Ed and Lorraine Warren are known as the con men of the paranormal world, exploiting the desperate for fame and recognition. But in James Wan’s “The Conjuring” franchise, the Warrens (Vera Farmiga plays Lorraine, and Patrick Wilson plays her husband, Ed) became ghost-hunting Catholic superheroes.
The second film about the Warrens, “The Conjuring 2,” is based on the case of the Enfield Poltergeist, which tormented a single mother named Peggy Hodgson and her four children in their north London home. For 18 months, Hodgson and her family claimed that they saw furniture moving by itself, heard knocks and disembodied voices, and actually levitated. The youngest daughter, Janet, played in the film by Madison Wolfe, allegedly became possessed by the poltergeist, who spoke through her and told investigators he was the ghost of Bill Wilkens, who died in the house (this was corroborated by public records).
It wasn’t just the Hodgsons who had a brush with the paranormal, either. Over 30 people, including journalists, neighbors, and other investigators, witnessed some sort of activity. However, the Warrens were not as involved in the case as “The Conjuring 2” would lead you to believe. In fact, the Warrens showed up to the house unannounced and were initially not allowed inside. Regardless, regarding the case, the real-life Ed Warren said, “Those who deal with the supernatural day in and day out know the phenomena are there — there’s no doubt about it.”