Top 10 Horror Films Inspired By Unbelievable Real-Life Events

10. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)


This 2005 film is based on the real-life case of Anneliese Michel, a young woman who underwent a series of exorcisms and died from malnutrition. Two priests were charged with negligent homicide following her death. The film incorporates elements from her story, including recordings from the actual exorcism, which are played during the closing credits.

9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

This classic horror film features a burned killer with razor-sharp fingers who haunts teenagers in their dreams. The name Freddy Krueger came from director Wes Craven’s childhood bully. The film’s concept was inspired by reports Craven read about a group of Hmong refugees from Laos and Cambodia who suffered from traumatic nightmares. Some were so afraid of sleeping that they died in their sleep—later classified as Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome.

8. Child’s Play (1988)

The creepy doll in 'Child’s Play' was inspired by a story from Key West painter and author Robert Eugene Otto. Otto claimed that his childhood toy would move from room to room, knock over furniture, and even talk to him. When a new family moved into Otto’s former home, they also reported strange happenings involving the doll. Today, the infamous toy is on display at the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West.

7. Scream (1996)

This self-aware slasher directed by Wes Craven was partially inspired by the real-life case of the Gainesville Ripper, Danny Rolling. Influenced by notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, Rolling murdered five college students in Florida in 1990. He was sentenced to death in 1994.

6. Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece 'Psycho' is based on the novel by Robert Bloch, who modeled the character Norman Bates after convicted murderer and grave robber Ed Gein. In 1950s Wisconsin, Gein exhumed corpses and created trophies from their remains. While the real Gein was not a serial killer in the traditional sense, his macabre crimes deeply influenced horror fiction.

5. Poltergeist (1982)

Written by Steven Spielberg, Michael Grais, and Mark Victor, 'Poltergeist' draws inspiration from strange occurrences at the Hermann House in 1958. Residents reported objects moving on their own, including holy water bottles popping open inexplicably. These disturbances served as the basis for the supernatural chaos in the film.

4. The Amityville Horror (1979)

Inspired by the terrifying experiences of the Lutz family, who moved into 112 Ocean Avenue in 1975—just 13 months after Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six members of his family there. The Lutzes reported disturbing phenomena, including green slime oozing from the walls and glowing red eyes peering through the windows. They fled the house less than a month after moving in.

3. The Conjuring (2013)

One of the most popular horror films in recent years, 'The Conjuring' is based on the experiences of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. In 1971, the Warrens investigated a farmhouse in Rhode Island where the Perron family claimed to have encountered malevolent spirits. The terrifying events became the cornerstone of this now-iconic horror franchise.

2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Though fictionalized, this film was loosely inspired by the crimes of Ed Gein, the same man who influenced 'Psycho.' Gein fashioned furniture and clothing from human remains found in his home. Although there was no confirmed evidence of cannibalism, his gruesome acts shocked the nation and left a lasting impact on horror cinema.

1. The Exorcist (1973)

Directed by William Friedkin and based on the book by William Peter Blatty, 'The Exorcist' is one of the most iconic horror films ever made. The story was inspired by the 1949 exorcism of a boy known by the pseudonym Roland Doe. He was believed to be possessed by a powerful demonic force, and the exorcism involved both medical professionals and Jesuit priests. The film’s intense realism and disturbing scenes set a new standard for horror.