Horror Movies Based on a True Story

By Emily Lemon On Feb 1, 2023

Child’s Play/The Conjuring/Screama

With plenty of zombie, vampire, and slasher flicks to go around, there’s a little something for everyone to get their scare on, no matter what it is that keeps them up at night. But what’s the category that rises above all others? The movies that are utterly and undeniably frightening? The scenes that leave us shook to the core for nights to come? Simple: the ones that take directly from IRL events. There’s nothing worse than the sinking feeling that what you’re watching really happened – or at least most of it did; “Based on a true story” movies can still take some creative liberties.

True horror movies—those that are based on real-life happenings—remind us that the world we live in is sometimes a dark one, and that humans (and sharks and bears) are maybe the scariest monsters of them all. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts or demonic possession, even the most determined skeptics will have a chill go down their spine. Because even if what you’re watching doesn’t seem real, there’s always the persistent question: what if it is? Whether they’re only loosely based on actual events or are total re-imaginings of the stories, we promise these movies will leave you shaking in your seat—and a little more cautious of those creepy neighbors you have. Here are 30 horror movies based on or inspired by true stories, from stories about chilling haunted homes to actual exorcisms.

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Every preteen can act like the devil from time to time, but probably nothing like this. In The Exorcist, the young daughter of an actress begins experiencing strange changes in her physical appearance and personality. When these strange occurrences take a disturbing and evil turn, her mother worries that medical doctors are not the answer to their problem. (And yes, it’s inspired by an exorcism of a young boy that took place in 1949.)

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2

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)

After finding out their son has cancer, a family moves to a new house in Connecticut to be closer to his medical team. As they settle in, the house’s history begins to reveal itself, and they learn the hard way that sometimes bad things happen to good people. The movie is loosely inspired by a supposed haunting of a Connecticut family in the ’80s.

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3

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

A violent killer with seemingly no motive strikes fear into the lives of a small town. Based on the 1946 murders by the “Phantom Killer” in Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas, this movie will leave you double-checking the locks on your doors before you go to bed.

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4

The Snowtown Murders (2011)

Although labeled as a crime-thriller, this Australian film is nothing short of terrifying. After his mom gets involved with a new boyfriend, Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) is given the father-figure he’s always wanted. But when his new role model shows his dark side, Jamie finds himself stuck in a nightmare.

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What started out as an exciting road trip turns bleak when a group of friends’ car breaks down. With no choice but to accept help from an unstable stranger, the Australian teens quickly find themselves fighting for survival. The serial killer who inspired the movie, Ivan Milat, died in jail just last year (Oct. 27, 2019) after serving more than 20 years.

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6

The Amityville Horror (2005)

When a family moves into a house with a murderous past, they are haunted by evil presences. In this remake of the 1979 original, you’ll experience the 28 days of unexplained horror that occurred in the long island village nearly half a century ago.

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When a Florida prostitute decides it’s time to get her life together, it seems like she might finally be on the right track. But after realizing that she lacks many skills needed to hold a “normal” job, Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) resorts to a criminal lifestyle. How far will she go?

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8

My Friend Dahmer (2017)

Take a glimpse into the early life of the infamous serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, in this truly disturbing movie. As you peer into his home life, the murderous puzzle pieces start to fall together.

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Ever get the feeling that there are eyes on you? A young couple purchases their first house, but soon find that someone is not happy they’ve moved in and won’t stop until they’re gone. (Here’s the horrifying true story behind the home’s origins.)

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10

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

After performing an exorcism on the young Emily Rose (Jennifer Carpenter), a priest is sent to jail for her murder. But when a lawyer picks up the case, they may have no choice but to believe the unbelievable. What really happened to Emily Rose?

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The only thing scarier than having five daughters is living in a haunted house with them. The Conjuring (existing in a movie universe of seven other true horror films) documents the Perron family’s struggle with demonic forces.

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In Angst, a killer is released after serving only a decade of jail time for murder. But some people never change. With the urge to kill creeping up on him once again, he takes to tormenting a family in a rural home.

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Do you believe in ghosts? An Oxford University professor enlists a team of his students to perform experiments and summon the darkness from within Jane Harper, a possessed young woman. Their ambition puts them in over their heads, and they find themselves face-to-face with an unrelenting evil.

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In a household where their mother justifies unspeakable acts of abuse with perverse religious beliefs, four siblings are stuck in a hell on Earth. The Afflicted is based on the Theresa Knorr case of the 1980s. (Word to the wise: The trailer is not for the faint of heart.)

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Holding hundreds of rooms and standing seven stories, the Winchester house outside San Francisco, California has no shortage of space for hauntings. When vengeful entities begin striking too closely for her liking, Sarah Winchester (Helen Mirren) sets out to build a prison to contain them forever.

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16

The Girl Next Door (2007)

After two sisters are orphaned, they are taken to live with their aunt who subjects them to abuse as a form of discipline. Her son, along with other neighborhood boys, are looped into participating in her sickening torture. (Trigger warning: sexual abuse.)

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17

The Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)

Pregnant actress Sharon Tate (Hilary Duff) is thrust into the middle of the Manson Family cult. With her husband out of the country, she and her baby are terrorized by the sick ways of the Manson Family.

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This movie will make every college student rethink their spring break plans. When three friends road trip to the Mexican border, they are met with a group of satanic criminals who are looking for their next human sacrifices. When one is kidnapped and held by the criminals, the other two have one mission: save him before he’s killed. The story is loosely based on a religious cult leader from the ’80s.

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Based on the Florida murders of the Gainesville Ripper (Daniel Rolling), Scream follows a killer and his deadly game. The end of this film will leave you trusting nobody—not even your closest friends.

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Does it take seeing to believe? Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donaghue), a seminary student, is counseled to take a course in exorcism to spark his faith in Christianity. What he learns will stay with him forever.

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Inspired by a real doll named Robert, Child’s Play tells the story of a young boy and his new toy: a doll with a colorful striped shirt, flaming red hair and a relentless desire to kill. Here’s the 2019 remake.

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Hounds of Love is a crime thriller that follows a young woman attempting to escape a couple who kidnap and torment her. The 2016 film is loosely based on the crimes of Australian couple David and Catherine Birnie, also known as the Moorhouse Murders.

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Imagine the infamous Jonestown Massacre set in the modern day. That’s the real-life connection for The Sacrament, about two fictional VICE journalists who document their coworker’s search for his sister after she joins a reclusive cult.

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26

10 Rillington Place (1971)

This British crime drama is based on the story of serial killer John Christie, who murdered eight women (including his own wife). The case is especially sad considering Christie managed to throw police off by helping convict his neighbor for one of the murders. Eventually, the man was pardoned after Christie was apprehended.

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Love camping? Backcountry may change that. The 2014 film is loosely based on a couple that encountered a hungry man-eating bear while on a camping trip in Ontario.

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Alfred Hitchcock’s freaky flick about deadly, chaotic birds could have been based on a case in 1961 where birds in the Monterey Bay area acted strange and rammed into people’s houses because of some unknown cause. And in 2011, ABC News reported researchers discovered an algae that may have contributed to times when birds acted strange historically.

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29

Things Heard & Seen (2021)

Amanda Seyfried stars in this supernatural horror film based on a novel All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage. A couple who moves into a new house and experiences strange happenings with spirits in their house. Brundage’s novel was reportedly based on her own personal experiences.

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30

Fire In the Sky (1993)

Based on the book The Walton Experience, Fire in the Sky chronicles a logger’s supposed alien abduction and the aftermath. The film departs from logger Travis Walton’s original account of the events, but still makes for an entertaining story.

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Jenna Calderón
Jenna Calderón is a freelancer with a passion for storytelling.

Milan Polk
Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men’s Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine’s Vulture and Chicago Tribune.

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This article was originally posted here.

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