{"id":7787,"date":"2026-08-14T15:36:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T14:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/?p=7787"},"modified":"2026-08-14T15:36:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T14:36:57","slug":"blackcraft-salem-rejects-ties-to-real-conjuring-museum-backlash-ed-lorraine-warren-matt-rife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetab.com\/filmshrine\/2026\/08\/14\/blackcraft-salem-rejects-ties-to-real-conjuring-museum-backlash-ed-lorraine-warren-matt-rife\/","title":{"rendered":"Business rejects ties to real-life Conjuring museum after backlash to Warrens and Matt Rife"},"content":{"rendered":"

A gothic lifestyle brand and horror attraction in Salem has publicly rejected any affiliation with the real-life museum that inspired The Conjuring, following backlash surrounding Ed and Lorraine Warren and its association with comedian Matt Rife.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let us explain: Blackcraft Salem is the Massachusetts flagship of alternative lifestyle brand Blackcraft Cult, operating a gothic retail store, caf\u00e9 and haunted attraction from its Essex Street location.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since August, the Haunted Warren Museum has been held at Blackcraft\u2019s space on 259 Essex Street, where it is displaying more than 1,000 paranormal artifacts, including the real Annabelle doll<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the news hasn\u2019t gone down well with locals, part of the reason being the Warren company\u2019s association with Matt Rife. Last year, the controversial comedian announced he and content creator Elton Castee had purchased the former home of Ed and Lorraine, becoming the legal guardians of their famous occult museum collection for five years.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the controversy surrounding the Warrens, the late paranormal investigators whose case files inspired The Conjuring horror franchise<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The allegations against Ed and Lorraine Warren<\/h2>\n
\"Lorraine
Credit: Netflix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2014, a woman named Judith Penney – then in her \u201870s – claimed she was in a sexual relationship with Ed for 40 years, starting when he was in his 30s and she was just 15 years old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to documents obtained by <\/span>The Hollywood Reporter<\/span><\/a>, including a sworn declaration from Penney, she moved into the Warrens\u2019 home in 1963, and their relationship continued with Lorraine\u2019s knowledge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She claimed the Warrens would tell others she was their niece or a girl they had helped get off the streets so as not to raise suspicion. Penney also alleged that Ed convinced her to get an abortion when she fell pregnant as he was worried the scandal could ruin their business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though claiming to be Catholic, Lorraine allegedly told Penney her \u201creal god is money\u201d. Penney also accused Ed – who died in 2006 – of being physically abusive towards his wife.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The allegations were disputed by the Warren family, with Lorraine\u2019s attorney telling THR that the couple\u2019s daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Tony Spera, had never witnessed the alleged behaviour.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Patrick
Credit: Warner Bros.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But the report states that Lorraine\u2019s agreement with New Line over The Conjuring<\/a> contained specific restrictions around how the couple could be portrayed on screen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The films were barred from depicting the Warrens having extramarital sexual relationships, while they also couldn’t portray the couple committing certain crimes, including sexual assault or sex with minors.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pair never faced criminal charges over these allegations, and Lorraine died in 2019. But these past allegations combined with Matt Rife\u2019s controversies<\/a> – including jokes trivialising domestic violence and ableist responses to critics – are why there is backlash to the Warren museum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More specifically, locals aren\u2019t happy that Blackcraft Salem would associate itself with the brand. Before the Warren event had arrived in Salem, a petition was launched to stop it, with more than 1,600 locals signing it – but it went ahead anyway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Salem locals urge people not to visit the Haunted Warren Museum<\/h2>\n

Salem-based drag queen Geya Jenda is among those who have publicly criticised the attraction, sharing a three-part TikTok series titled \u201cWhy you shouldn’t visit the Warren Occult Museum.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
@geya_jenda<\/a> <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t visit the Warren Occult Museum and here\u2019s why (part 1) TW\u203c\ufe0f: CSA, abortion This will be a multi-part series because I can think of tons of reasons why not and frankly none of why you should #dyp<\/a>#salem<\/a> #paranormal<\/a> #thewarrens<\/a> #mattrife<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – Geya Jenda<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n