The Conjuring franchise is ending with Last Rites, but the big question fans are asking is whether it is based on a true story or a fake. The movie takes inspiration from one of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s most disturbing cases—the Smurl family haunting in Pennsylvania. While Hollywood adds drama, the roots of the story come from chilling events reported in the 1980s.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as Ed and Lorraine Warren for the last time. The movie is set in 1986, five years after The Devil Made Me Do It. In the story, the Warrens think about retirement, but their plans change when a family begs them for help against a violent spirit. The case pulls them into what many believe was one of their darkest battles.
The Conjuring: Last Rites – Based on Real Story?
Yes, Conjuring Last Rites is inspired by a true story. Jack and Janet Smurl moved into their duplex in 1976. For years, life was normal. But in 1985, things changed. A ceiling light fell on their daughter, Shannon, starting a series of terrifying events.
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The Smurls said they heard screams, smelled foul odours, and even suffered physical attacks. Their dog was thrown against the walls. Their daughters were pushed down stairs. Jack even claimed he was sexually assaulted by a demonic entity.
“Up until a year ago, I thought that these types of things only happened in movies,” Jack told Lorraine Warren in 1986. “I wasn’t really a believer.”
Public Attention & Failed Exorcisms
The family turned to priests for exorcisms, but the hauntings did not stop. Finally, they went public. Their story spread nationwide, and the Warrens stepped in. In time, Rev Joseph Adonizio said “intense prayers” drove away the violent spirits.
By 1988, the Smurls moved to Wilkes-Barre. Their story became a book, The Haunted: One Family’s Nightmare, in 1986. It later became a TV movie in 1991. Jack Smurl passed away in 2017, but his daughter Carin later told the Pocono Record, “We had such a hard time and nobody to turn to. He was happy I was a voice out there for people who need help.”
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What Happened to the Haunted House?
The West Pittston house was sold in 1987. Interestingly, later residents reported no paranormal issues. Some skeptics say this proves the story was exaggerated. Others believe the prayers worked and the evil was left with the Smurls.
Real or Fake? The Ongoing Debate
This is where the mystery lies. The Smurls swore their haunting was real. The Warrens believed it, too. Skeptics counter that it was a combination of media attention, stress, and imagination. The case is still among the most well-known paranormal tales in America, whether it is true or not.
Dark Ending for a Legendary Horror Series
The Conjuring: Last Rites brings the Smurl haunting to the big screen, closing a series that terrified audiences for over a decade. Real or not, the story continues to scare. The film will release worldwide on September 5, 2025.
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