15 Horror Movies That Were Terrifyingly Inspired by Real Events
Knowing there is a real tragedy, a strange case, or an unexplained event behind a horror movie adds a kind of tension that makes the experience even more intense. Some filmmakers borrow small details from infamous crimes, while others recreate entire hauntings, disappearances, and terrifying encounters. Here are 15 horror movies that took inspiration from real events and transformed them into chilling stories for the screen.
The Amityville Horror (1979)
The film follows the alleged paranormal experiences of the Lutz family after moving into the house where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his relatives.
The Conjuring (2013)
The movie was inspired by the Perron family case investigated by paranormal researchers Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren.
The Exorcist (1973)
The story was partially inspired by the alleged 1949 exorcism of a boy known as Roland Doe, whose case became one of the most famous paranormal stories in American history.
The Girl Next Door (2007)
The disturbing story was based on the torture and murder of Sylvia Likens, a case that shocked the United States during the 1960s.
The Rite (2011)
The supernatural thriller drew from the experiences of real exorcist Father Gary Thomas and his time studying exorcisms in Rome.
The Strangers (2008)
Director Bryan Bertino said the movie was influenced by real break ins that happened in his neighbourhood when he was a child.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
While Leatherface was fictional, the film drew inspiration from serial killer Ed Gein and his horrifying crimes involving human remains.
Veronica (2017)
The Spanish horror movie was inspired by the Vallecas case, a famous paranormal investigation tied to the mysterious death of a teenage girl in Madrid.
Wolf Creek (2005)
The brutal Australian horror film took inspiration from real life killers Ivan Milat and Bradley Murdoch, both linked to crimes involving stranded travellers.
Zodiac (2007)
Although more of a thriller than a traditional horror movie, the film recreated the real and still unsolved murders committed by the Zodiac Killer.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Director Wes Craven based the concept on reports of young refugees who died in their sleep after suffering intense nightmares.
Borderland (2007)
The film borrowed elements from the crimes of Adolfo Constanzo, a cult leader connected to ritualistic murders in Mexico during the 1980s.
Deliver Us from Evil (2014)
The movie was inspired by the accounts of former NYPD officer Ralph Sarchie and the paranormal cases he claimed to investigate.
Jaws (1975)
The terrifying shark attacks were partly inspired by the deadly 1916 shark attacks along the Jersey Shore that caused nationwide panic.
Open Water (2003)
The survival horror story was inspired by the real disappearance of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were accidentally left behind during a scuba diving trip.