The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2 are two of the best horror movies released in the last several years. Not only because of director James Wan's expert use of pacing and tone, but also because of their subject matter. The movies are based on the real life cases of paranormal investigators and demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren (portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the films), and thinking that this stuff might have actually happened is terrifying. And with such a huge back catalogue of cases, I can't help but wonder what The Conjuring 3 will be about.
Wan recently told Chris Tilly of IGN that he has a third story in mind already, but he won't reveal what it is. He did however suggest that it will be based on another actual investigation by the Warrens, meaning another terrifying true story is heading fans' way. The first film dealt with their investigation into the Rhode Island home of the Perron family in the early '70s. That film also involved the haunted Annabelle doll from a previous case of theirs (and which inspired a spinoff film, Annabelle , which did not focus on the Warrens). The Conjuring 2 mainly focuses on their investigation of the Enfield Poltergeist, but it also covers some of their investigation into the famed Amityville House. So with the Perrons, Enfield, Annabelle, and Amityville off the table, what's left?
Luckily for the franchise, the Warrens have conducted many more interesting cases over the years. Here are a few contenders.
The Smurl Haunting
Already the inspiration for the 1991 TV movie The Haunted, the Smurl family lived in West Pittson, Pennsylvania and began having strange experiences in 1974. This is another case of a demon haunting a house, familiar territory for the Warrens, but this one was apparently more aggressive than most. The demon is said to have assaulted the Smurl's dog, pushed their daughter down a flight of stairs, and even to have raped family patriarch Jack Smurl. When the Warrens were brought in to investigate, Ed claimed to have seen a dark apparition, and to have witnessed the words "get out" appear on a mirror. This movie writes itself.
The Snedecker Haunting
Another case that's already been made into a movie (2009's The Haunting in Connecticut), but Lorraine criticized the film as being unfaithful to the true story. The real story focuses on the Snedecker family of Connecticut, who moved to a new home in the '80s that was once a funeral home. Lorraine claims the old morticians in the funeral home used to have sex with corpses, giving off some serious bad mojo, and the Snedecker kids began hearing coffins being pulled around in their room after moving in. Things reportedly got really crazy during attempts to exorcise their home, with Ed nearly suffering a heart attack during one prayer session, and a tree inexplicably breaking in half and falling onto the home at the conclusion of the final exorcism.
The Devil Made Me Do It
Another famous case with various media depictions, this one is heavier than most since it involves an actual murder. 11-year-old David Glatzel of Brookfield, Connecticut allegedly became possessed by several demons in the early '80s. He began seeing an old man that no one else could see, who later transformed into a Latin-speaking monster that threatened to steal his soul. The rest of the family heard noises in the attic and reportedly witnessed David suffer injuries from an invisible force. The Warrens conducted several exorcisms, and were assisted by the 19-year-old boyfriend of David's sister, Arne Cheyenne. Cheyenne allegedly coerced one of the demons out of David during an exorcism, and a short while later stabbed his landlord to death.
At his trial, Cheyenne used the defense of demonic possession, but it didn't hold water and he was convicted of manslaughter. In 2006, David sued Lorraine over the reprint of her book about the case, claiming that the demonic possession was a hoax perpetrated by the Warrens and that he had a mental disorder. Given the legal troubles with the case, this one may not be the most likely candidate for a movie, but it's quite the story.
The White Lady Of Union Cemetery
What is it with Connecticut? Union Cemetery in Easton has been referred to as the most haunted place in the state, thanks to a lady in white who is said to walk the property and appear to people driving by. The Warrens owned a home close to the cemetery and used to visit it often, even claiming to have captured the white lady on video. Although the white lady isn't reported as being malevolent, the setting of a graveyard as opposed to another haunted house could prove to be a nice change of pace for the franchise.
Werewolf Demon
You read that right. Werewolf demon. Englishman Bill Ramsey was nine-years-old when he had his first episode. He was playing in the yard when he suddenly felt like he was a wolf, and began having a wild and violent fit. He continued to have fits but managed to keep them secret until well into adulthood, when he went to the hospital for chest pain and suddenly turned feral, biting his nurses and attacking a police officer. The Warrens tracked him down and exorcised what they claim was a werewolf demon. Ramsey obviously never physically transformed into a wolf, but during his violent fits he mentally believed that he was an animal.
The Warrens have so many terrifying cases that would translate well to film, meaning the Conjuring franchise could continue for many years to come.
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures
