There have been some truly fantastic horror sequels in the film industry. On the other hand, there have been some truly terrible horror sequels as well. Of course, one of the main reasons why many horror sequels suck is that they struggle to recapture what made the original film great. When it comes to The Conjuring movies, the first film in the series is the best but all of them have succeeded by following a simple formula.Every Conjuring film highlights how much Lorraine and Ed Warren love one another as they battle a malevolent supernatural being side by side. As it turns out, however, the Warrens were allegedly hiding a truth that was as dark as anything seen in the Conjuring movies.Updated November 29th, 2022: Though no new details have emerged about the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, this article's sources have been updated and new information is included regarding accusations against Ed.
The Conjuring’s Depiction Of Ed And Lorraine Warren
As of the time of this writing, three Conjuring films have been released, putting aside the spin-off films, and it seems likely that more sequels will be produced in the future.
Of course, the main reason why most people have sought out Conjuring films is that they are quite scary and lots of moviegoers love to be frightened.
However, there is one other main aspect of the Conjuring films that keep people coming back: Ed and Lorraine Warren’s love story.
When The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was released in 2021, Vulture published an article with an eye-catching headline, “Actually, The Conjuring Is a Love Story.”
Even though most of the talk about the films has been about how scary they are, and tales of freaky things that happened on Conjuring sets, Vulture’s headline makes a lot of sense.
After all, even though each Conjuring movie focuses on the Warrens battling a different threat, the one thing all three films have in common is that the couple prevails because of the love they share.
The Dark Truth Of Ed And Lorraine Warren’s Relationship
If the allegations are true, not only have the Conjuring movies shown an incomplete vision of Lorraine and Ed Warren’s relationship, they have been extremely deceptive.
Years ago, The Hollywood Reporter published a report revealing that the people in charge of Warner Bros. were made aware of allegations that paint the Warrens in a terrible light if true.
Despite that, Warner Bros. moved forward with producing a trio of films that portray the Warrens as a couple worthy of adoration.
According to Judith Penney, a woman who is now in her 70s, she lived in Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home for forty years.
During all of that time, the Warrens claimed that Penney either was their niece or a “poor girl” that they took in out of the goodness of their hearts.
But the truth may have been much darker.
Judith Penney's Statements Are Disturbing
In reality, Judith Penney has claimed she was intimate with Ed Warren throughout the forty years she lived with the couple. She also stated that Lorraine approved of their intimacy.
Since open marriages have long been a "thing," and Penney says that Lorraine knew what was going on, that might not seem too egregious.
Even though a lot of Conjuring fans would be shocked enough to learn that Ed Warren had a long-lasting physical relationship with another woman, the allegations get a lot more disturbing than that.
Judith Penney claims that her physical relationship with Ed began when she was only 15 years old, and he was in his 30s.
Ed Warren's Reported Mistress Claimed She Got Pregnant By Him
If things weren’t bad enough already, Judith Penney claims that at one point she became pregnant with Ed Warren’s child.
Instead of being there for Penney, Judith claims that Lorraine convinced her to end the pregnancy since the resulting scandal would ruin their business.
Still not through, Penney also claimed that Ed abused Lorraine during their marriage.
When it comes to all of Penney’s claims, it has to be noted that she made her allegations after Ed passed away, during a time when Lorraine was in very bad health. Lorraine passed away in 2019.
It's also unclear whether any or all of Penney's statements might be true; she alleged that she was arrested in 1963 after "someone reported her relationship with Ed to local police."
The Hollywood Reporter noted that at the time, "an attorney for the studio has asserted in court papers that a disgruntled author and a producer suing the studio over profits from the franchise are pushing the story of the Warrens’ personal lives as part of a vendetta."