Time to do a little more demon hunting. The third film in Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring” series just dropped its first trailer and things are about to get scary.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (also known as “The Conjuring 3”) is set for release in theaters and on HBO Max on June 4. It was previously delayed from September 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But what is the real mystery behind the Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson-helmed horror flick? The latest film in “The Conjuring” trilogy takes its inspiration from the real-life case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson — a man who was able to defend himself in court against a manslaughter charge by claiming he was demonically possessed.
The story of Johnson and his madness started in 1981 when he claimed he killed his landlord, 40-year-old Alan Bono, while he was allegedly possessed by the devil.
The Brookfield, Connecticut native was arrested and sent to prison shortly after the murder. He was released in 1986 after serving only five years of a 10-to-20-year sentence. Authorities said at the time that he was an “exemplary inmate” and was released early for good behavior.
Johnson stabbed Bono with a 5-inch pocket knife several times and he died an hour later. Johnson was then picked up two miles from the scene by police.
At his trial, Johnson pled not guilty and said the devil made him do it. The court case was known as “The Devil Made Me Do It” case — the first in the US to use the defense based on a claim the defendant was possessed by a supernatural entity.
His defense team argued it all started with Johnson’s fiancée’s 11-year-old brother David Glatzel. The team alleged that the young boy was cured of demonic possession and then the demon transferred itself over to Johnson. David’s sister Debbie Glatzel then called in priests and the famed supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren to help.
Wilson and Farmiga portray the Warrens, who are back to decipher a new case involving demonic possession. The trailer also suggests that this could be the final case for the two and a possible end of the franchise.
Director James Wan’s iconic yet blood-curdling series has spawned several spinoffs such as “Annabelle,” “The Nun” and “The Curse of La Llorona.”