity depicted in murals inside the forbidden church near Beiler Farm. The local folklore reveals that the community practices sacrificial rituals to trap this demon within their bloodline. Sarah was unknowingly caught in this demonic pact, and the cult has been performing these dark ceremonies for generations.

Foreshadowing: The ominous inscription on the church and the bizarre goat ritual hint at the supernatural forces at work.

  • asmodeus
  • demon
  • church
  • cult
  • sacrifice
Q3

Why are the Beiler Farm residents not actually Amish?

Chris and Dale discover from a local that the inhabitants of Beiler Farm are not genuine Amish people. They are actually a sinister cult that uses the Amish appearance as a cover for their dark practices. This deception allows them to operate in isolation while performing their sacrificial rituals tied to the demon Asmodeus.

Foreshadowing: The community's unusual welcome and the cryptic warnings about the church suggest something other than typical Amish life.

  • beiler farm
  • amish
  • cult
  • fake
  • deception
Q4

What does the inscription on the church mean?

The inscription '*so weit nicht weiter*' on the locked church translates to 'this far, no further' in German. Jacob warns the group against entering the church, treating it as a forbidden space. This ominous message serves as both a literal warning and a spiritual boundary related to the demonic rituals performed there.

Foreshadowing: The inscription foreshadows the dangerous discoveries waiting inside the church.

  • church
  • inscription
  • german
  • forbidden
  • warning
Q5

Why did the creature stop when Margot said her mother's name?

When Margot screamed her mother's name 'Sarah' during the creature's attack, it momentarily halted because the demon is spiritually bound to the family bloodline. Sarah was part of the sacrificial pact meant to trap Asmodeus, so invoking her name created a connection that disrupted the creature's rampage, giving Margot and Chris a brief window to escape.

Foreshadowing: The little girl's cryptic statement that 'Sarah is still there' foreshadows this supernatural link.

  • sarah
  • creature
  • bloodline
  • name
  • demon
Q6

What happens to Samuel at the end of the movie?

In the final scene, Samuel is revealed to have become the new vessel for the demon Asmodeus. After the police arrive at the burning farm, they find a child crying in the barn, Samuel stands nearby with a sinister demeanor. He then walks into the woods, implying the demon has transferred to him and that the threat to Margot and Chris is far from over.

Foreshadowing: Samuel's eagerness to help Margot find her family may have been driven by the demon's influence.

  • samuel
  • demon
  • vessel
  • ending
  • woods
Q7

Why does Jacob know so much about Margot's life?

Jacob possesses detailed information about Margot because he is her grandfather, Sarah's father. As part of the cult's demonic pact, the community has been tracking Sarah's descendants to maintain the bloodline connection to Asmodeus. His knowledge of Margot's life is part of the cult's ongoing surveillance of their family line.

  • jacob
  • margot
  • grandfather
  • surveillance
  • bloodline
Q8

What is the significance of the two-headed goat sacrifice?

The bizarre ritual involving the sacrifice of a two-headed goat in the barn is part of the cult's dark ceremonies to appease Asmodeus and maintain their binding pact with the demon. This disturbing event deepens the mystery of Beiler Farm and signals to Margot that the community engages in supernatural practices far removed from normal Amish life.

Foreshadowing: This ritual directly connects to the demonic lore revealed later in the church.

  • goat
  • ritual
  • sacrifice
  • barn
  • two-headed
Q9

Why is the church forbidden to enter?

The church is the central location for the cult's rituals dedicated to Asmodeus. It contains the murals depicting the demon and a hidden compartment leading to a dark pit beneath the altar. Jacob explicitly warns against entering because it houses the spiritual machinery of their pact, it's where the demon is bound and where sacrifices are made.

Foreshadowing: The locked door and ominous inscription establish the church as the story's most dangerous location.

  • church
  • forbidden
  • altar
  • pit
  • ritual
Q10

What attacks Margot in her room?

Margot is attacked by a terrifying shadow in her room, leaving her shocked and covered in blood. While a doctor dismisses it as an unusual menstrual episode, Chris and Dale recognize it as a supernatural assault. This attack marks the point when the demon's influence actively targets Margot as a descendant of Sarah.

Foreshadowing: This aggression escalation follows Margot's exploration of the forbidden church.

  • shadow
  • attack
  • blood
  • room
  • supernatural
Q11

Why does the little girl have a doll named Sarah?

The little girl in the barn has a doll that shares Margot's mother's name, Sarah. When she says 'Sarah is still there,' she implies that Sarah's spirit or presence remains tied to the farm. This creepy encounter reinforces the supernatural connection between Margot's mother and the demonic forces haunting Beiler Farm.

Foreshadowing: This cryptic moment directly foreshadows the revelation that Sarah was part of the demonic pact.

  • doll
  • sarah
  • little girl
  • barn
  • ghost
Q12

Are Chris and Margot safe at the end?

Chris and Margot manage to escape the burning farm and the raging cult members, but the ending implies their safety is temporary. With Samuel now possessed by Asmodeus walking into the woods, the demon is still at large and may continue hunting them. The ambiguous conclusion leaves their fate uncertain.

Foreshadowing: The film's ending mirrors the franchise's tradition of unresolved threats.

  • chris
  • margot
  • escape
  • ending
  • safe

Movie threads

More Movies Like Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Found-Footage Rural Horror Movies like Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin

Unsettling documentaries that uncover supernatural evil in isolated communities. If you enjoyed the investigative dread of Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, you'll find more scares here. This list features movies that use a documentary style to explore supernatural threats hidden within isolated communities, creating a deeply immersive and claustrophobic horror experience.

  • found-footage
  • documentary
  • claustrophobic
  • sinister
  • mysterious
  • anxious
  • Tone: dark, tense
  • Pacing: steady build
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories typically follow a protagonist or a film crew arriving in a remote location to document a way of life or investigate a mystery. Their initial curiosity quickly turns to terror as they uncover a malevolent secret—a cult, a curse, or a monstrous entity—that the community protects. The narrative hinges on the escalating tension as the outsiders realize they are not just observers but targets.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared use of the found-footage aesthetic to create verisimilitude and a palpable sense of dread. They combine the slow-burn investigation of rural secrets with the immediacy and terror of first-person filmmaking, resulting in a uniquely intense and claustrophobic viewing experience.

Cursed Bloodline Horror Movies like Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin

Characters confront terrifying truths about their own family's dark legacy. For viewers who liked the personal horror of family secrets in Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, this thread gathers movies where protagonists uncover a dark legacy within their own bloodline. These films explore the terror of realizing the evil you're fighting is your inheritance.

  • dread-filled
  • ominous
  • sinister
  • anxious
  • mysterious
  • heavy
  • Tone: dark, heavy
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative often begins with a character seeking answers about their origins—a missing parent, a strange family history. Their investigation leads them to disturbing revelations: their ancestors were part of a cult, made a pact with a demon, or are bound by a generational curse. The central conflict becomes an internal one, as the protagonist must fight a predestined fate or a darkness that now wants to claim them.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films where the core horror stems from a familial source. The shared experience is the chilling realization that the monster is in the family tree, creating a profound sense of inescapable dread and a deeply personal stake in the supernatural threat.

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Every angle

Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) Explained: Plot, Ending, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning, the ending explained and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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