If you thought the plastic surgery in Hollywood was scary, just wait! From freak accidents to paranormal sightings and even fatalities, these terrifying tales will chill you to the bone.
Here’s the deep dig on 7 cursed Hollywood stages, some of which didn’t stay on set.* Oh, and pro tip: when you go to sleep after that freaky movie tonight, leave the lights on.
7 Cursed Hollywood TV and Movie Sets
*You know we have to say it: Not all statements in this article have been verified by the individuals mentioned. No harm is intended toward anyone involved, nor do these anecdotes serve as legal evidence. But they ARE scary — as hell.
Now, on with the show.
1. The Exorcist (1973) – A Production Cursed by Evil?
If you thought The Exorcist was terrifying to watch, imagine working on the set. One day, a mysterious fire burned down the entire MacNeil house set—except for Regan’s bedroom, the very room where all the demonic chaos unfolds. Coincidence? The Jesuit priest they called in to bless the set didn’t think so.
As if that weren’t enough, nine people connected to the film died, including Jack MacGowran (Burke Dennings) shortly after filming his scenes. And that horrifying scream when Ellen Burstyn’s character is thrown across the room? 100% real. She suffered a permanent spinal injury during that scene. Yikes.
2. Poltergeist (1982) – The Real Skeletons & The “Poltergeist Curse”
Turns out, when you use real human skeletons in your horror film (because they were cheaper than fake ones—seriously, Hollywood?), you might stir up some serious bad mojo. Actress JoBeth Williams claimed she felt a presence around her every time she came home from set.
Then there’s the infamous “Poltergeist Curse.”
- Dominique Dunne (Dana) was murdered by her ex-boyfriend right after the film’s release.
- Heather O’Rourke (Carol Anne) died at just 12 years old before Poltergeist III premiered.
- Julian Beck (Poltergeist II villain) and Will Sampson (the shaman) both died under eerie circumstances.
Some crew members flat-out refused to return for sequels. Can’t say I blame them.
3. The Omen (1976) – A Film Plagued by “Accidents”
This movie is about the Antichrist—so, naturally, filming it came with its fair share of nightmare fuel.
- Star Gregory Peck’s son died by suicide right before filming.
- Peck’s plane was struck by lightning. So was the producer’s—weeks apart.
- A zookeeper working on the baboon scene was killed by a tiger the day after filming.
- Special effects designer John Richardson, who created the famous decapitation scene, was in a car accident where his passenger was decapitated in a nearly identical fashion. And because this story needed one more terrifying detail, the crash happened 66.6 km from a town named Ommen.
Somebody call a priest.
4. Rosemary’s Baby (1968) – A Satanic Premonition?
Filmed at The Dakota in NYC—aka, the place where John Lennon was later murdered—this film had bad vibes from the start.
Producer William Castle suffered from agonizing kidney stones and hallucinated about Rosemary’s knife-wielding scene while in the hospital. Meanwhile, composer Krzysztof Komeda died of a brain clot, just like a character in the movie.
And the kicker? A year later, director Roman Polanski’s pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was brutally murdered by the Manson family—a group obsessed with Satanic messages. Talk about a real-life horror movie.
5. The Crow (1994) – A Premonition of Death?
This one hurts. Brandon Lee (Bruce Lee’s son) was supposed to have a long career ahead of him—until a prop gun turned deadly due to a real bullet lodged in the barrel.
If that wasn’t eerie enough, on the first day of filming, a crew member was electrocuted. Some believe the Lee family was cursed, since Bruce Lee himself died mysteriously at 32 after predicting his own early death.
Oh, and a real crow kept circling the set right before Brandon’s tragic accident. Creeped out yet?
6. Supernatural (2005-2020) – Paranormal Activity on a Paranormal Show?
You’d think a show about ghosts would be safe, right? Nope.
- Several of their Vancouver filming locations were already rumored to be haunted, and cast members reported seeing shadowy figures.
- Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki both admitted to feeling watched on certain sets.
- A chandelier randomly fell during a scene about demon possession (because of course it did).
- After airing the episode Hollywood Babylon (which, ironically, is about a cursed movie), the show’s film reels were mysteriously damaged and had to be reshot.
If even Sam and Dean Winchester weren’t safe, what chance do the rest of us have?
7. Three Men and a Baby (1987) – The Ghost Boy Hoax… or Something More?
Okay, let’s end with a classic urban legend. During one scene, a ghostly figure of a boy was spotted behind a curtain. Fans immediately freaked out, claiming it was the spirit of a boy who died in the apartment where they filmed.
Hollywood later claimed it was just a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson’s character, but some crew members felt a weird cold spot around that set. And honestly? A ghost would make way more sense than a random cardboard Ted Danson lurking in the background.
So there you have it—seven Hollywood productions that had a little extra paranormal activity behind the scenes. Whether you believe in curses or not, one thing’s for sure: if a movie set starts catching fire, collecting body counts, or attracting real crows, maybe it’s time to pack up and go home.
Stay spooky!
