Is Netflix's new horror movie "The Deliverance" based on a true story? Here's what we know

Are you a fan of being scared? While Halloween is several weeks away, Netflix has a new movie out now to get your fear fix.

"The Deliverance" released to Netflix streamers on Aug. 30 and is based around a reported demon possession. Here's a closer look at the movie itself and the "true story" it's inspired by:

Is "The Deliverance" based on a true story?

"The Deliverance" is based on a story out of Gary, IN. Latoya Ammons claimed her children had been victimized by demons, and the movie includes multiple scenes rooted in Ammons' claims. Some of the more colorful ones involved a boy crawling backwards up a wall and a swarm of flies.

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Ammons' story involved a thorough investigation by the Department of Child Services and multiple exorcisms sanctioned by the local Roman Catholic diocese. In 2014, the IndyStar obtained and dissected nearly 800 pages of official records including interviews with police, DCS personnel, psychologists, family members, and a Catholic priest.

So did it really happen? Various individuals reported first-hand experiences or strong belief in their reality after spending time around this incident. During a visit to a family physician, medical staff reported a boy being lifted and thrown into a wall with nobody touching him, according to a DCS report. The police captain said he did not believe in demons, but began to change his mind after a visit to the family's house.

Clinical psychologists had a different view on the situation. Ammons' son reportedly acted possessed when he was challenged, redirected or asked questions he didn't want to answer. In her evaluation, a psychologist wrote that he seemed coherent and logical except when he talked about demons. His stories also changed each time he told them. It was believed he didn't suffer from a true psychotic disorder, instead he had been "induced into a delusional system perpetuated by his mother and potentially reinforced." A similar conclusion was drawn with Ammons' daughter.

Ammons' was separated from her children for a brief period, but they were eventually returned to her. They were all found to be of sound mind. DCS set goals for the family including therapy and coming up with alternate forms of discipline not directly related to religion and demon possession.

Who made the Netflix hit "The Deliverance?"

"The Deliverance" was produced (in part) and directed by Lee Daniels, who created Fox's hit show "Empire" and directed "Precious," the 2010 Oscar-nominee for "best picture." Daniels said in an interview with USA TODAY that his favorite movie is the 1973 classic "The Exorcist" and has always wanted to make his own version. But instead of a horror flick, he wanted to make a "faith-based thriller" to help audiences connect with a higher power.

"I believe we are in a dark time," Daniels said. "Whether it's Buddha, whether it's Allah, whether it's Jesus Christ, whether it's you learning to love yourself more, we need to do that so that we can find peace. Tomorrow isn't promised for any of us."

The movie was written by David Coggeshall (who wrote "Orphan: First Kill" in 2022) and Elijah Bynum (who wrote and directed "Magazine Dreams" in 2023).

Who is in "The Deliverance?"

Some changes were made to certain individuals' names and relationships as depicted in "The Deliverance." In the movie, Ammons is named Ebony and is played by Oscar-nominated actress Andra Day who starred as Billie Holiday in Hulu's "The United States vs. Billie Holiday."

Her children in the film are Nate, Andre, and Shante. They are played (in order) by "Stranger Things" star Caleb McLaughlin, Anthony B. Jenkins who was on Netflix's "Florida Man" mini-series, and Demi Singleton who was on the 2021 biopic "King Richard" and stars in "Godfather of Harlem" on MGM+.

Glenn Close plays a grandmother in the family named Alberta. Close has been Oscar-nominated five times and was the star of "Fatal Attraction" and "Hillbilly Elegy." Lee Daniels why he cast a white woman when the real-life grandmother is Black.

"I like giving voice to people that don't have a voice and a face to people don't really see often,” he said. "There's so many white women that I knew growing up. I wanted to pay homage to (that). A lot of African Americans have never seen this character on screen before and will relate to her."

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Is "The Deliverance" a good movie?

USA Today Movie Critic Brian Truitt gave "The Deliverance" a rather favorable review, adding it to his "10 movies you need to stream right now" list:

"Exorcism movie nerds will find a bunch of familiar aspects to Lee Daniels' possession thriller, inspired by an eerie true story, but who knew the man behind "Precious" and "Empire" is a pretty crafty horror guy? He weaves some freaky imagery in this story of a Black mom (Andra Day) facing personal demons and an evil spirit that's infecting her kids."

However it doesn't seem to be universally loved. On Rotten Tomatoes it's received a 30% from critics and 53% from audiences, as of Tuesday. It currently has a Metascore of 38 out of 100. A recurring criticism is that the movie is unsurprising and derivative.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Netflix's new horror movie "The Deliverance" is 'based on a true story'