We’re just a couple of days into the New Year, but already a possibility for Least Surprising News Of 2012 has reared its headline-strapped noggin. No, we don’t mean the likely Oscars for everyone involved in Adam Sandler’s next film; we’re referring to Paramount officially announcing that work will kick off on Paranormal Activity 4.

A fourth outing for the low-budget supernatural franchise was inevitable once the third film scored $202.2 million worldwide based on a $5 million budget and featuring the shooting skills of Catfish duo Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman.

So while the studio has yet to decide on a date for the movie (Halloween 3D is set for October 26), work is already underway to develop the new Paranormal outing. Given how the series has so far travelled back in time, we expect the latest entry to focus on Katie being troubled by demonic issues while in the womb.

What we don’t know for sure so far is who will be involved in making it, but producers Jason Blum, Oren Peli and Steven Schneider will of course be back to oversee things.