From time to time, there are strange occurrences that take place on movie sets, whether it’s a light bulb smashing or a television set randomly turning on, and the cast and crew are quick to attribute them to the movies’ themes.
There are accidents and injuries that surround many movies, and fatalities and weird on-set happenings aren’t exclusive to just horror movies, However, it seems to happen on horror movie sets, specifically, possession themed horrors, way more than any other genre.
The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005)
It seems like any movie with the word “exorcism” in the title is destined to have on-set theatrics, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose is no exception. Exorcism of Emily Rose is one of the best possession movies, and it may have something to do with Jennifer Carpenter, who plays the titular character, being genuinely spooked. According to the actress, her radio came on all by itself, and the same thing reportedly happened to her costar, Laura Linney, only with her TV set.
The Conjuring (2013)
Being one of the best James Wan movies and one of the all round scariest movies of the past 10 years, there were some eerie parallels between what’s seen in The Conjuring and what happened on set. Vera Farmiga found digital claw marks on her laptop screen when she opened it after having viewed clips of paranormal investigations on YouTube. Following that, just one day after wrapping up shooting, the actress woke up with three scratches and bruises on her thigh.
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby is no stranger to chilling behind the scenes facts, as the movie is riddled with them and it was even named the most cursed hit movie ever made by Vanity Fair. The most chilling of all the facts were all of the injuries and deaths that surrounded the haunting movie.
The composer of the movie slipped into a coma and died, the producer was hospitalized with severe kidney stones, and the director’s wife, Sharon Tate, was famously murdered by the Manson Family. And this all happened just months after the movie’s release.
The Amityville Horror (2005)
2005’s The Amityville Horror follows the Lutz family who moved into a house that is reportedly haunted by Ronald DeFeo Jr., the real life murderer of six of his family members. Ryan Reynolds, the actor who plays George Lutz in the movie, claimed that he and many of the crew members woke up every morning at 3:15 am, which just happens to be the exact time that DeFeo Jr. murdered his family.
Poltergeist (1982)
21st Century paranormal horror movies wouldn’t exist without Poltergeist, but the movie isn’t without its mysterious behind-the-scenes problems. Shortly after the shooting of Poltergeist, the actress who played Dana Freeling, Dominique Dunne, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who was convicted for manslaughter. Not only that, but actress Heather O’Rourke passed away at 12 years old not long after appearing in Poltergeist 2.
The Omen (1976)
It might be one of the best movies starring Gregory Peck, but many people believe the shoot is what caused Peck’s son’s death. Though it has never been confirmed, Peck’s plane was struck by lightning as he was reportedly flying to London for the shoot of The Omen. That wasn’t the only fatality related to the movie, as a special effects artist and his girlfriend were killed in a horrific car crash shortly after the movie’s release.
The Innkeepers (2011)
Director of The House of the Devil, Ti West, has explained in interviews that The Yankee Pedlar Inn, where most of the film is based, is haunted and that he witnessed a ton of crazy stuff while shooting, but that didn’t stop him from returning to shoot The Innkeepers.
When he did return, the director claims that his phone kept ringing, and when he answered, nobody was on the other side of the line. When he asked the staff at the inn about it, they told him it happens all the time.
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Twilight Zone: The Movie is the bearer of one of the biggest on-set tragedies of a big Hollywood movie. During the filming of a helicopter scene, the helicopter crashed, murdering four actors, including Vic Morrow and two child actors. As child labor laws weren’t followed on set, the movie actually changed the industry, as Hollywood started applying more safety measures and risk-management consultants are now required to be on set at all times.
Annabelle (2014)
It seems like terror follows this franchise around, as Annabelle is a spin-off of The Conjuring, and there seems to be on-set “accidents” around every corner. When the actor who plays the demon is waiting to shoot in the green room, a glass light fixture randomly smashes over a janitor’s head, and in the movie, the demon kills a janitor. Because of that, the director had a priest bless the set of the sequel before they started filming.
The Exorcist (1973)
Another movie that is full of behind the scenes facts that you wouldn’t believe, many people think The Exorcist is cursed, as there were a ton of unfortunate incidents that happened on set. Besides a bunch of deaths of actors who starred in the movie before it was even released, the biggest on-set mishap was when a bird flew into a circuit box, which burned down the entire set except for one room, the room where the exorcism actually takes place.