Is Wrong Turn Based on a True Story? Know Here

Wrong Turn is loosely based on the Sawney Bean legend and follows a group of travelers hunted by a cannibal family in the West Virginia woods.

by V Gomala

Updated Oct 10, 2024

Advertisement
Is Wrong Turn Based on a True Story? Know Here

Is Wrong Turn Based on a True Story?

The Wrong Turn is based on a true story in some way. There are seven movies in the series so far, and it's become popular among horror fans.

Article continues below advertisement

The first movie, released in 2003, is about a group of travelers who get stuck in the West Virginia woods after a cannibal family damages their cars. The travelers are then hunted by the family. The first movie had a theatrical release, but all the others were released directly to video.

Wrong Turn

The Wrong Turn series is a set of American slasher films created by Rob Schmidt and writers Alan B. McElroy, Adam Cooper, and Bill Collage (uncredited). There are seven films in the series. The first five movies follow the same storyline, while the last two are reboots.

The early films are about deformed cannibal families in West Virginia who use traps and weapons to kill people. The reboot focuses on an old cult in Virginia that reacts violently to outsiders who enter their isolated community. The Wrong Turn series became famous mainly for being released directly on video, making $21.8 million in home video sales.

Wrong Turn Films

Film

U.S. release date

Director(s)

Wrong Turn May 30, 2003 Rob Schmidt
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End October 9, 2007 Joe Lynch
Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead October 20, 2009 Declan O'Brien
Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings October 25, 2011
Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines October 23, 2012
Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort October 21, 2014 Valeri Milev
Wrong Turn January 26, 2021 Mike P. Nelson

Difference Between Real Story and the Movie 

The Wrong Turn movies, like many horror films based on true stories, don't stick closely to the actual events. Instead, they focus on creating a scary story. For example, the films are set in modern times, while the real-life inspiration, Sawney Bean, lived in 16th-century Scotland. Although the movies are loosely based on his crimes, Wrong Turn makes the story even more frightening with its changes.

Bean's brutal murders might seem like something from a more violent era, but seeing similar acts in a modern setting adds a creepy twist. The cannibals in Wrong Turn act like they’re stuck in the past, as if they've never evolved from their savage ways and are hiding in the woods, just outside of today’s society.

The movies also know that a good horror villain needs to look scary. While Sawney Bean was described as an average-looking man, the Wrong Turn cannibals are shown as hideous mutants. This exaggerated design makes them seem more like wild animals, which makes them even more terrifying.

Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.

Recent Articles

Advertisement