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5 Warren Case Files That Could Be the Plot of ‘The Conjuring 3’!

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The Conjuring Sequels

The Conjuring 2 won the hearts of many horror fans last weekend, and if box office receipts are any indication a sequel should be put into production soon. Though writer/director James Wan may not be at the helm due to his commitments to Aquaman, he will most likely serve as producer like he did on the Saw and Insidious sequels. The Conjuring 2 takes place at the tail end of the 1970s, so it makes sense that a sequel would take place in the 80s (even Wan has admitted this). The Warrens had quite a few well known cases during that decade (whether or not they are “true” is up to you), giving the writers of The Conjuring 3 plenty to pick from. Here are the five most well-known case files of the Warrens that could potentially be at the center of The Conjuring 3!

The Demonic Possession of Arne Cheyenne Johnson

Otherwise known as “The Devil Made Me Do It” case, the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson was the first case in the United States to use demonic possession as a defense. Johnson was on trial for murdering his landlord Alan Bono on November 24, 1981 in Brookfield, Connecticut. As part of his testimony, Johnson claimed that an 11-year-old boy acted as host to the demon that made him murder Bono. The Warrens were brought in to exorcise the demon from the child, and after several days, the demon left and entered Johnson, forcing him to kill Bono. Johnson was eventually convicted but only served five years of his 10- to 20-year sentence before being released. This case could be useful for The Conjuring 3 in that it would force the writers to change the style of narrative. Part exorcism and part court case, it would be more in the vein of The Exorcism of Emily Rose than the first two Conjuring films. This would prevent the potential sequel from becoming too familiar to audiences and critics, prompting complaints of it being “more of the same.”

The Conjuring Sequels

The Haunting In Connecticut

James Wan has said that he opted not to use the Amityville Horror as the centerpiece of The Conjuring 2 (or any Conjuring sequel) because the case has been adapted too many times. The Haunting in Connecticut was already adapted into a 2009 film starring Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen, but it wasn’t very good (and neither was the DTV sequel starring Chad Michael Murray). Using this particular case file as the main plot of The Conjuring 3 could do justice to the story, in which the Warrens proclaimed the Snediker home to be infested with demons since it was a former funeral home. They may choose not to go this route though since, like Amityville, it’s been done before.

The Conjuring Sequels

The Smurl Haunting

This haunting, which supposedly lasted from 1974 to 1989, took place in the home of Jack and Janet Smurl. They claimed that they witnessed multiple instances of supernatural phenomena (smells, sounds, etc.). They finally brought the Warrens in in 1986, who declared that their house was occupied by three spirits and a demon that was said to have sexually assaulted both of the Smurls. This gives the filmmaking team three ghosts and a demon to work with. It ups the stakes and could lead the way to tons of varying scares.

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The Werewolf of Southend

This is my pick for a sequel if only because it’s so ridiculous. Apparently in the late 80s the Warrens claimed they exorcised a “werewolf demon” from a carpenter named Bill Ramsey. He claimed to have experienced super-strength and bouts of aggression that he blamed on the werewolf demon that possessed him. As ridiculous as this sounds, it could make for a really great movie. First, it would provide a different take on the werewolf sub-genre, a sub-genre that has become stale in recent years. Second, it’s something that, to my knowledge, hasn’t ever been done before in a film. I mean, it’s a werewolf demon! The only reason I could see them not going this route (and any of the cases listed after this) would be because it takes place too late in the 80s and would mean skipping over a bunch of well known case files. This limits the cases they could use for future sequels.

The Conjuring Sequel

The White Lady of Union Cemetery

Finally, we’ve got the White Lady of Union Cemetery. Located in Easton, Connecticut, Union Cemetery is considered to be one of the most haunted cemeteries in the United States. The “White Lady” is said to wear, you guessed it, a white dress or nightgown while haunting said cemetery. Ed Warren claimed to have seen the ghost in person. The legend of the White Lady is told  in many countries, which means the writers could pick which location and iteration of the White Lady they would like to use for the film. This case file takes place in the late 80s/early 90s and, like the Werewolf Demon, would mean skipping over a bunch of well-known cases. It is doubtful they would choose this case file, but it could be fun!

The Conjuring Sequels

Which of the above case files do you want to see adapted in The Conjuring 3? It may not be the same without Wan behind the camera, but at least there’s enough material to mine out of each of these cases to make for a terrifying film!

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

LEPRECHAUN

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

LEPRECHAUN RETURNS sequel

Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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