Is Longlegs based on a true story?

Supposedly the scariest horror movie of 2024, Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs will no doubt have you wondering whether it’s based on a true story (or perhaps hoping it’s not). 

After all, Ti West’s MaXXXine, another recent horror release, incorporates real-life elements into its plot – notably, serial killer Richard Ramirez, aka the Night Stalker.

The story of Longlegs certainly sounds like it could have been inspired by real events. It centers on FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who’s assigned a sinister unsolved serial killer case. 

As she digs further into the case, she uncovers evidence of the occult. But how much of this is true? Warning: spoilers ahead!

Is Longlegs based on a true story?

No, Longlegs is completely fictional. So even if it scares the living daylights out of you, at least you can rest easy knowing none of it happened in real life. 

You’d be forgiven for assuming there were real elements incorporated into the plot due to the extensive marketing campaign, which included a fake web log of case files for ‘The Birthday Murders’ – the name for a number of murder-suicide massacres Longlegs is linked to. 

The files contain detailed descriptions of what happened, realistic crime scene photos of the aftermath, the weapons used, and other police evidence. But these are all fictitious and simply thought up by Perkins to flesh out the backstory. 

At the bottom of the page, it states that FBI Agent Chester Van Adder retired and handed the case to his successor, Special Agent William J. Carter. Again, these are made-up characters, with Carter played by Hollywood actor Blair Underwood.

In the final act, it becomes glaringly obvious that the Neon horror movie isn’t based on a true story when the supernatural comes into play. 

We learn that Longlegs has been making dolls with metal orbs containing some sort of evil spirit that possesses his victims, driving the father to gruesomely murder his entire family before taking his own life. And, well, when was the last time you saw Satanic doll possessions in your news feeds?

What about Nicolas Cage’s killer?

Although Nicolas Cage’s titular serial killer is distinctive, he is not based on any real-life criminals. 

That being said, his sinister appearance was inspired by botched surgical procedures. The marketing materials only teased Cage’s killer, making it all the more shocking when he appears on screen. 

Alongside prosthetics that make his face look warped and out of balance, he wears white foundation and red lipstick to enhance the uncanny valley look. Speaking to GamesRadar+, Perkins said he always knew he wanted Cage to look messed up.

“In the script, he’s referred to as someone who’s been ruined, ruined by life, ruined by living the life that he’s had to live,” he told the outlet.

“A good shortcut into that for me wound up being, like, when you see someone who’s had plastic surgery and you’re like, ‘Wow, you really f*cked that up, didn’t you? Your whole thing? Everything that was you is now f*cking ruined.’”

The filmmaker went on to say that he instructed the makeup team to take inspiration from “busted plastic surgery,” adding, “Then you just start building it, piece by piece.”

Cage’s character certainly has similarities to other true crime cases. For instance, he’s a follower of the Satanic church in the same way the Night Stalker was. He also leaves coded letters at the scene of the crimes similar to those sent to the media by the Zodiac Killer. 

Why Osgood Perkins avoided true crime

However, Perkins wanted to avoid drawing from true crime in Longlegs, saying that was never the intention behind his movie. 

In a conversation with Dexerto, when asked whether any real-life cases inspired the creation of the plot, he replied, “The last thing I want to be thinking about is this kind of sh*t in real life, do you know what I mean? It scares me.”

The filmmaker went on to say, “It was more about, like, ‘Oh, remember this other movie called Silence of the Lambs that made us all feel this thing? Why not use that as an invitation into this other world? Come through the door of this world that we can create.’

“But I didn’t do any research. The fun of my job is you just make everything up, and you kind of guess, and you’re like, ‘I think it’s maybe that.’”

Longlegs is in cinemas now. You can check out our breakdown of the ending here. Why not also take a look at the other new movies coming out this month, as well as the films arriving on streaming? And if it’s horror you’re interested in, here’s everything you need to know about Terrifier 3, Smile 2, and 28 Years Later.