Horror movies are special because they can thrill and scare us by showing things that are unknown and supernatural. But what if these scary stories were not just made up, but actually happened in real life? Some of the scariest horror movies are based on true events, which makes them even more frightening.
In this blog, we will look at 40 horror movies based on true stories. These movies include haunted houses, possessed dolls, serial killers, and strange events. They show that sometimes, real life can be scarier than fiction. Let’s explore these real-life horror stories that have terrified audiences.
40 Horror Movies Based on True Stories
Horror movies often captivate audiences with their spine-chilling tales and eerie atmospheres. What makes some of these films even more terrifying is the fact that they are inspired by real events. Here, we delve into 40 horror movies that were based on true stories, offering a simple yet intriguing look at each one.
1. The Conjuring (2013)
Based on the real-life experiences of Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators who helped the Perron family deal with a malevolent spirit in their Rhode Island farmhouse.
2. The Amityville Horror (1979)
Inspired by the Lutz family’s brief stay in a house where a gruesome mass murder had taken place. They claimed to experience terrifying supernatural events during their time there.
3. Annabelle (2014)
This film is based on the real Annabelle doll, a Raggedy Ann doll believed to be possessed, which is now housed in the Warrens’ Occult Museum.
4. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
A chilling tale based on the real exorcism of Anneliese Michel, a German woman who underwent 67 exorcisms and eventually died from malnutrition and dehydration.
5. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Loosely inspired by the crimes of Ed Gein, a murderer and body snatcher who crafted items from human skin and bones.
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6. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Inspired by a series of articles about Southeast Asian refugees who died in their sleep after experiencing horrific nightmares.
7. The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
Based on the Snedeker family’s experience with disturbing paranormal events after moving into a former funeral home.
8. Child’s Play (1988)
The story of Chucky, a murderous doll, was inspired by Robert the Doll, a supposedly cursed doll owned by a Key West artist.
9. The Exorcist (1973)
Inspired by the 1949 exorcism of a young boy known as Roland Doe, who exhibited violent and strange behavior after using a Ouija board.
10. Psycho (1960)
Based on the life of Ed Gein, whose gruesome crimes inspired the character of Norman Bates.
11. The Girl Next Door (2007)
A harrowing film based on the true story of Sylvia Likens, a teenager who was brutally tortured and murdered by her caregiver.
12. The Entity (1982)
Based on the real-life experiences of Doris Bither, who claimed she was repeatedly attacked by an unseen entity.
13. Wolf Creek (2005)
Inspired by the backpacker murders committed by Ivan Milat and the abduction of British tourist Peter Falconio.
14. Open Water (2003)
Based on the true story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were accidentally left behind by their scuba diving group in the Great Barrier Reef.
15. The Rite (2011)
Inspired by Matt Baglio’s book about Father Gary Thomas, an American priest who trained as an exorcist in Italy.
16. The Strangers (2008)
Loosely inspired by the Manson Family murders and a series of break-ins that occurred in the director’s neighborhood as a child.
17. Borderland (2007)
Based on the real-life cult killings in Matamoros, Mexico, led by drug lord and cult leader Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo.
18. Fire in the Sky (1993)
Based on the alleged alien abduction of Travis Walton in 1975, who went missing for five days in Arizona.
19. The Possession (2012)
Inspired by the true story of the Dybbuk box, a wine cabinet said to be haunted by a malicious spirit.
20. Deliver Us from Evil (2014)
Based on the experiences of NYPD officer Ralph Sarchie, who investigated cases of demonic possession.
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21. The Mothman Prophecies (2002)
Inspired by John Keel’s book about the mysterious sightings of a winged creature in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, during the 1960s.
22. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Loosely based on the legend of Alexander “Sawney” Bean, a 16th-century Scottish clan leader who was said to be a cannibal.
23. Black Water (2007)
Based on the true story of a crocodile attack on a group of tourists in Australia’s Northern Territory.
24. Silent House (2011)
Inspired by a true story of a young woman trapped inside her family’s secluded lake house.
25. The Sacrament (2013)
Loosely based on the Jonestown Massacre, where over 900 members of the Peoples Temple died in a mass suicide-murder.
26. Verónica (2017)
Based on the mysterious case of EstefanÃa Gutiérrez Lázaro, who died after using a Ouija board and reportedly experienced supernatural occurrences.
27. Primeval (2007)
Inspired by the true story of Gustave, a giant man-eating crocodile in Burundi.
28. Snowtown (2011)
Based on the Snowtown murders in South Australia, where a group of men carried out a series of brutal killings.
29. The Frozen Ground (2013)
Based on the crimes of Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen, who abducted and hunted his victims in the wilderness.
30. Changeling (2008)
Inspired by the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, where young boys were kidnapped and murdered in the 1920s.
31. The Girl Next Door (2007)
A chilling portrayal of the true story of Sylvia Likens, who was tortured and murdered by her caretaker in the 1960s.
32. The Afflicted (2011)
Based on Theresa Knorr, who abused and murdered two of her children in the 1980s.
33. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)
Inspired by the Texarkana Moonlight Murders of 1946, where a masked assailant attacked several couples.
34. Borderland (2007)
Inspired by Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo’s cult murders in Mexico during the late 1980s.
35. Hounds of Love (2016)
Based on the Moorhouse Murders in Perth, Australia, where a couple kidnapped and killed young women.
36. The Girl in the Box (2016)
Based on the kidnapping of Colleen Stan, who was held captive in a coffin-like box for seven years.
37. The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)
A dramatized account of the days leading up to the murder of actress Sharon Tate by the Manson Family.
38. When the Lights Went Out (2012)
Inspired by the Black Monk of Pontefract, a famous poltergeist case in England during the 1960s.
39. Dark Waters (2019)
Based on the true story of the DuPont chemical scandal, which had terrifying health and environmental consequences.
40. An American Crime (2007)
Based on the same true story as “The Girl Next Door,” depicting the horrific abuse and murder of Sylvia Likens.
These films, drawn from real-life horrors, remind us that sometimes, truth can be scarier than fiction.