The terrifying true stories that your favorite horror movies are based on

Gabbi ShawOct 9, 2020, 20:45 IST

"The Amityville Horror."Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Horror films have produced some of the most iconic figures in pop culture, like Ghostface or Pennywise.
But not all scary movies are completely fictional — some of the most chilling films are actually based on real life.
For example, "The Conjuring" was based on the real life Perron family.

While scary movies often seem too terrifying to be real, that's unfortunately not always the case. Films like "The Conjuring," "Poltergeist," and even "Nightmare on Elm Street" all have a basis in truth.

And those aren't the only ones.

Keep reading to learn about 21 gruesome real-life tales that some of the all-time best scary movies are based on.

"The Conjuring" is about the Perron family and the traumatic experiences they're having in their new Rhode Island home.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Warner Bros.

"The Conjuring 2" is about a girl being possessed by a demon in London.

Vera Farmiga reprised her role as Lorraine Warren for the sequel. New Line Cinema

"Annabelle," "Annabelle: Creation," and "Annabelle Comes Home" tell the story of Annabelle, an evil doll that terrorizes her owner.

The theatrical version of Annabelle. New Line Cinema

"The Amityville Horror" connects the murders of the DeFeo family with a demonic presence in the house.

The real "Amityville Horror" home on Long Island. Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images

"The Haunting in Connecticut" is about a family that moved into a former funeral home, which turns out to be haunted.

The film was released in 2009. Lionsgate

"Veronica" is about a Spanish teenager who used a Ouija board to contact a dead loved one with disastrous consequences.

The film was released on Netflix. Sony Pictures

"The Strangers" is a terrifying look into the mindset of monsters who commit crimes just because they can.

A sequel was planned for March 2018. Rogue Pictures

"The Exorcist," one of the most beloved horror films of all time, is about a preteen girl who becomes possessed by a demon.

Creepy.

"The Exorcism of Emily Rose" is also about a girl possessed by a demon.

"The Exorcism of Emily Rose." Sony Pictures Releasing

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" describes a group of hitchhikers that pick the wrong family to catch a ride from — they end up being cannibals.

Leatherface. Bryanston Distributing

"Poltergeist" tells the story of a family who buys a haunted house that was built on top of a Native American burial ground.

The terrifying clown doll from "Poltergeist." MGM/UA Entertainment Company

"When a Stranger Calls" is about a babysitter who's being terrorized by a mysterious caller that's inside the house with her.

Camila Belle in "When a Stranger Calls." Screen Gems

"Dead Ringers" explores the mysterious deaths of a pair of creepy, co-dependent twin brothers.

Jeremy Irons played both twins. Twentieth Century Fox

"Jaws" is the story of a small beachside town that's being terrorized by a vengeful shark.

They needed a bigger boat. Jaws/IMDB

"The Girl Next Door" is about a boy who tries to save his neighbor from her twisted adopted family.

"The Girl Next Door." Modern Distributors

"The Possession" is the tale of a family being tortured by a demon inside a Dibbuk box.

Before killing zombies on "The Walking Dead," Jeffrey Dean Morgan starred in this horror flick. Lionsgate

"The Rite" is based upon the life of a real priest, Father Gary Thomas, and his time at the Vatican while training to become an exorcist.

Anthony Hopkins in "The Rite." Warner Bros.

"Wolf Creek" is about three backpackers in the Australian Outback that unknowingly hitch a ride from a sadistic murderer.

"Wolf Creek" is an Australian film. Dimension Films

"Eaten Alive" is about the mentally disturbed owner of a Texas hotel that feeds people to his pet crocodile.

"Eaten Alive" had the same director as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Motion Picture Marketing (MPM)

"Open Water" tells the harrowing tale of a couple fighting to stay alive after their boat leaves them behind in the middle of the ocean.

A bit more realistic than the shark from "Jaws." Lions Gate Films

"A Nightmare On Elm Street" is best known for bringing Freddy Krueger, a serial killer who murders people in their dreams, into the mainstream.

No, Freddy's not the real part. New Line Cinema

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