Warning: This Post Contains Spoilers for The Deliverance.
Opening with a title card that states it is "inspired by true events," The Deliverance on Netflix follows the harrowing journey of the Pittsburgh-based Jackson family as they confront a demonic possession threatening to tear them apart. Directed by Lee Daniels (known for Precious and The Butler) and co-written with Elijah Bynum (Magazine Dreams) and David Coggeshall (Orphan: First Kill), this chilling horror film, released on Netflix on August 30 after a limited theatrical debut, is a dramatization of the 2011 Ammons haunting case in Gary, Indiana.
In The Deliverance, Andra Day stars as Ebony Jackson, a character inspired by Latoya Ammons, who claimed her family experienced supernatural phenomena, such as infestations of flies, strange footsteps, and doors opening on their own, after moving into a rental home in Gary. The house, now notorious as the "Demon House of Indiana," is where Ebony, her mother (played by Glenn Close), and her three children (portrayed by Caleb McLaughlin, Demi Singleton, and Andre B. Jenkins) battle malevolent forces.
The Real Ammons Haunting Case:
The real-life Ammons haunting case, which inspired The Deliverance, was extensively reported by the Indianapolis Star in 2014. Latoya Ammons alleged that her children—ages 7, 9, and 12—were possessed by demons shortly after moving into their new home on Carolina Street in December 2011. Despite the winter season, swarms of black flies infested their screened-in porch, a phenomenon Ammons' mother, Rosa Campbell, found deeply unsettling.
The situation reportedly escalated to violent and bizarre events, including levitation, children being thrown across rooms, and speaking in unnatural voices. These incidents drew the attention of the Gary Police Department, Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS), and local medical professionals, some of whom claimed to witness the disturbing occurrences firsthand.
However, skepticism surrounded the case. In April 2012, an anonymous complaint led DCS to investigate possible child abuse or mental health issues within the family. Eventually, DCS took temporary custody of Ammons' children, citing concerns that the children were influenced by their mother's beliefs.
By June 2012, Reverend Michael Maginot of St. Stephen, Martyr Parish in Merrillville, Indiana, performed three exorcisms on Ammons at his church, eventually helping her regain custody of her children later that year. The house, which gained infamy as the "Demon House," was later featured in Zak Bagans' 2018 documentary Demon House and was demolished during the film's production.
How The Deliverance Differs from Reality:
Like many horror films inspired by true events, The Deliverance takes creative liberties with the real story. Lee Daniels reimagines the exorcism as a "deliverance" ritual performed at the family's home, rather than a traditional exorcism at a church. Daniels also introduces a mixed-race family dynamic by casting Glenn Close as the mother, a departure from the actual case.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Daniels described the film as a "faith-based thriller" that explores spiritual themes. While he spoke with Latoya Ammons briefly during the film's development, he emphasized that The Deliverance is his interpretation of her story, incorporating elements that resonate with his vision.
Andra Day, who plays Ebony Jackson, explained the difference between exorcism and deliverance, noting that the latter focuses on a person’s overall spiritual transformation rather than merely expelling demons.
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