20 Shocking Real Stories That Became Horror Movies

Psycho

A horror classic, Psycho told the tale of a lonely man at a motel and a number of unexplained and sinister murders which happened there during the night. Unbeknownst to some, Psycho was based on the case of real life murderer Ed Gein, a serial killer who brutally slaughtered women.

Snowtown

One of Australia’s most infamous killers, John Bunting found himself on the big screen in the deeply disturbing horror film Snowtown. Based on the brutal murders that Bunting carried out, the film revealed the extent that the murderer went to cover up his crimes, even phoning his victims’ families to say that they were going away on holiday.

Wolf Creek

The Australian outback is not a place that you would like to find yourself during the night and this is no more apparent than in Wolf Creek. Based on a number of killers who kidnapped outback tourists and tortured them in the woods, Wolf Creek was a genuinely disturbing movie to watch and left many viewers haunted for some time afterwards.

The Exorcist

With its tales of demon possession and head spinning, it’s hard to believe that The Exorcist was linked to any form of reality. However, the film was based on a book by William Peter Blatty, which revealed insight into a young boy who was possessed by an unknown force.