Is ‘Longlegs’ based on a true story?

From apocalyptic extravaganza A Quiet Place: Day One to slasher spectacle MaXXXine, it’s certainly safe to say that 2024 has already been a memorable year for horror — and the release of Longlegs looks to continue that upward trend.

As it stands, the horror flick guaranteed to perplex folks’ cerebrums is easily one of the most anticipated spooky projects of the year, and it’s not hard to understand why. The bone-chilling premise centers around FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) tasked with solving murder cases related to a vengeful serial killer named Longlegs (Nicolas Cage). Based on several teaser trailers and video extras that have been released thus far, it definitely appears as though Longlegs will truly be one of the scariest movies of the last decade.

Due to its spine-tingling premise and eerie narrative, horrorhounds and non-horror moviegoers are now wondering whether or not the horror flick is based on actual events or not.

So, is Longlegs based on a true story?

Despite the Satanic panic atmosphere surrounding the project from Neon, Longlegs is not based on real-life events, and is instead just the brainchild of writer and director Oz Perkins. Unlike Perkins’ other films, however, Longlegs will prove to be his first super-sized feature with a major budget — giving us hope that we’re about to witness an unforgettable ride of a horror movie.

Considering its chilling premise, however, there’s no doubt that Perkins’ latest venture certainly borrows inspiration from cold cases, and most certainly harbors a similar narrative to The Silence of the Lambs. Luckily, horror die-hards won’t have to wait too long, with Longlegs officially arriving in theaters this Friday, July 12.