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'Conjuring' creators to make horror franchise based on notorious LaLaurie Mansion murders

Tom Beasley
·Contributor
Chad Hayes (L) and Carey Hayes attend the premiere of "The Conjuring 2" during the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 7, 2016. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/WireImage)
Chad Hayes (L) and Carey Hayes attend the premiere of "The Conjuring 2" during the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 7, 2016. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/WireImage)

The writing duo behind The Conjuring are set to craft a new horror franchise based on the gruesome murders perpetrated by Madame Delphine LaLaurie at her mansion in the 1800s.

Twin brothers Chad and Carey Hayes have announced plans to put together a series of movies based around the supposedly haunted LaLaurie mansion, in which she murdered and mutilated an unknown number of slaves.

Read more: The real life story behind The Conjuring 2

The mansion, located in New Orleans, burned down in 1834 but was later rebuilt and, in 2007, actor Nicolas Cage bought the property for $3.45m (£2.67m).

It was when the fire department attended the 1834 blaze that they discovered numerous mutilated slaves, suspended from the walls and ceilings.

LaLaurie escaped custody in the aftermath of the fire and was never arrested to face her crimes.

The LaLaurie residence in 1140 Royal Street, New Orleans, photographed in September 2009. (Credit: Dropd/Wikimedia Commons)
The LaLaurie residence in 1140 Royal Street, New Orleans, photographed in September 2009. (Credit: Dropd/Wikimedia Commons)

A fictionalised version of LaLaurie appeared in American Horror Story: Coven, played by Oscar winner Kathy Bates.

With its brutal history, the mansion seems like the obvious starting point for the writers of The Conjuring to pen another grisly, ripped-from-the-headlines horror franchise.

Read more: Real inspiration for The Conjuring dies aged 92

In a statement reported by Metro, the Hayes brothers said: “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.”

Carey Hayes, Lorraine Warren and Chad Hayes attend "The Conjuring 2" on June 7, 2016. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Getty Images)
Carey Hayes, Lorraine Warren and Chad Hayes attend "The Conjuring 2" on June 7, 2016. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Getty Images)

Chad and Carey Hayes penned the script for The Conjuring, drawing from the real-life escapades of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

The film, directed by horror specialist James Wan, made $319m (£247m) at the global box office and spawned a sequel, as well as a Marvel-esque extended universe of spin-offs.

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The duo also wrote The Conjuring 2, alongside Wan and David Leslie Johnson.