The Conjuring 3 will delve into one of the “most sensational cases” of demonic possession

Paul Moore

The plot sees the Warrens fighting “for the soul of a young boy which takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before.” It’s released on 11 September.

2019 hasn’t quite finished yet, but it’s arguable that film fans will be drawing up their list of the best horrors of the last 12 months.

Titles like Midsommar, Ready Or Not, Us, and The Hole in the Ground will probably feature, but we’re already turning our attention to 2020 and one title really does dominate the horror genre, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

Now that the official title has been released, the film’s website has disclosed details of the plot.

It states that: “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.”

Of course, this description supports a previous interview that James Wan (director of The Conjuring 1 and 2) gave about the film.

“It’s not necessarily based on an artefact but it’s based on one of the Warrens’ case files… It’s this guy who was on trial for committing a murder. I think it’s the first time in America’s history where the defendant used possessions as a reason, as an excuse,” he said.

Deadline have also confirmed that the next instalment of the Conjuring universe will be based on the famous case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson.

On November 24, 1981, in Brookfield, Connecticut, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the killing of his landlord, Alan Bono. Johnson claimed that a demon had moved from the body of an 11-year-old boy named David Glatzel into his own body and possessed him, making him to stab Alan Bono.

According to testimony by the Glatzel family, their son had allegedly played host to the demon that forced Johnson to kill Bono.

After witnessing a number of increasingly ominous occurrences involving David, the family, exhausted and terrified, decided to enlist the aid of self-described demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren in a last-ditch effort to “cure” David.

The Glatzel family, along with the Warrens, then proceeded to have David exorcised by a number of Catholic priests.

The exorcism continued for several days, concluding when, according to those present, a demon fled the child’s body and took up residence within Johnson. Several months later, Johnson killed his landlord during a heated conversation.

Johnson’s court case would become known as “The Devil Made Me Do It” case — hence the title.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is released on 11 September, 2020.

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