- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
Relativity has won a bidding war to acquire the life rights to a woman and her family who are believed by some to be the victims of demonic possession.
Starting in 2011, Latoya Ammons and her three children experienced strange incidents in their home in Gary, Ind., as well as bizarre and dangerous episodes during which the kids began levitating, strangling one another and speaking in growls and deep voices with no recollection of having done so.
The Gary Police Department, Department of Child Services and the local church and hospital became involved, filing reports that took the supernatural occurrences seriously — officers, doctors and social workers were witnesses to many of the incidents.
PHOTOS: ‘American Horror Story’: Exclusive Portraits of Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and the Cast
The Indianapolis Star wrote a lengthy piece on the Ammons family’s ordeal and reported that even the DCS spoke about a hospital visit in which one of the 9-year-old sons walked backward up a wall and onto the ceiling with an “evil grin” on his face the whole time.
Exorcisms were performed with police standing by, showing how seriously they took the possibility of demonic possession. However, Ammons’ children were still separated from her by the DCS, which thought she was abusing them by inducing them into delusions.
The story seems ready-made for a movie — from Paranormal Activity to Insidious to The Conjuring, Hollywood and audiences have shown a love for the exorcism/possession genre. And already one player in the story, Rev. Michael Maginot, the priest who performed the exorcism, has made a deal with the shingle Evergreen Media. But Relativity now has the rights to the players who went through the experience firsthand.
STORY: ‘American Horror Story’ Enlists Michael Chiklis for ‘Freak Show’
Producers Jackson Nguyen and Todd Crites of Turn Left Productions will produce the movie with Relativity, which will finance, produce and distribute it.
Richard Potter, Relativity’s exec vp production & development, is overseeing the film on behalf of the studio.
Email: Borys.Kit@thr.com
Twitter: @borys_kit
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day