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5 Shocking Truths: Is 'The Conjuring' Based On Real Events, Or The Biggest Hollywood Hoax?

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The Conjuring franchise has cemented its place as one of the most terrifying and successful horror universes in modern cinema, with the original 2013 film famously declaring it was "based on a true story." As of today, December 22, 2025, the debate over the film's factual foundation remains a hot topic, especially with the latest installment, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, continuing to draw from the case files of the infamous paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The core of the first film centers on the harrowing experiences of the Perron family in a secluded Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s. While the movie successfully blends jump scares with a chilling atmosphere, the question that lingers for many fans is: How much of the on-screen terror actually happened, and where does the Hollywood dramatization begin? The answer is a complicated mix of terrifying personal claims, documented investigation, and a long-standing, dark controversy surrounding the very people who brought the story to light.

The Real-Life Protagonists: The Perron Family and the Warrens

The 2013 film, directed by James Wan, focuses on the 1971 haunting of the Perron family home in Harrisville, Rhode Island. The family lived in the house for nearly a decade, from 1970 to 1980, and their story forms the backbone of the film.

The Perron Family Biography: A Decade of Terror

  • Father: Roger Perron
  • Mother: Carolyn Perron
  • Daughters (in order of age, oldest to youngest): Andrea Perron, Nancy Perron, Christine Perron, Cindy Perron, and April Perron.
  • Location: A 14-room farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island (sometimes referred to as the Arnold Estate).
  • Timeframe of Haunting: 1970–1980.
  • Current Status: The family eventually moved out due to the relentless activity. Andrea Perron has since written a three-part book series, House of Darkness, House of Light, detailing their experiences. The family has consistently stood by their claims of genuine paranormal activity.

The Warrens: Paranormal Investigators

  • Ed Warren (1926–2006): Self-taught demonologist and author.
  • Lorraine Warren (1927–2019): Clairvoyant and light trance medium.
  • Role: Founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952. They claimed to have investigated over 10,000 cases, including the Amityville Horror and the Enfield Poltergeist.
  • The Conjuring Case: The Warrens were called in to investigate the Perron farmhouse starting in 1973, though their involvement was relatively brief compared to the family's ten years in the house.

The Haunting of Harrisville: Fact vs. Hollywood Fiction

While the movie captures the essence of the Perron family's claims, it heavily compresses and dramatizes a decade's worth of alleged activity into a few weeks of escalating terror. The real events, according to the family, were less about demonic jump scares and more about a slow, insidious psychological breakdown.

1. The Real Ghosts Were Less Demonic, More Playful (Initially)

The Movie: Focuses almost exclusively on the malevolent spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, who is portrayed as a Satan-worshipping witch who curses the land and possesses Carolyn Perron. The climax involves an intense, life-threatening exorcism.

The Reality: The Perrons claimed to have encountered numerous spirits, not just one. According to daughter Andrea Perron, there were as many as ten different ghosts, some of whom were harmless or even playful. One spirit, in particular, was described as smelling of rotting flesh and was the most aggressive. The activity included beds levitating, doors slamming, objects moving, and the sound of footsteps and voices.

2. The 'Witch' Bathsheba Sherman Was Real, But Her Story Was Altered

The Movie: Bathsheba Sherman is depicted as a definite witch who sacrificed her child and then hanged herself from a tree on the property, cursing anyone who took her land.

The Reality: Bathsheba Thayer Sherman was a real woman who lived on the property in the 1800s. She was married to Judson Sherman and had four children. She was indeed rumored in the local New England folklore to have been a witch who was responsible for the death of an infant in her care. However, historical records show she died a natural death in 1885 and was not a documented witch, nor did she hang herself. The film’s backstory is a chilling amalgamation of local legend and cinematic invention.

3. The Exorcism Scene Never Happened

The Movie: The film culminates in a terrifying, unsanctioned exorcism attempt by Ed Warren on a possessed Carolyn Perron. This sequence is the terrifying emotional peak of the film.

The Reality: The Perron family has stated that the possession and exorcism scene is entirely fictional. The most intense real-life event was a séance performed by Lorraine Warren, which Carolyn Perron claimed caused her to feel possessed and speak in a different language, leading her to demand the Warrens leave the house immediately. The Warrens’ involvement ended shortly after this event, and no formal, full exorcism was ever performed on Carolyn.

The Lingering Controversy Surrounding Ed and Lorraine Warren

Any discussion about the true story behind *The Conjuring* is incomplete without addressing the significant and ongoing controversy surrounding the investigators themselves. For every believer who sees Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as heroes, there is a skeptic who views the real Warrens as opportunists or even frauds.

The modern, updated view of the Warrens' legacy often includes allegations of sensationalism and fabrication. Critics argue that the Warrens often jumped to the most extreme conclusion—demonic possession—to sensationalize cases and profit from books and lectures. The family's critics include skeptics, journalists, and even some paranormal researchers who question their methods and the empirical evidence of their findings.

The Contractual Silence and Legal Battles

A key point of contention is the legal framework surrounding the films. The Warrens’ contract for the movie rights allegedly included clauses that prohibited the filmmakers from depicting any negative aspects of their personal lives, such as alleged extramarital affairs or other controversies. Furthermore, the film's source material, the Warrens' case files, has been the subject of multiple lawsuits. Gerald Brittle, author of *The Demonologist*, sued Warner Bros., claiming the studio used his book without permission, arguing that the Warrens had no right to license the stories to the studio, only the book. This highlights the complex, often murky legal and ethical ground the franchise is built upon.

Beyond Harrisville: The Conjuring Universe and Real Cases

The success of the first film led to an entire interconnected universe, all claiming to be "based on a true story." Each subsequent film draws from a different real-life case file investigated by the Warrens, further blurring the lines between fact and fiction:

  • *The Conjuring 2* (2016): Based on the Enfield Poltergeist in England (1977–1979). This case is perhaps the most heavily debated in paranormal history, with strong evidence of hoaxing alongside unexplained phenomena.
  • *The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It* (2021): Based on the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson in 1981, the first known U.S. court case where the defense claimed innocence due to demonic possession.
  • *Annabelle* Films: Based on the infamous Annabelle doll, which in real life was a Raggedy Ann doll, not the porcelain doll seen in the movies. The real doll is housed in the Warrens' Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.
  • *The Conjuring: Last Rites* (Upcoming): Expected to focus on the Smurl Haunting in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, a case involving a family who claimed their home was plagued by four demonic entities in the 1980s.

Ultimately, the question "Is *The Conjuring* based on real events?" has a nuanced answer. Yes, the core story of the Perron family's decade-long ordeal and the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren are rooted in real-life claims and an actual investigation. However, the terrifying, cinematic experience—the demonic possession, the immediate threat, and the climactic exorcism—is a carefully crafted work of Hollywood fiction, designed to scare audiences while capitalizing on the enduring mystery of the true events. The film’s power lies not in its strict historical accuracy, but in its ability to make you question what you believe about the darkness lurking just beyond the threshold.

5 Shocking Truths: Is 'The Conjuring' Based on Real Events, or the Biggest Hollywood Hoax?
is the conjuring based on real events
is the conjuring based on real events

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