Is The Curse of La Llorona based on a True Story? Ending Explained
by A Maria | Updated Apr 13, 2023
What is the Story of The Curse of La Llorona?
The 2019 American supernatural horror movie, The Curse of La Llorona (also known as The Curse of the Weeping Woman in some regions), is directed by Michael Chaves, marking his feature directorial debut, and written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis. It belongs to The Conjuring Universe franchise and is the sixth installment in the series.
The movie is based on the Latin American folklore of La Llorona and features Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez in lead roles. The plot revolves around a mother in 1973 Los Angeles who tries to save her children from a malevolent spirit attempting to take them away. James Wan produced the film through his Atomic Monster Productions banner.
The Curse of La Llorona premiered at South by Southwest on March 15, 2019, and was released in theaters in the United States on April 19, 2019, becoming a part of the Conjuring Universe, which had already gained significant popularity among horror movie fans.
Is The Curse of La Llorona Based on a True Story?
Loosely based on real life, horror movies tend to be a million times scarier. The Curse of La Llorona, a horror film about a ghost woman who drowned children, is even more terrifying when you learn about the Mexican legend it's based on. The legend of La Llorona has been a part of Mexican and Southwestern culture since the 16th century, telling the story of a beautiful woman named Maria.
The concept revolves around Maria who drowned her two sons in a fit of rage after being betrayed by her lover. The Curse of La Llorona, unlike other films in The Conjuring Universe, is based on this popular legend rather than the ghostly adventures of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The story is more kind of a horror kind but some people tend to believe the story is a true one.
The Curse of La Llorona Plot
The legend of La Llorona is a popular Mexican folktale that has been passed down through generations. The story revolves around a woman named Maria, who was known for her beauty and vanity. She married a wealthy man and bore him two children. However, their marriage eventually hit a rough patch, and Maria's husband began to neglect her while showering attention on their children.
One day, while out walking with her children, Maria caught her husband with another woman. Filled with rage and jealousy, she threw her children into the river, watching helplessly as they drowned. Realizing the enormity of her actions, Maria was consumed with grief and regret. She ran along the riverbank, crying out for her children, but it was too late.
The legend says that Maria eventually drowned herself, and her body was buried in the village. However, her spirit could not rest, and on the night of her burial, she was heard crying and wailing for her children. Her ghost, a figure in a long white robe, became known as La Llorona, or the Weeping Woman. According to some versions of the story, she was denied entry into heaven and was banished to roam the Earth until she could find her lost children.
Over time, the tale has evolved, and there are many variations of the story. Some versions say that La Llorona kidnaps children who resemble her own, while others claim she goes after misbehaving children or cheating husbands. Regardless of the version, the one constant is that when La Llorona cries, it's a sign of impending doom, and those who hear her are advised to run.
The Curse of La Llorona, a horror movie loosely based on this legend, tells the story of a mother in 1973 Los Angeles who must protect her children from the malevolent spirit of La Llorona. The movie is a loose adaptation of the legend of La Llorona who is a mother's effort to safeguard her children from La Llorona's evil spirit in 1973 Los Angeles.
The Curse of La Llorona Cast
Linda Cardellini
Anna
Roman Christou
Chris
Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen
Samantha
Raymond Cruz
Rafael
Marisol Ramirez
La Llorona
Patricia Velásquez
Patricia Alvarez
Sean Patrick Thomas
Detective Cooper
Tony Amendola
Father Perez
Irene Keng
Donna
Oliver Alexander
Carlos
Aiden Lewandowski
Tomas
Paul Rodriguez
Officer Carlo
John Marshall Jones
Mr. Hankins
Ricardo Mamood-Vega
Perez
Jaydan Valdivia
Diego
CAST
CHARACTER
The Curse of La Llorona Ending Explained
Depending on who is telling the story, the details of the legend of La Llorona can vary slightly. However, the general idea remains the same. A woman named Maria marries a wealthy man and they have two children together. Their marriage becomes strained as her husband spends less time at home and lavishes attention solely on the children. She is now known as La Llorona or "the weeping woman."
One day, Maria catches her husband with another woman, and in a fit of rage, she drowns her children. Instantly realizing her mistake, she cries out in despair, “Ay, mis hijos!” which means “Oh, my children!” Some versions of the tale say that Maria also drowns herself or dies of grief. When she reaches heaven, she is denied entry and is sent back to Earth's purgatory until she can find her lost children.
The Curse of La Llorona Overview
SPECIFICATIONS
DETAILS
Directed by
Michael Chaves
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
Michael Burgess
Edited by
Peter Gvozdas
Music by
Joseph Bishara
Production
companies
Distributed by
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
Running time
93 minutes
Country
United States
Languages
Budget
$9 million
Box office
$123.1 million
Is The Curse of La Llorona based on a true story - FAQs
The Curse of La Llorona is a 2019 American supernatural horror movie, loosely based on the Latin American folklore of La Llorona.
The movie was directed by Michael Chaves, marking his feature directorial debut.
The screenplay was written by Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis.
The movie revolves around a mother in 1973 Los Angeles who tries to protect her children from a malevolent spirit, which is attempting to take them away.
The lead roles in the movie are played by Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez.