The Mothman Prophecies is a 2002 horror film about a reporter researching the myth of the Mothman. The reporter’s wife died in a mysterious accident two years prior, and as he tracks down the monster, he finds himself reconnecting to his memories of her … and, slowly but surely, discovering the truth of her death.
The true story the film is based on pretty much begs to be made into a movie. Throughout 1966 and 1967, residents of Point Pleasant, West Virginia reported sightings of a strange creature with dark wings, humanoid proportions, and glowing red eyes. On December 15th, 1967, the Silver Bridge connecting Point Pleasant to Gallipolis, Ohio collapsed, killing 46 people. Many people in the area blamed the mythic Mothman, though nowadays, we know poor maintenance was likely to blame. Still, the creature’s reputation as a harbinger of death endures, cemented by author John Keel’s 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies and its 2002 adaptation. No one knows exactly what those Point Pleasant townsfolk saw — but if you’re in the area, be sure to check out the Mothman statue, Mothman Museum, and the spectacular annual Mothman Festival.