5 Chilling Facts About The Real Story From The Conjuring That Prove The Movie Lied

The real story from The Conjuring is a narrative far more complex, controversial, and, according to the family who lived it, less dramatic than the blockbuster film suggests. As of today, December 18, 2025, the fascination with the Perron family’s ordeal in their Rhode Island farmhouse remains intense, especially with the upcoming release of *The Conjuring: Last Rites* focusing on a different Warren case—the Smurl family haunting. This deep dive separates the Hollywood horror from the historical facts, revealing startling admissions from the Perron family themselves and the ongoing debate about the paranormal investigators at the heart of the franchise, Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The 2013 film, directed by James Wan, catapulted the 1970s haunting of the Perron family into global consciousness, immortalizing the story of Roger, Carolyn, and their five daughters—Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April—in their Harrisville, Rhode Island home. However, recent and ongoing interviews with the eldest daughter, Andrea Perron, confirm that the movie took significant creative liberties, admitting that only a tiny fraction of what audiences saw on screen was truthful. The true terror, she explains, was more psychological and drawn-out than a single, cinematic exorcism.

The Real Perron Family Haunting: The 5% Truth

The Perron family moved into the Arnold Estate, a sprawling farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, in 1971. The home, built in 1736, quickly proved to be a hotbed of paranormal activity.

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The entities the family encountered were numerous, described by Andrea Perron as "multi-dimensional entities" who frequented the home. The experiences included beds lifting, objects moving, and the constant presence of spirits, some benign, others malevolent.

Ed and Lorraine Warren, the self-proclaimed demonologist and clairvoyant duo, began their investigation of the farmhouse in 1973. Their involvement is the critical link between the Perron family and the *Conjuring* universe, though the nature of their intervention is heavily disputed.

Andrea Perron’s Shocking Admission. In numerous interviews, Andrea Perron has stated that only around 5% of the 2013 film, *The Conjuring*, was based on truthful events. This single fact is the most crucial distinction between the movie and the reality of the haunting.

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The family's decision to stay in the house for nearly ten years, despite the terror, was primarily due to financial constraints. They finally moved out in 1980, years after the Warrens' involvement.

Fact vs. Fiction: The Biggest Lies The Movie Told

Hollywood dramatically altered key aspects of the Perron family’s life to create a more compelling horror narrative. The differences are stark, especially concerning the central antagonist and the climax of the film.

• The Myth of Bathsheba Sherman: The movie centers the haunting around the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, a supposed witch who cursed the land and possessed Carolyn Perron. In reality, the existence of Bathsheba Sherman as a demonic entity is largely a legend popularized by the Warrens and the film. While a woman named Bathsheba Thayer lived in the area in the 19th century, there is no historical evidence linking her to witchcraft or the Perron haunting.
• Carolyn Perron Was Never Possessed: Perhaps the most significant cinematic lie is the dramatic exorcism scene involving Carolyn Perron (played by Lili Taylor). Andrea Perron has explicitly stated that her mother was never actually possessed. The real-life trauma manifested differently; Andrea noted that her mother aged rapidly during the period of the haunting.
• The Séance, Not the Exorcism: The Warrens' main intervention, as depicted in the film's climax, was an exorcism. The real event was reportedly a séance that the Warrens conducted, guiding the Perron parents to communicate with the entities. This séance reportedly had a devastating effect on Carolyn Perron, leading Roger Perron to demand the Warrens leave the property.
• The Annabelle Doll's Role: The Annabelle doll, a central figure in *The Conjuring* universe, was not involved in the Perron family haunting. The Warrens' Annabelle case was a separate investigation, and the doll's inclusion in the film was a narrative device to tie the universe together. The real Annabelle is a Raggedy Ann doll, not the porcelain figure seen in the movie.

The Warren Controversy and The Conjuring's Future

The true story of *The Conjuring* cannot be separated from the ongoing, decades-long controversy surrounding the credibility of Ed and Lorraine Warren. While the films portray them as heroic paranormal investigators (with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga playing the roles), critics and skeptics often paint a different picture.

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Claims of Fraud and Hoaxes. Ed Warren, a self-professed demonologist, and Lorraine, a trance medium, faced significant criticism throughout their careers. Critics have labeled the couple as "frauds," arguing that many of their high-profile cases were hoaxes. The Amityville Horror, another famous case investigated by the Warrens, has been widely debated and debunked as a major hoax.

Despite the skepticism, the Warrens maintained that they were dedicated to documenting and investigating genuine supernatural terror. Lorraine Warren, who was a consultant on the early films, claimed to have predicted her marriage to Ed. However, the mix of alleged supernatural terror, true crime, and Hollywood storytelling has made their legacy a cultural phenomenon that remains highly polarized.

The Conjuring Universe Moves On. The franchise continues to expand, relying on the Warrens' extensive case files for new material. The next installment, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, scheduled for a 2025 release, shifts focus entirely from the Perron family. This final film in the main series is based on the real-life 1986 haunting of the Smurl family in Pennsylvania.

The Smurl haunting involved a family who claimed to be terrorized by a demonic entity in their home, a case that garnered significant media attention in the 1980s. By moving to the Smurl family case, the franchise continues to explore the Warrens' career, suggesting the original Perron family haunting was just the beginning of their controversial legacy.

The House Today. The infamous Rhode Island farmhouse at the center of the original *Conjuring* story was recently sold, with new owners claiming to have experienced their own paranormal activity. The house remains a major attraction for paranormal enthusiasts and a symbol of the enduring power of the Perron family’s story, regardless of the Hollywood exaggerations.

Ultimately, the real story from *The Conjuring* is less about jump scares and more about a family's decade-long ordeal, the complex relationship with controversial investigators, and the blurred line between personal trauma and cinematic spectacle. The truth, as Andrea Perron reminds us, is far creepier because it was real, even if it was only 5% of what we saw on screen.