ABOUT

INSIDIOUS

2011
|
Horror
,
Suspense

From the makers of Paranormal Activity, INSIDIOUS is the terrifying story of a family who, shortly after moving, discovers that dark spirits have possessed their home and that their son has inexplicably fallen into a coma. Trying to escape the haunting and save their son, they move again only to realize that it was not their house that was haunted.

Rated PG-13

© 2010 Alliance Films (UK) Limited. All Rights Reserved.

INSIDIOUS FAQs

  1. What is Insidious?
    Insidious is a 2010 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. Produced by Haunted Movies in association with Sony's Stage 6 Films, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010 and was given a wide US theatrical release on April 1, 2011. Insidious launched the Insidious horror franchise, which has since grown to six films, and is widely credited with helping reestablish the supernatural haunting genre in modern American horror.
  2. When does the story take place?
    Set in the present day, the film follows Josh and Renai Lambert, a married couple who have recently moved into a new home with their three young children. When their eldest son Dalton falls from a ladder in the attic, he slips into an inexplicable coma that no doctor can diagnose, and the family soon begins to experience disturbing supernatural phenomena throughout the house. After moving to a second home and finding that the disturbances follow them, Renai persuades Josh to bring in a psychic medium, who reveals that Dalton has the rare ability to astral project his consciousness into a parallel dimension known as The Further, and that he has traveled too far inside it. With his body now lying empty as a vessel, malevolent spirits are competing to take possession of him, and Josh, who shares the same hidden gift, must enter The Further himself to bring his son back.
  3. Who are the main characters?
    The film centers on Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson), a schoolteacher and family man with a buried childhood history of astral projection; Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne), his wife and a stay-at-home musician; and Dalton Lambert (Ty Simpkins), their gifted eldest son. They are joined by Lorraine Lambert (Barbara Hershey), Josh's mother, who is the first to recognize the supernatural nature of the events; Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye), the seasoned psychic medium who once helped Josh as a child; and her assistants Specs (Leigh Whannell, the film's screenwriter) and Tucker (Angus Sampson), an eccentric paranormal investigation team. Andrew Astor plays Josh and Renai's middle son Foster.
  4. Who is the Lipstick-Face Demon?
    The Lipstick-Face Demon (played by composer Joseph Bishara, who also scored the film) is the primary antagonist of Insidious: a horned, red-skinned demonic figure who haunts Dalton from inside The Further and competes with other spirits for the chance to possess his vacant body. First glimpsed by Dalton's grandmother Lorraine and later sketched from her description by Specs, the Lipstick-Face Demon is revealed to live in a cavernous red lair deep inside The Further, where he keeps Dalton chained while sharpening his claws and listening to Tiny Tim records. When Josh enters The Further to rescue his son, the demon pursues them back toward the real world, becoming the franchise's signature visual icon and recurring threat across multiple installments.
  5. How does this film connect to the broader Insidious franchise?
    Insidious is the first film in the Insidious franchise and the third installment in the series' internal chronology, with two later films serving as prequels. It was followed by the direct sequel Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), the prequels Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) and Insidious: The Last Key (2018), the long-delayed sequel Insidious: The Red Door (2023), and the upcoming Insidious: Out of the Further (2026). Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, and Angus Sampson are the only actors to appear in all five released franchise entries.
  6. Who are the cast and filmmakers behind Insidious?
    Directed by James Wan. Written by Leigh Whannell. Produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, and Oren Peli. Executive producer is Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Co-produced by Aaron Sims and John R. Leonetti. The film stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, and Barbara Hershey.
  7. Where can I watch Insidious?
    Insidious is available through major digital retailers, including Apple TV, Prime Video, Fandango, DIRECTV, and Sony Pictures Core.