Chilling urban legends that inspired your favorite horror movies

Horror movies about urban legends.

Is there any truth to these stories?

Find out what inspired your favorite flicks.

Urban legends have a way of seeping into our collective consciousness, their eerie tales passed down through generations.

These stories often blur the line between reality and fiction, making them perfect fodder for horror movies.

From mysterious creatures to haunted locations, there are many movies about urban legends.

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The legend of Bloody Mary

Horror movies based on urban legends / Photo: Shutterstock

The terrifying tale of Bloody Mary is a classic urban legend that has haunted children and adults alike for decades.

According to the story, if you stand in front of a mirror and chant «Bloody Mary» three times, a vengeful spirit will appear and cause you harm.

This eerie story inspired the 1992 horror film Candyman, where saying the titular character’s name five times in a mirror summons a hook-handed killer.

The film’s success solidified the Bloody Mary legend as a staple in horror lore, making it a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking in reflective surfaces.

The man with a hook for a hand

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The story of the man with a hook for a hand is a well-known urban legend that has been retold countless times around campfires.

The legend involves a young couple parked in a secluded area who hear a news report about an escaped convict with a hook for a hand.

After hearing strange noises, they flee the scene, only to discover a hook hanging from the car door handle.

This legend inspired the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, where a group of friends is stalked by a hook-wielding killer seeking revenge for a hit-and-run accident.

Horror movies about urban legends: The curse of La Llorona

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La Llorona, or ‘The Weeping Woman,’ is a legendary figure in Latin American folklore, often depicted as the ghost of a woman who drowned her children in a fit of rage.

According to the tale, she wanders the earth, mourning her lost children and preying on those who encounter her.

This chilling tale inspired the 2019 film The Curse of La Llorona, which follows a social worker who becomes entangled in the ghost’s malevolent curse.

The movie brings the haunting legend to life, introducing a new audience to the sorrowful and terrifying spirit of La Llorona.

The haunted hotel

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The legend of haunted hotels is a popular urban myth, with many stories claiming that certain rooms or entire buildings are inhabited by restless spirits.

One of the most famous haunted hotels is the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which inspired Stephen King’s 1977 novel The Shining.

The book was later adapted into the iconic 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick, which tells the story of a writer who descends into madness while staying at an isolated, haunted hotel.

The movie’s eerie atmosphere and unsettling events capture the essence of haunted hotel legends, making it a quintessential horror classic.

Scary movies about urban legends: The killer in the backseat

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The urban legend of the killer hiding in the backseat is a chilling tale that plays on our deepest fears.

In this story, a driver is warned by a passerby or gas station attendant that someone is hiding in their backseat, ready to strike.

This terrifying scenario inspired the 1998 film Urban Legend, which features a series of murders based on popular urban legends, including the killer in the backseat.

The film taps into the paranoia and fear that these legends evoke, creating a suspenseful and engaging horror experience.