We live in an age where there's so much real and sketchy information coming out, one sometimes has to drill down on due dilligence to make sure a piece of news is actually accurate. When I initially read the news that popular stand-up comedian Matt Rife purchased the house of Ed and Lorraine Warren, I 100% assumed it was a joke, because how could those words mashed up together not be a made up? After triple-dipple checking to confirm that bill of sale did indeed transpire, I need to see this turned into a TV series or documentary or something.
Yes, as horror fans wait for Conjuring: Last Rites to scare the pants off them, the comedian who blew up on TikTok has now put forth his hard-earned wages to purchase the home once owned by the paranormal investigators who sparked an entire industry. Oh, and on top of that, he's now in possession of the real-life Annabelle doll, which I only recently learned is a Raggedy Ann doll, and doesn't resemble the creepy toy in those movies. In any case, this whole situation is just begging to get turned into some kind of story that I'd immediately binge with a Netflix subscription (given that's the platform where his special streamed), and I'll tell you why.
The Situation Surrounding Matt Rife Acquiring The Warren House Is Rather Unsettling
It's worth noting that Matt Rife and YouTuber Elton Castee have been pursuing ownership of the Warren home for a while now, and long before it made news for another grim reason. Readers may remember hearing about how one man, Dan Rivera, passed away while on a tour of the home and in the presence of the now-iconic Annabelle doll.
WPRI.com reported that Rivera was actually going to be a partner in owning the home with Castee and Rife ahead of his passing, but that Rife only met him once a couple of years prior to his death. ,
It's pretty wild, given the spooky history surrounding Annabelle as well as the other occult items found in the Warren home, that one of the three future owners would die just a month before taking possession (so to speak) of the home.
All this being said, it's been reported there was no signs of foul play in Rivera's death. Thankfully, no one involved seems to be sensationalizing the death for the sake of driving tourism to the home.
The Spookiness Mixed With The Comedy Is The Main Appeal To Me
There's a golden opportunity here to mix comedy and horror, something that doesn't happen as often as I'd like. This is basically the premise that's as close as we could get to a plotline in Scary Movie, to the point I think it'd be a crime if someone didn't try to make a show out of it.
I also like the potential of using someone like Matt Rife to pull other celebrities into the fold. I know that Cardi B commented on the purchase, so maybe she and her boyfriend and NFL star Stefan Diggs could stop by and see all the scary stuff that's in the estate.
Let's also remember there's other comedians that could be featured on a show like this as well. Imagine The Conjuring with Dave Chappelle in the mix. I love the vision, though I guess they'd only be able to find as many celebrity guests that are willing to deal in stuff with a history of haunting individuals across decades, which may be a tall ask. If it can happen, though, consider me on board as officially wanting to see that.
Until we get some updates on a potential collaboration between Matt Rife and the The Conjuring universe, this whole idea will just have to remain on paper. Still, if someone isn't ideating the possibility of it happening, then what are we even doing here? Besides avoiding haunted dolls at all cost, obviously.