Because doing crowd work wasn’t terrifying enough, Matt Rife has now adopted a doll that allegedly ruined lives and inspired an entire horror franchise. Yes, that doll—Annabelle. And he didn’t stop there. The man also bought the Warrens’ famously haunted house. Because sure, why not make demons part of the brand.
Rife, 29, announced he’s now the legal guardian of Annabelle—the real, raggedy version, not the porcelain Instagram baddie from the movies. It’s part of a deal with YouTuber Elton Castee, where they leased the Warrens’ haunted artifact collection—all 750+ supposedly cursed objects—from the family of paranormal OGs Ed and Lorraine Warren.
If those names sound familiar, that’s because Ed and Lorraine Warren are the real-life demon-chasing couple behind The Conjuring universe—a $2 billion franchise that turned their cases into box office hits. Think Annabelle, The Nun, The Conjuring 1–3, and all the spin-offs Hollywood could wring out of a crucifix.
The previous handler, Dan Rivera, literally died suddenly just weeks ago. Now Rife’s in charge. Bold move. Risky hobby. Or a cursed PR campaign with a high death rate. Depends who you ask.
Rife’s plan? Reopen the house to the public. Turn it into a spooky Airbnb slash museum, where fans can apparently sleep next to stuff the Warrens locked up on purpose. It’s horror tourism meets influencer hustle.
He called it “the most random hobby ever.” Understatement of the year. But if you’ve watched The Conjuring more than five times, maybe this is your Disneyland. If not, probably best to stay on the other side of the glass.
And in case you’re wondering, yes—Annabelle is still locked in her “Do Not Open” case. For now.
From sold-out shows to safeguarding cursed objects — Matt Rife’s career just took a supernatural left turn.
