7 Chilling Facts Proving 'The Conjuring' Films Are More Fictional Than You Think (Updated 2025)

The Conjuring franchise has cemented itself as a modern horror powerhouse, terrifying global audiences with its claims of being "based on a true story." As of December 2025, the newest installment, The Conjuring: Last Rites, is set to continue this terrifying tradition, drawing from another one of the infamous case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The core question remains: how much of the on-screen terror is truly rooted in reality? The answer is far more complex, and often more controversial, than the films suggest.

This deep dive explores the current, up-to-date facts about the real-life cases that inspired the Conjuring Universe, from the original Perron family haunting to the new Smurl family case, breaking down the chilling truth and the vast amount of Hollywood fiction. The reality, according to those who lived it, is that the films are "about 95 percent fiction and about five percent hard truth."

The True Story Behind The Conjuring (2013): The Perron Family Case

The first film, The Conjuring (2013), is the foundation of the cinematic universe, and it is based on the experiences of the Perron family at their Rhode Island farmhouse in the early 1970s. While the film took significant dramatic liberties, the family members—particularly the eldest daughter, Andrea Perron—have consistently maintained that the haunting was real, albeit far less dramatic than the movie portrays.

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• The Family: Roger and Carolyn Perron, and their five daughters: Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April.
• The Location: The Old Arnold Estate (now known as the Conjuring House) in Harrisville, Rhode Island.
• The Timeframe: The family lived in the house from 1971 to 1980. The Warrens' investigation began in 1973.
• The Alleged Entity: The spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, a woman rumored to have been a witch who lived on the property in the mid-1800s. The film heavily emphasizes her curse.
• The Key Incident: The most significant event, which the film captures, involves Carolyn Perron's alleged possession and the attempted exorcism performed by Ed Warren.

1. The "95% Fiction" Reality of the Perron Haunting

The biggest update and most telling fact about the original film comes directly from Andrea Perron, who has given numerous interviews as recently as 2024. She famously stated that the movie is "about 95 percent fiction and about five percent hard truth."

The five percent of truth includes the fact that the family did move into the house, they did experience paranormal phenomena (such as objects moving, beds levitating, and strange smells), and the Warrens did visit the property. However, the film's climactic exorcism scene and the constant, violent attacks are largely fabricated for Hollywood effect.

2. The Real Bathsheba Sherman Was Not a Demonic Witch

The primary antagonist of the first film is the demonic witch Bathsheba Sherman, who allegedly cursed the land to prevent any family from finding happiness there. In reality, a woman named Bathsheba Sherman did live on the property in the 1800s.

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Historical records show she was a real person, but there is no credible evidence or documented proof that she was a Satanic witch or that she murdered her child as depicted. The film’s backstory for the entity is a dramatic creation, twisting historical figures into a terrifying cinematic villain for the sake of the horror genre and a strong narrative.

3. The Warrens Were Asked to Leave the Perron Home

The film portrays the Warrens as the heroes who successfully aided the Perron family. The truth is more complicated. The Warrens' involvement was brief and, according to Andrea Perron, ultimately detrimental.

The family asked the Warrens to leave after the alleged exorcism attempt on Carolyn Perron. Andrea Perron described the experience as terrifying and believes the process only amplified the paranormal activity, making the situation worse for her mother and the family. This crucial detail—the Warrens' departure—is omitted from the film to maintain their heroic image as paranormal investigators and demonologists.

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The True Story Behind The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025): The Smurl Haunting

To keep the franchise fresh and current, the newest installment, *The Conjuring: Last Rites* (a 2025 release), turns its attention to another highly controversial case from the Warrens' files: the Smurl family haunting. This case is often cited as one of the most vicious and publicized demonic possessions of the 1980s, occurring in West Pittston, Pennsylvania.

4. The Smurl Case Involved Alleged Physical and Sexual Assault

The Smurl family—Jack, Janet, and their children—claimed their home was plagued by four distinct demonic entities, including one that allegedly sexually assaulted Jack and Janet. The case, which occurred in the 1970s and 1980s, was considered a particularly dark and violent haunting.

They reported terrifying supernatural phenomena, including objects flying, foul odors, levitating beds, and disembodied voices. The Warrens became involved in 1986 and claimed the house was home to a powerful demon. This level of alleged physical and sexual assault, if accurately portrayed, would make The Conjuring: Last Rites the darkest film in the series.

5. The Smurl Haunting Was Fiercely Debunked by Skeptics

Unlike the Perron case, which was quieter until the movie, the Smurl case was a media sensation and faced immediate, intense scrutiny. Skeptics, including the local clergy and other paranormal researchers, widely dismissed the claims.

Critics pointed to the lack of independent evidence for the alleged poltergeist activity and suggested that the Smurls’ claims were likely due to psychological factors, like mass hysteria, or an outright hoax. This intense public debate over the Smurl claims is a key difference from the original *The Conjuring* story and adds a layer of skepticism to the "true story" claim of the new film.

The Controversial Legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren

No discussion of the "true story" behind *The Conjuring* is complete without addressing the legacy of the central figures: Ed and Lorraine Warren. They were self-proclaimed demonologists and founders of the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), and their work inspired not just the main *Conjuring* films but also spin-offs like *Annabelle* and *The Nun*.

6. The Warrens Were Highly Controversial Figures

Ed (who passed away in 2006) and Lorraine Warren (who passed away in 2019) were, and remain, highly controversial figures. They gained massive fame from cases like the Amityville Horror and the Perron family haunting. However, critics often accused them of being sensationalists and profiting from the vulnerability of people experiencing psychological distress.

Skeptics, including former associates, have accused the Warrens of fabricating evidence and exaggerating claims for financial gain and publicity. The films, by presenting the Warrens as straightforward, devout heroes, intentionally omit this significant debate and controversy surrounding their methods and credibility.

7. The Real Conjuring House Owners Sued Over the Haunting

The alleged haunting didn't end with the Perron family's departure in 1980. The subsequent owners of the Old Arnold Estate (the "Conjuring House"), Norma Sutcliffe and Gerry Helfrich, also reported strange phenomena. However, their major "haunting" was from the public.

They sued the Warrens and Warner Bros. over the constant stream of trespassers, curiosity seekers, and amateur paranormal investigators who flocked to their private home after the 2013 film's release. This legal battle highlights a different, non-supernatural kind of real-life horror caused by the film's success and its "true story" marketing.

The Final Verdict on The Conjuring's "True Story"

The undeniable success of the Conjuring Universe lies in its ability to blend real-life accounts with high-octane Hollywood horror. The films are indeed "based on a true story" in the sense that real families—the Perrons and the Smurls—did seek the help of real-life demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, for alleged supernatural phenomena.

However, the on-screen events—the dramatic possessions, the explosive exorcisms, and the terrifying entities like Bathsheba and Annabelle—are overwhelmingly fictionalized. The real-life horror is less about a cinematic demon and more about the psychological and emotional toll a decade-long belief in a haunting can take on a family. The current update for 2025 confirms that the franchise continues to mine the Warrens' controversial case files, promising more terrifying, yet heavily fictionalized, accounts of demonic possession and poltergeist activity.