Latest news with #TheConjuring
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Death-wish doll locked in glass case 'causes horror car smash' amid grim warning
Once kept firmly behind glass, Annabelle is now touring the US, and the grandson of Ed and Lorraine has grave concerns about the harm the sinister doll could reportedly inflict in the wrong hands For decades, the notorious Annabelle doll has been providing nightmare fuel. Now, amid fears that she could be wreaking mayhem across the US, the grandson of her famous former owners has issued a forboding warning. The infamous Raggedy Ann doll, best known to modern horror fans by her more menacing fictionalised form in The Conjuring universe films, is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a deceased six-year-old girl, with this strange mythology building over time. Back in 1970, a student nurse from Hartford, Connecticut, reported a series of strange happenings surrounding the allegedly fearsome red-haired doll, claiming that Annabelle had the ability to move around, and even inflict "psychic slashes" on horrified house guests. As detailed in the 2014 movie, Annabelle, the student and her roommate, reached out to Ed and Lorraine Warren for assistance—the husband-and-wife duo famed for delving into some of the most chilling paranormal cases ever recorded, from the Amityville haunting to the Enfield poltergeist. After deeming Annabelle to be demonically possessed, Ed and Lorraine had the doll locked up in their now-closed occult 'museum' filled with artefacts from their various investigations. This collection, kept at the Warrens' former home in Monroe, Connecticut, included a purported vampire coffin as well as a child's gravestone, which had allegedly been used for satanic purposes. Out of all these objects, however, there is none that sparks a shudder quite like Annabelle. Kept in a glass case bearing the warning 'positively do not open', young members of the Warren family were taught from an early age that Annabelle was not a toy. In a recent interview with the Mirror, the Warrens' grandson, Chris McKinnell, recalled how, in his youth, he was taught to respect the artefacts in his grandparents' museum, reflecting, "Annabelle is more like a cobra". Chris "grew up in" the Warrens' museum, which was never open to the public, and which he views as more of a "prison" than a place of curiosity. He can still remember one chilling instance when his then two-year-old sister locked him inside at night—an instance reminiscent of a shudder-inducing scene involving a child in the third Conjuring film. Looking back on this traumatising incident, Chris shared: "My grandfather, luckily, was in his office and heard me screaming bloody murder and he came out and got me, but after that I was so afraid of the dark I couldn't sleep without a light on." Ultimately, Chris was able to face his fears and overcome his terror of the dark in a highly unusual way—by accompanying Ed and Lorraine in their spine-tingling line of work. He joined Ed on his first case at the age of just 16 and claims to have heard wall-shaking poundings, clawings, and growls during this intense initiation. Inspired by his war veteran grandfather's bravery, however, the teenage Chris stood firm. He went on to help out his grandparents on some of their best-known cases, including the possession of Maurice Theriault, who inspired the character of Frenchy in the Nun movies. Now 60, Chris is on a mission to encourage others not to be frightened when it comes to activity from the other side of the veil, so to speak. Having reportedly inherited several of his grandmother's psychic gifts, although apparently not all, Chris upholds Ed and Lorraine's legacy through the Warren Legacy Foundation, through which he continues their work on a worldwide scale. Chris explained: "My goal is to educate people and let them not be afraid. When you hear the footsteps in the hallway in the middle of the night, it's not the devil, for God's sake; it's probably your grandmother or the old man that used to live there." However, when it comes to Annabelle, Chris believes caution is absolutely necessary, as family members and those close to them have learned the hard way. Chris recounted the story of family friend Father Bill Charboneau, who reportedly ended up in severe peril following an encounter with Annabelle. Back in 1975, Father Bill, whom he remembers as "one of these hip young 70s priests", drove over to the Warren home, located, fittingly, Chris believes, on a dead end, to show off his brand new car and call upon devout Catholics, Ed and Lorraine. Chris, who remembers attending Father Bill's Christmas Eve mass with his grandmother, said: "Afterwards, he said to my grandfather, 'Ed, I hear you've got a doll that attacks people', and he says, 'Yes, Father, it's downstairs, would you like to see it?' "Now, at this point, it wasn't in a box; it was still sitting in a rocking chair. And so they go downstairs, Father Bill looks at it, picks it up, throws it across from him and says, 'God is stronger than the devil'. And my grandfather looked at him and said, 'Yes, Father, God is stronger than the devil, but no man is'. "That night, and this is according to Father Bill, he was driving home that night on Route 8 in Connecticut, and he saw this white light coming out of the sky directly at him. And just before he veered off the road, in the halo of the light, he swore he saw Annabelle. He went into the median, the car was ripped in half, and his leg was broken. "Now, my grandfather used to talk about that until I think Father Bill asked him to stop, at which point my grandfather changed the story. He still tried to warn the public not to mess with Annabelle, but changed this to a boy on a motorcycle with his girlfriend. Not true, never happened. That's the Father Bill story that he changed. He wasn't doing it to be dishonest; he was doing it to warn the public of the dangers." On another, separate occasion, Ed and Lorraine were driving along Route 84 in Pennsylvania, a "pretty lonely road". There weren't really any other cars around, but there was a truck about a quarter mile back. As they drove, the religious couple couldn't help but notice the abundance of biblical-sounding place names along the way, communities such as Lords Valley, Bethlehem, and Paradise. Chris revealed: "My grandfather made an offhand joke, and said, 'Not even Annabelle or Amityville can bother us here because of all of the biblical influences'. "And they said that it felt like something had smacked the back of their car, like they'd been hit by another car, and their car spun and went into a ditch. This was a big black beauty. I had the licence plate GHOST. My grandparents gave me the car many years later. The truck stopped, obviously, to help, and he said that he swore they'd gotten in a car accident like another car had hit them, but there was nobody there." He added: "My grandfather said, 'I learned then never to joke around about Annabelle'." Annabelle is reportedly now travelling around the US, as part of The Devils on the Run Tour, and those who've long followed Warren's adventures can now get right up close to America's most feared doll. Fascinated crowds have turned up in droves. However, there are those who are more concerned than excited, with some even believing Annabelle's presence has sparked everything from fires to jailbreaks. Chris does not believe Annabelle is demonically possessed and also does not think she's capable of causing catastrophe on such a colossal scale. However, he does believe she contains a certain energy that could be dangerous, especially to those who are particularly vulnerable. According to Chris, "My grandfather would have told you the same thing. When you go into the museum, he always told us, he told everybody he invited in: 'Do not touch anything'. "If your energy interacts with its energy, you can be hurt if you're the wrong person, if you are that susceptible person. I believe there are enough people who are terrified of Annabelle that even if this were not the actual doll itself, if they're using a stand-in, which I don't know. It would still be dangerous because there are people who are psychologically vulnerable. They can easily believe that they're being influenced by this thing, and they could cause harm to themselves or others." In recent years, Chris says he's "constantly" getting requests for help from people who believe Annabelle has appeared to them - something that didn't happen before she exploded onto multiplex cinema screens. Although it's purported that Annabelle hasn't actually harmed a human being since 1975, the psychological hold she has over modern believers in the paranormal remains undeniable. As for Chris, he views Annabelle as an egregore, an entity "created through human energy" that has reacted over the years to the fears of others. The innocent-looking doll's seriously creepy backstory gives it shape, identity, and ultimately power over those who roll up to stare at it. He said: "I'm not afraid of this thing, but that's because it's like a snake handler learning how to handle snakes. I know what this thing is, I know how to deal with it, and I'm not going to be afraid of it, but I do respect it and its power. I don't believe it's a demon. But I do believe it has energy. I don't believe it has tremendous intelligence or anything of the sort. I think it's reactive, not active. So why doesn't it break out of its case? It's reactive, not active." Ed died in 2006 at the age of 79, seven years before the first The Conjuring movie had cinema goers shrieking in their seats. Lorraine died in 2019 at the age of 92, having lived long enough to see their work immortalised in Hollywood blockbusters. This pop culture phenomenon has certainly been strange for Chris to witness. Chris remembers his maternal grandparents as "just good people" and far more ordinary than the "pedestal" of "Hollywood fantasy" would suggest. They were open to changing with the times and admitting they were wrong when needed. Chris recalled: "Even my grandmother said the best psychic in the world is only right 60 per cent of the time, which is a terrible average to change your life." While the couple did both enjoy painting spooky pictures, Ed wasn't a keen singer or guitar player, as was depicted in the blockbuster franchise. Chris doesn't see too much of his grandparents in the portrayals, however, he admits to having felt emotional during a scene in The Conjuring 3, when Ed presents Lorraine with a gazebo - an event which actually occurred in real life. Grandma Lorraine was soft on her grandson and sweetly fond of keeping chickens when she wasn't tackling otherworldly mysteries, but also wasn't one to be crossed. Grandad Ed could be a "joker" when it came to the spooky nature of their work, especially when it came to his "Halloween room" in the basement, which connected to the museum. Chris laughed: "Oh, he could be a pain sometimes. I was already afraid. And he'd have me going down the stairs to the basement and have rubber bats dropping on my head and things like that." As for his own experiences with the museum, Chris has only encountered one inexplicable occurrence, which occurred when he invited a friend to see the eerie display. This was after the death of his grandfather, and Chris and his friend stopped by Union Cemetery. In life, Ed had been "fascinated" by Union Cemetery, a spot said to be haunted by the spectral 'White Lady'. They stopped by his grandparents' home and museum on the way to visit Ed's grave in Stepney. And what at first seemed like an ordinary trip turned extraordinary once they looked back at the photos they'd taken. Chris told us, "We took photos there first. Then we went to the museum, my grandmother told us, 'Go right ahead'. I took pictures of her at my grandfather's desk. I took a picture of her with Annabelle and everywhere else. Then we went and visited my grandfather's grave and took pictures there. She's looking at all these photos, and there's no problem. But the next morning, when we go to look at the photos again, Union Cemetery is there. My grandfather's grave is there, but everything that we took in the museum was gone."
India.com
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This 2 hour horror thriller film is too scary to watch alone, its spine-chilling scenes will haunt you for days, scarier than The Conjuring, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, 13B, name is…, lead actors are…
This 2 hour horror thriller film is too scary to watch alone, its spine-chilling scenes will haunt you for days, scarier than The Conjuring, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, 13B, name is..., lead actors are... Sometimes, the most terrifying things aren't the ghosts or the monsters, but they are what's lurking inside someone's mind. Paranormal thriller films play with your mind, intrigue you, and make you question what's real. These stories slowly build a strong feeling of apprehension inside you, and turn your mind into a haunted house. If you enjoy such movies which keep you guessing until the every end, than this horror thriller is for you. Released in 2019, the film we are talking about is 706. Directed by Shravan Kumar, the film stars Atul Kulkarni and Divya Dutta, Yashvit Sancheti, Mohan Agashe, Raayo S. Bakhirta and Anupam Shyam in key roles. The film's storyline starts with Dr. Anil Asthana, the owner of a posh hospital, who suddenly goes missing. His wife Dr. Suman Asthana becomes extremely worried, and gets deeply involve in the search of her husband. The officer, DCP Shekhawat, who handles the case tries to find out the solid leads, but struggles miserably. Meanwhile, another intriguing case comes out of a mysterious child, who is battling an undiagnosed illness and shows unusual behaviour, leaving everyone suspicious. The child desires to meet Dr. Suman and a different connection forms between the child, Dr. Suman, and DCP Shekhawat, all connected by number 706. Lead actors Atul Kulkarni and Divya Dutta are highly-praised for their performances. Child actor Yashvit Sancheti too captivates masses with his mysterious portrayal. Talking about the technical crew, cinematographer Virendra K did a great job in capturing the visuals, whereas, Kumar Tiwari handled the editing department quite well. Amar Mohile's soulful number Hai Re Farebi, sung by Prathaa Khandekar, with meaningful lyrics written by Milind Gadhavi is the highlight of the movie. Lastly, 706 offers a blend of suspense, horror and supernatural elements, that will challenge you to question about the truth and reality. If you want to watch this horror thriller, you can catch it on Prime Video or YouTube for free.
Daily Mail
06-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aussie Saw filmmaker James Wan shares his heartbreak after legendary producer who helped him get his big break dies aged 55
Australian filmmaker James Wan has paid tribute to beloved Saw movie producer Jason Constantine who died aged 55 on Tuesday from brain cancer. The horror director, 48, who worked on most of the Saw movies with Constantine, posted several photos of the pair together as he shared his heartbreak. 'We lost a truly great friend and human being in Jason. I've known Jason since we first came out here to make Saw. That movie is what it is today because of him,' he wrote. 'He believed in the project so much, they brought it to Lionsgate and championed it before the movie was even shot.' Wan went on to thank his late friend for helping him transform what began as a student film into a billion dollar franchise. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Jason was an unsung hero of the franchise, a constant avid supporter of the movies and the filmmakers involved,' he added. 'But more importantly, he was a genuinely kind, sweet, caring, loving man. 'A true anomaly in a town like Hollywood. And a great father and husband too.' After Constantine helped him to break into the industry, Wan went on to direct many acclaimed Hollywood blockbusters, including Fast and Furious 7 and The Conjuring. Constantine was co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group and executive producer of all ten Saw movies, created by Wan and his writing partner Leigh Whannell. He also produced the Australian-filmed US movies See No Evil, starring Rachael Taylor, and The Condemned featuring Neighbours actress Madeleine West. The producer died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday after a long battle with brain cancer. Across ten movies made from 2004 - 2023, the Saw franchise has made over AU$1bn at the box office. Wan went on to thank his late friend for helping him transform what began as a student film into a billion dollar franchise In addition to a mostly American cast, the films featured Australian actor Costas Mandylor as a villainous detective. The franchise kicked off with Saw, which hit theatres October 27, 2004, and helped put director Wan and writer Whannell on the map. The first film was produced on a modest budget and made over $100m at the box office, sparking an iconic franchise. Saw II followed just a year later, with Darren Lynn Bousman replacing Wan at the helm and co-writing the script with Whannell. The most recent movie movie, Saw X, was released in 2023 and was produced by both Wan and Constantine.
See - Sada Elbalad
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Blumhouse in Talks to Buy "Saw" Franchise from Twisted Pictures
Yara Sameh Blumhouse is in talks to acquire part of the long-running horror franchise 'Saw'. Blumhouse is in the midst of a deal to take over the ownership stake of Saw from Twisted Pictures, the banner run by Oren Koules and Mark Burg. Twisted co-owns the rights with Lionsgate, which has distributed the films since releasing the first film in 2004. If a deal is made, it would bring the franchise back into the hands of James Wan, the filmmaker who directed that movie and created the franchise with co-writer Leigh Whannell. Blumhouse, run by Jason Blum, merged with Wan's production banner, Atomic Monster, in early January 2024. The talks between Blumhouse and Twisted began last year but broke down earlier this year. A sale price was one of the big sticking points. Made for only $1.2 million, Saw became one of the most profitable horror movies of all time when it opened to $18.2 million domestically and earned $104 million worldwide. Home entertainment was equally massive (this was the DVD era, after all) and a franchise, that encompassed 10 movies as well as merchandising, video games, and more, followed. The last entry in the franchise, 'Saw X' was released in 2023 and earned $112.2 million worldwide. An 11th movie was in the works but stalled out. While it is unclear what the plans for any new stories would entail — more movies? a series? — but the deal is the latest in a growing number that have creatives or filmmakers own, partially or entirely, their creations. Koules and Burg reportedly financed most of Saw's budget after first seeing Wan and Whannel's short film. Wan, off the success of Saw, went on to create or co-create the Insidious horror franchise and The Conjuring horror universe. Saw Saw read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream
The Guardian
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Can dolls really be haunted? And did the infamous Annabelle lead a jailbreak in New Orleans?
Name: Annabelle. Age: She first surfaced in 1970, though she's a Raggedy Ann doll, a type that was first patented in 1915, so she could be as old as 110. Appearance: Cloth body, red woolly hair, stripy stockings, big eyes, fixed grin. Just a normal rag doll. Nothing to see here. If there's nothing to see, why are we talking about her? Because there happened to be a large fire and a jailbreak in New Orleans while 'one of the most infamous dolls on the planet' was in town. Reports of Annabelle going missing and causing 'local disasters' while on tour in May have been proliferating online. Chicago was bracing itself last week after rumours she was coming for them next. Hang on, hang on. 'Infamous'? 'Disasters'? Explain yourself. Annabelle is haunted, probably cursed. Given to a Connecticut nurse in 1970, she soon started moving around, leaving notes and inflicting 'psychic slashes' on visitors. Passive-aggressive, huh? I've had roommates like that. Well, the paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren concluded Annabelle was demonically possessed and removed her to their museum. 'Allegedly linked to decades of deaths and grisly paranormal activity,' according to NBC, she has subsequently inspired three films in The Conjuring horror franchise (Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home). I like the 'allegedly' there, as if she may be litigious. Look at her: she'd absolutely take you to the cleaners. So this Annabelle doll recently went walkabout and bad stuff happened? According to the New England Society for Psychic Research, who organised her tour (called Devils on the Run), Annabelle did not go missing in New Orleans, and she was never in Chicago at all. 'That doll was never out of our sight, never out of our control,' her handler, Tony Spera, confirmed. She remained in her case, which is 'usually secured by crosses and holy water'. It's fake news, then? Or possibly viral marketing, but social media users aren't buying it. 'Ed and Lorraine told y'all to keep her locked up,' one wrote on the Facebook page for Ghost City Tours, which hosted Annabelle in New Orleans. 'Nobody listened. Look at the aftermath.' TikTok users freaked out at the idea she was missing, and questioned why Annabelle was 'on tour' at all: 'Is she about to drop her first single, I love Satan and killing babies???' This is just silly, isn't it? Haunted dolls aren't real. Ebay users would beg to differ: there's a buoyant market for them, everything from 'positive, beginner-friendly' Gemma to Vicky, 'a particularly horrid spirit' who hides the TV remote and 'doesn't like men at all'. Again, I've had roommates like that. There are other celebrity haunted dolls, too: sailor-suited Robert, who lives in Florida and inflicts 'post-visit misfortunes' on disrespectful guests; and Okiku, who is possessed by a dead child and has hair that keeps growing. But Annabelle is the most powerful and we should respect her. Annabelle's making you say that, isn't she? Blink twice for yes. Shh, she'll hear you! Do say: 'Annabelle can't hurt you.' Don't say: 'Got myself a cryin', walkin', jail-breakin', murderin', haunted doll.'
