15 Horror Movies That Are Based On A True Story

In some cases, the terrifying events of a scary movie are actually based on reality. Of course, it’s Hollywood, and Hollywood tends to over-exaggerate when it comes to their cinematography but some of the spooky stories below actually happened in real life. From hauntings, exorcisms, and possessed dolls, there’s something creepy in store for everyone.

Whether the movies are play-by-play accounts or contain tidbits inspired by real-life horrific events, there’s no denying that they will send chills down spines. There are many fan-favorite iconic horror movies that are actually based on true stories.

Updated on June 28th, 2021 by Kristen Palamara: It’s always more terrifying for audiences to learn that the horror movie they saw was actually based on true events and not just a complete creative fabrication from creatives behind the scenes, and all of these movies fit that description. Sometimes audiences know about the lore beforehand whether it’s a story from the work of real-life demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren or it’s a movie about a famous serial killer like Jeffrey Dahmer or Ted Bundy. But, sometimes audiences are surprised to learn the true story behind the Hollywood movie like the home invasion from The Strangers.

15 Honorobale Mention: Monster (2003)

● Available on Tubi, Vudu, Prime Video, Crackle, and Fubo TV

Charlize Theron brings an Oscar-winning performance as real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in this movie based on the events surrounding her life. The movie focuses on Wuornos’ life as a sex worker, her relationship with a woman called Selby, and her eventually killing clients.

Although Monster isn’t a typical horror movie and would technically fall into the drama/thriller genre, it’s still a terrifying depiction of a real-life serial killer that is inherently scary. Many people might not even realize that Aileen Wuornos was a real serial killer before or after viewing this movie as she might not be as immediately recognizable as other infamous serial killers.

14 Amityville Horror (1979)

● Available on HBO Max

The Amityville Horror, and its 2005 remake, follows a young couple who move into a new home with 3 children and knew about the house’s tragic past as the previous owner had murdered his entire family while living in the house. The movie is supposedly based on a true story even though there has been some criticism about the “true story” aspect of the movie.

Jay Anson interviewed the couple and the book that Anson wrote is considered more accurate than the movie version that was rewritten from the book. The movie apparently took too many liberties with its source material, but the truth remains that the couple and children were haunted throughout their month living in the house.

13 The Conjuring (2013)

● Available on HBO Max

While most people know about Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cases after the success of The Conjuring it’s still surprising and terrifying knowing that the movies in this universe are based on true events. The first movie follows the Warrens as they attempt to help the Perron family survive a paranormal haunting in their new farmhouse.

The haunting began almost immediately after the Perron family moved in without any information about the dark and tragic history of the house. The real estate agent apparently knew the history but didn’t disclose anything, only suggesting they leave the lights on at night. That didn’t keep the spirits at bay including typical paranormal activity like the house creaking, doors slamming, and whispers at night. The Perron family, and Lorraine Warren, helped oversee the making of the movie about their lives.

12 The Watcher (2016)

● Available for purchase on Prime Video 

The Watcher tells the story of the recent true crime events regarding a young couple moving into a New Jersey home and immediately finding they had made a mistake moving into this particular home. The couple, who also moved children into the home, started getting odd letters put into their mailbox.

At first, it was just odd, and then increasingly became terrifying as whoever was stalking them in their new home knew about their children and knew specifics about their life including nicknames they had for the children. There have been theories over the years about who was sending these letters from neighbors or even looking into the family themselves, but The Watcher has never been found.

11 The Stepfather (1987)

● Available on AMC+, Tubi, and Pluto TV

The Stepfather, and its 2009 remake, is loosely based on real-life serial killer John List but the movie does take significant liberties to dramatize the horror of List’s real story. The movie saw the titular stepfather murder his family, relocate, remarry, and plan to murder his next family portraying him as a serial killer.

The real events saw John List kill his entire family and move on as if nothing had happened. The bodies weren’t discovered until a month after and List wasn’t caught until 18 years after the murders. List had relocated and remarried without anyone realizing his sinister past, but there was no strong evidence that he was planning to kill again as the movie suggests.

10 Dahmer (2002)

● Available on Tubi, Vudu, Pluto TV, and Prime Video

Starring Jeremy Renner before he became a part of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Avengers. This time he didn’t play a superhero but quite the opposite of one: a cannibalistic serial killer.

This fictional biopic follows the horrid story of one of America’s most disturbed citizens, Jeffrey Dahmer. Though Dahmer claimed the lives of many victims during his killing spree, this film follows his pursuit of a man named Rodney, known to be one of Dahmer’s last victims in the movie. In real life, however, Dahmer killed as many as 17 young boys and men in extremely painful and sick ways.

9 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile (2019)

● Available on Netflix

This movie follows the story of the infamous 1970s serial killer Ted Bundy who terrorized, raped, and murdered young women across America. Starring Zac Efron as Ted Bundy it retells the killer’s story and killing spree across seven states including Seattle, Oregon, and Utah.

Though the film itself is not as gruesome as the real events that transpired, it is not for the faint of heart and will give anyone who watches it the creeps. More importantly, it proves just how extremely wicked, shockingly evil, and vile Ted Bundy really was.

8 The Exorcist (1973)

● Available on Showtime

The Exorcist was the biggest horror movie of its time back in 1973. It scared thousands of movie-goers across America, but what many people don’t realize, is that the movie is based on a novel written by Peter Blatty which is based on a true story. As detailed in The Denver Post, when a 14-year-old boy from Maryland became possessed in 1949, it began a month-long exorcism performed by a Jesuit priest.

The boy and his family never released his real name, so he is known to horror fanatics as Roland Doe who was believed to be possessed by ten demons. Though his head never spun around 360 degrees nor did he vomit a putrid green substance, Roland was said to have suffered from seizures, violent screaming, bloody scratches on his body, and many other disturbing things.

7 A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

● Available on HBO Max

Demons killing people in their sleep has not been proven, but A Nightmare On Elm Street was inspired by something truly terrifying. According to Closer, director Wes Craven came up with the idea for A Nightmare On Elm Street after reading an article in the LA Times about a family who survived The Cambodia Killing Fields.

Though the family escaped to America, their youngest boy had recurring nightmares about something chasing him. Because of this, he would try to stay awake for days at a time. When he fell asleep, he screamed throughout the night but by the time his family came to his aid, he was dead. This terrible incident became the premise of the movie.

6 Fire In The Sky (1993)

● Available on Crackle and Prime Video

There are hauntings, there are possessions, and then there are aliens: a whole other level of horror. Fire In The Sky is about a man who is abducted by aliens and, as Nightmare on Film Street writes, it’s based on a true story.

Though the legitimacy of his story is questioned to this day, A man named Travis Walton claims he was abducted by aliens in 1978. According to Travis, he was zapped by an alien spaceship. He woke up to strange creatures surrounding him and some even looked like humans. Missing for five days, Travis appeared out of the blue and lived to tell his story even though it was met with disbelief by many.

5 The Possession (2012)

● Available on Netflix and Pluto TV

The Possession is loosely based on a true story and is about a haunted wine cabinet, otherwise known as a dybbuk box. In the movie, a young girl is drawn to an antique wooden box she finds at a yard sale but in real life, this wooden box was actually sold on eBay, according to Coming Soon. In both versions, fictional and real, strange and spooky things begin happening to the new owners of the box.

What’s even more chilling, is that, according to The Telegraph, the cast and crew also experienced supernatural events while filming. This included exploding lightbulbs, chilly drafts on set, and a mysterious fire with no source that destroyed the film’s props.

4 The Strangers (2008)

● Available for purchase on Prime Video 

This film terrorized viewers with its extremely unsettling nature. Everyone fears being home alone and everyone fears experiencing a home invasion by strangers. This movie happens to bring those fears to the surface in the worst bloody kind of way.

What makes it interesting is that it was inspired by true events lived by the director, Bryan Bertino. When he was a little boy he lived in a secluded neighborhood with very few surrounding houses. When he and his little sister were home alone, strangers knocked on the door looking for someone who didn’t live at the residence. According to Pop Sugar, Bryan’s family later found out these strangers were breaking into people’s houses if they were not home.

3 The Shining (1980)

● Available on HBO Max

The Shining is inspired by hauntings in Colorado’s infamous Stanley Hotel. In 1974, Stephen King and his wife stayed in the isolated and empty hotel which ultimately gave him both an eerie feeling and the idea for his horror novel turned film, The Shining. During his stay, he slept in a room with a haunted history and reported seeing figures, hearing unexplained noises, and had some of his belongings stolen and broken.

When a hotel janitor, Jack Torrance, is ruled by an evil force called “The Shining,” it gives him the ability to see into the hotel’s evil past and supernatural present. The force is so strong it causes Jack to wreak havoc on his family.

2 Winchester (2018)

● Available on Netflix

The Winchester Mystery House is real and its Hollywood adaptation is based on a true story. Known as one of the most haunted mansions in the world, this house is seven stories tall and was once home to Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune. According to Sarah, the house was haunted by spirits who were killed by Winchester rifles. Throughout her time living in the house, it is said that construction never stopped because Sarah wanted to appease the spirits killed by the company’s firearms.

Now the house is a creepy tourist attraction. Its odd floorplan includes a stairway that doesn’t lead anywhere, a doorway that opens out into nothing, and the number thirteen written into the home’s strange decor.

1  The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005)

● Available on Starz

While many believe this movie to be fiction, The Exorcism Of Emily Rose is shockingly based on a true story about a girl named Anneliese Michel.

When Anneliese was in her teenage years, she found herself blacking out into a trance-like state. This trance-like state slowly evolved into things nightmares are made of including, convulsions, wetting the bed, and scary growling. According to Annelise, she was possessed by five demons who would fight amongst one another to have power over her body. The movie might be scary, but the true story is truly terrifying.

About The Author