Skip to main content
Documentary backdrop image for Satan Wants You (2023)
88 minPGdocumentaryWorth an evening
6.1/ 10(17 ratings)• TMDB
Historical Events
Deep Dive
Watch later

Synopsis

Over 15,000 children were falsely believed to be kidnapped by Satanists during the 1980s, fueled by the memoir "Michelle Remembers."

Go deeper
Deep Dive

Why Watch

  • Watch how Michelle Remembers sparked a global panic.
  • See the connections to modern conspiracy theories.
  • Find out about the Catholic Church's role in the book's promotion.

Did You Know

  • The film premiered at SXSW in March 2023 and Hot Docs in April 2023.
  • Satan Wants You won the DGC Audience Award for Best Canadian Film in 2023.
  • Mark Dolmont was nominated for Best Original Score at the 2023 Canadian Screen Music Awards.
  • The film includes never-before-heard recorded phone calls about the Catholic Church's involvement.

Perfect For

Satanic panic historyConspiracy theoriesMedia influence
Read full Deep Dive →
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the title of the documentary directed by Steve J. Adams and Sean Horlor?

The title of the documentary is Satan Wants You.

When did Satan Wants You premiere at the SXSW film festival?

Satan Wants You premiered at the SXSW film festival in March 2023.

What award did Satan Wants You win at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival?

Satan Wants You won the DGC Audience Award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Fantasia Film Festival.

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Mommy Dead And Dearest (2020)
Worth a watch
1h22m

Mommy Dead And Dearest

2020•1h22m

Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her boyfriend Nicholas Godejohn were accused of murdering her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, in a case that shocked the nation.

Mommy Dead And Dearest
2020
Guerrilla - The Taking of Patty Hearst (2026)
1h29m

Guerrilla - The Taking of Patty Hearst

2026•1h29m•★6.3TMDB

Patty Hearst's kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army in the 1970s marked a pivotal moment in American history, blending crime with media sensationalism.

Guerrilla - The Taking of Patty Hearst
2026
Witch Hunt in Salem: One of the Darkest Chapters of the History of the United States (2023)
52m

Witch Hunt in Salem: One of the Darkest Chapters of the History of the United States

2023•52m

In 1692, Salem's leading minister, Samuel Parris, witnessed a community consumed by fear, leading to accusations against anyone suspected of witchcraft.

Witch Hunt in Salem: One of the Darkest Chapters of the History of the United States
2023
Shiver - Diving into Satanic Panic (2022)
27m

Shiver - Diving into Satanic Panic

2022•27m

The Satanic Panic, a moral panic that began in the 1980s, involved over 12,000 unsubstantiated claims of ritual abuse and continues to influence society today.

Shiver - Diving into Satanic Panic
2022
Mass Hysteria: Salem Exposed - Forbidden History (2025)
43m

Mass Hysteria: Salem Exposed - Forbidden History

2025•43m

Twenty men and women were wrongfully executed during the Salem Witch Trials, a tragic event rooted in mass hysteria that began in 1692.

Mass Hysteria: Salem Exposed - Forbidden History
2025
"Satanic child abuse claims are based on false memories" (2021)
51m

"Satanic child abuse claims are based on false memories"

2021•51m

Professor Elizabeth Loftus presents evidence that some memories, particularly in child sex abuse cases, can be false, leading to significant personal and professional repercussions.

"Satanic child abuse claims are based on false memories"
2021
A Dark Journey into Satanism - Forbidden History (2023)
44m

A Dark Journey into Satanism - Forbidden History

2023•44m

An estimated 100,000 members of the Church of Satan exist worldwide, with its headquarters located in Hell's Kitchen, New York City.

A Dark Journey into Satanism - Forbidden History
2023
SRA survivor interviews Prof. Loftus (CLOSED CAPTIONS) (2021)
55m

SRA survivor interviews Prof. Loftus (CLOSED CAPTIONS)

2021•55m

Satanic ritual abuse survivor Mary Knight interviews Prof. Elizabeth Loftus to question the validity of her recovered memories of childhood trauma.

SRA survivor interviews Prof. Loftus (CLOSED CAPTIONS)
2021
Sex Madness Revealed (2022)
1h7m

Sex Madness Revealed

2022•1h7m

In 1938, a low-budget sex hygiene film titled "Sex Madness" was produced, prompting a discussion about its unsettling motivations and exploitation.

Sex Madness Revealed
2022
The Preschool Sex Abuse Case that Changed How Molestation is Investigated (2017)
13m

The Preschool Sex Abuse Case that Changed How Molestation is Investigated

2017•13m

Accusations of child molestation at the McMartin Preschool in 1983 led to a landmark case that transformed the investigation of child abuse in the US.

The Preschool Sex Abuse Case that Changed How Molestation is Investigated
2017
Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History (2019)
1h6m

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History

2019•1h6m

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed more people worldwide than combat during World War One.

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History
2019
Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi (2025)
22m

Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi

2025•22m

In ancient Greece, the Oracle of Delphi served as a pivotal religious site where priestesses delivered prophecies attributed to the god Apollo.

Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi
2025

Explore Satan Wants You

TrailerPeopleAwardsDeep DiveTopicsFAQStream

Browse more like this

An American Satan (2019)
Hidden gem — acclaimed but barely seen
1h12m

An American Satan

2019•1h12m•★7.1TMDB

Founded in 1966, the Church of Satan has faced numerous scandals and societal backlash throughout its controversial history in American religion.

An American Satan
2019
Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment (2015)
1h41m

Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment

2015•1h41m•★5.7TMDB

Former members recount their experiences in a group often labeled as one of America's most dangerous Satanic cults, challenging long-held conspiracy theories.

Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment
2015
Demonic (2018)
28m

Demonic

2018•28m•★5.0TMDB

Claims of satanic ritual abuse surged in the 1980s, driven by hypnotic therapists and sensationalized by high-rating television talk shows.

Demonic
2018
The Search for Satan (1995)
57m

The Search for Satan

1995•57m•★8.0TMDB

More than 1,000 cases of alleged satanic ritual abuse emerged in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, leading to widespread panic and legal battles.

The Search for Satan
1995
Saatana kutsuu minua (2023)
27m

Saatana kutsuu minua

2023•27m•★8.0TMDB

A moral panic over Satan worship affected schools across the United States during the 1990s, as detailed in this 27-minute documentary.

Saatana kutsuu minua
2023
In the Name of Satan (1990)
39m

In the Name of Satan

1990•39m•★6.0TMDB

Thirty-nine minutes of personal testimonies reveal the trauma experienced by individuals claiming ritual abuse from secret Satanic cults in America.

In the Name of Satan
1990
Devil Worship: The Rise of Satanism (1989)
1h4m

Devil Worship: The Rise of Satanism

1989•1h4m•★5.2TMDB

Approximately 2 million children are reported missing each year in the United States, raising concerns about the influence of satanic practices.

Devil Worship: The Rise of Satanism
1989
Speak of the Devil (1995)
1h25m

Speak of the Devil

1995•1h25m•★6.2TMDB

Footage of Anton LaVey's performances and a tour of The Black House, the Church of Satan's headquarters, are featured in this 85-minute film.

Speak of the Devil
1995
The West Memphis Three - An ID Murder Mystery (2019)
2h6m

The West Memphis Three - An ID Murder Mystery

2019•2h6m•★8.0TMDB

Three young boys were murdered in 1993 in West Memphis, Arkansas, leading to the wrongful conviction of three men amid a national 'satanic panic'.

The West Memphis Three - An ID Murder Mystery
2019
Empire of Madness (1989)
1h26m

Empire of Madness

1989•1h26m•★6.0TMDB

M. Dixon Causey critiques the shockumentary genre and the satanic panic of the 1980s and 1990s through satirical faux-snuff vignettes and absurd humor.

Empire of Madness
1989
Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film (1998)
1h28m

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film

1998•1h28m•★7.6TMDB

Abraham Zapruder's footage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, is digitally remastered to reveal new details and its impact on public perception.

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film
1998
Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story (2017)
26m

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

2017•26m•★10.0TMDB

At 99 years old, Dorothy Toy Fong continues to perform, demonstrating her lifelong dedication to tap dance and the joy it brings to audiences.

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story
2017

Browse more by Sean Horlor

View all films →
The Day Don Died (2018)

The Day Don Died

2018

A Small Part of Me (2017)

A Small Part of Me

2017

Someone Like Me (2022)
Worth a watch

Someone Like Me

2022

Related Films

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →