Good news for ‘Conjuring’ fans: you may have another historically accurate true-life horror franchise to watch out for. Brothers Chad and Carey Hayes, the writers of the first two films of the ‘Conjuring’ franchise, are set to write and develop a new franchise based on New Orleans’ LaLaurie Mansion according to Deadline. Some may know the infamous haunted house and owner from the third season of ‘American Horror Story’ aka ‘AHS: Coven.’
Legend tells of the house being owned by Madame Delphine LaLaurie, who went off the deep end after her third husband left her. LaLaurie, a wealthy slave owner, was victim to a disastrous house fire in 1834, which left part of her home destroyed and her dark secret exposed. A gruesome scene after the fact, the fire revealed slaves chained in their quarters; One with an iron collar around her neck, another a deep head wound., and others mutilated. All were emaciated and tortured. It was alleged that a 12-year-old slave girl fell to her death from a roof while attempting to evade a whipping from LaLaurie.
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The house was soon gutted when stunned residents heard of the horrors that had taken place inside. Today, its exteriors are a popular stop on the city’s ghost tours, but the LaLaurie Mansion has been closed to the public for nearly a century. The legend is perfect for instilling fear, and the Hayes brothers, who are considering writing the first draft of the script from inside the house, have proven that they can take historical events and spin them into commercial horror.
The ‘Conjuring’ franchise, including the ‘Annabelle’ spin-off films, has grossed a remarkable $1.9 billion worldwide. The brothers will partner with Faster Horse Pictures producers Cindy Bond (I Can Only Imagine) and Doug McKay (What to Expect When You’re Expecting) for the projects while consulting with New Orleans historian Andrew Ward. The stories will consist of multiple movies on the house’s terrifying history, spreading out over two centuries.
The Hayes brothers spoke on the project:
“We love writing films in which we get to tell true stories – incorporating moments that people can look up and discover did in fact happen. With the LaLaurie House we get to do exactly that. There is a wealth of documentation of a very dark and frightening past of true events. Not to mention that after spending some time there, what we personally experienced was truly unnerving.”
Another spooky fun fact regarding the site: ‘Ghostrider‘ actor Nicolas Cage privately bought the house in 2007 for $3.45 million. Two years later, Cage sold the house two years later for just $2.3 million, possibly due to some supernatural occurrences.
