Were Ed and Lorraine Warren Frauds? Analyzing 'Conjuring' Inspiration Power Couple
Was the scariest ghost the couple ever faced their own credibility in front of their followers and the media?
Published July 16 2025, 4:21 p.m. ET
The legacy that Ed and Lorraine Warren left behind with their paranormal investigations inspired one of Warner Bros.'s biggest franchises. The demonologists created a wonderful reputation for themselves, with people coming to them in times of need. Over the course of many years, the Warrens attended conferences where they were able to share their knowledge related to demonic possession with the public.
The Warrens' work inspired the Conjuring franchise, a collection of films centered around some of the cases the couple was hired to solve. The final installment of the main series, The Conjuring: Last Rites, was scheduled by Warner Bros. to be released in 2025. The sequel was produced more than a decade after the first movie hit the big screen. The box office success of the movies proved that the general audience was interested in the Warrens and their roles as demonologists.
Were Ed and Lorraine Warren frauds?
Building a career out of investigating paranormal cases was, at some point, going to be met with skepticism. Emy Quinn on Medium states that even back when the Warrens were in their prime, a neurologist called them merely "great storytellers." Were Ed and Lorraine Warren actually frauds? Here's what we know about the truth behind the most famous demonologists in the world.
Some people believe that everything Ed and Lorraine Warren found in their investigations was real. All That's Interesting mentions that the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952. Lorraine claimed that she was able to see auras around people since she was a child, making it easy for her to see who was actually haunted by a spirit and who was only trying to get their attention. Lorraine's ability helped the Warrens decide which cases to pursue.
However, not everyone believes that the stories behind the Conjuring franchise actually happened. The aforementioned Medium article also claims that the popular Amityville case turned out to be a fraud. Syfy reports that on the night of Nov. 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered several members of his family. However, there was no evidence of a paranormal spirit motivating the killer to become violent towards his family.
Not even the Conjuring movies will be able to prove whether the Warrens were frauds or not. The answer comes down to who is asked. While many people believe that the Warrens were humble heroes who only wanted to help damaged families, others believe that their stories were nothing but fiction.
What happened to Ed and Lorraine Warren?
Ed and Lorraine Warren dedicated their lives to fighting off paranormal spirits and creating what would become a media empire decades later. Lorraine claimed to have solved over 100,000 cases of paranormal activity across many different locations. The Warrens grew old together until tragedy struck their family. According to The New York Times, Ed Warren passed away on Aug. 23, 2006.
After her husband passed away, Lorraine Warren carried on with the legacy of their work by helping Aquaman director James Wan bring their journey to the big screen thanks to The Conjuring. Lorraine gave many interviews to the team behind the movies, making sure that her story was depicted accurately and respectfully in cinemas. The New York Times reports that Lorraine Warren passed away on April 18, 2019.