Scripts
INSIDIOUS poster

2010

INSIDIOUS script

After their son Dalton falls into a coma, Renai and Josh Lambert experience terrifying paranormal events, prompting them to move, but the activity intensifies. Paranormal investigator Elise Rainier reveals Dalton is an astral projector whose spirit is lost in a dimension called The Further, where a Red-Faced Demon seeks to possess his body. Lorraine, Josh's mother, discloses that Josh also has this ability and was tormented by an Old Woman spirit in his childhood, which Elise had previously suppressed. Josh successfully rescues Dalton from The Further, but the Old Woman spirit possesses Josh's body, leading him to kill Elise and trap his true self in the spirit world.

Writer
Leigh Whannell
IMDb ID (imdb_id)
tt1591095
Script date
2010
86Scenes
11Characters
71Pages
8Dialogue samples

Save the Cat beat sheet

INSIDIOUS Save the Cat analysis

A family moves into a haunted house, their son falls into an unexplainable coma, and they enlist a paranormal team to rescue him from a spirit realm.

Open full beat sheet
72

Key characters

Josh Lambert

Josh Lambert is listed as Protagonist. 37-year-old teacher, husband to Renai, former high school nerd, has a suppressed history with astral projection. In the parsed data, Josh Lambert is connected to 56 scenes, 110 dialogue lines, 110 text mentions, first appearing around scene 6.

56 scenes / 110 dialogue lines

Renai Lambert

Renai Lambert is listed as Protagonist. 36-year-old mother, musician, struggling with the supernatural events surrounding her family. In the parsed data, Renai Lambert is connected to 51 scenes, 101 dialogue lines, 101 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

51 scenes / 101 dialogue lines

Dalton Lambert

Dalton Lambert is listed as Supporting. 8-year-old son, gifted astral projector who falls into a mysterious coma. In the parsed data, Dalton Lambert is connected to 27 scenes, 23 dialogue lines, 23 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.

27 scenes / 23 dialogue lines

Tucker

Tucker is listed as Supporting. Elise's assistant, handles technical equipment. In the parsed data, Tucker is connected to 20 scenes, 11 dialogue lines, 13 text mentions, first appearing around scene 45.

20 scenes / 11 dialogue lines

Specs

Specs is listed as Supporting. Elise's assistant, handles administration and sketching. In the parsed data, Specs is connected to 19 scenes, 9 dialogue lines, 10 text mentions, first appearing around scene 51.

19 scenes / 9 dialogue lines

Elise Rainier

Elise Rainier is listed as Supporting. Paranormal investigator with a history with Lorraine and Josh. In the parsed data, Elise Rainier is connected to 18 scenes, 49 dialogue lines, 49 text mentions, first appearing around scene 25.

18 scenes / 49 dialogue lines

Cali Lambert

Cali Lambert is listed as Supporting. 2-year-old daughter of Renai and Josh. In the parsed data, Cali Lambert is connected to 9 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 30.

9 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Foster Lambert

Foster Lambert is listed as Supporting. 6-year-old son of Renai and Josh. In the parsed data, Foster Lambert is connected to 8 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 5.

8 scenes / 7 dialogue lines

Lorraine Lambert

Lorraine Lambert is listed as Supporting. Josh's mother, holds secrets about Josh's childhood. In the parsed data, Lorraine Lambert is connected to 6 scenes, 9 dialogue lines, 9 text mentions, first appearing around scene 49.

6 scenes / 9 dialogue lines

The Old Woman

The Old Woman is listed as Antagonist. A malevolent spirit from Josh's childhood who seeks to possess his body. In the parsed data, The Old Woman is connected to 6 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 2.

6 scenes / 2 dialogue lines

The Red-Faced Demon

The Red-Faced Demon is listed as Antagonist. A demonic entity in The Further that seeks to possess Dalton. In the parsed data, The Red-Faced Demon is connected to 4 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 76.

4 scenes / 1 dialogue lines

Scene outline

  1. 1. INT. DARKENED BEDROOM - NIGHT

    A camera explores a dark bedroom, focusing on a sleeping child.

    Dalton Lambert
  2. 2. INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

    A figure of an old woman appears in a hallway.

    The Old Woman
  3. 3. INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Renai wakes up to Josh's snoring.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  4. 4. INT. LIVING ROOM, LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    Renai unpacks boxes and talks with Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  5. 5. INT. KITCHEN, LAMBERT HOME - MORNING

    Morning chaos as Renai tries to get the kids ready.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert, Foster Lambert, Cali Lambert
  6. 6. INT. BATHROOM, LAMBERT HOME - MORNING

    Josh gets ready for work.

    Josh Lambert
  7. 7. INT. KITCHEN, LAMBERT HOME - MORNING

    Josh and Renai argue about snoring and the kids.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert, Foster Lambert
  8. 8. INT. LIVING ROOM, LAMBERT HOME - CONTINUOUS

    Renai finds her books scattered.

    Renai Lambert
  9. 9. INT. KITCHEN, LAMBERT HOME - CONTINUOUS

    Renai and Josh argue about wax fruit and pills.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  10. 10. INT. CLASSROOM, FORRESTER HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

    Josh teaches a class about Darwin.

    Josh Lambert
  11. 11. INT. LIVING ROOM, LAMBERT HOME - DAY

    Renai works on her music.

    Renai Lambert
  12. 12. INT. CALI'S NURSERY - DAY

    Renai hears a scratching sound.

    Renai Lambert, Cali Lambert
  13. 13. INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

    Renai investigates the scratching sound.

    Renai Lambert
  14. 14. INT. BASEMENT - CONTINUOUS

    Renai finds scratch marks on the basement door.

    Renai Lambert, Cali Lambert
  15. 15. EXT. LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    Josh arrives home.

    Josh Lambert
  16. 16. INT. LIVING ROOM, LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    Josh and Renai discuss the missing lamps.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Foster Lambert
  17. 17. INT. CORRIDOR, LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    Dalton explores the hallway.

    Dalton Lambert
  18. 18. INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

    Dalton falls down the basement stairs.

    Dalton Lambert
  19. 19. INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

    Josh and Renai hear Dalton scream.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  20. 20. INT. BASEMENT - NIGHT

    Josh and Renai find Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  21. 21. INT. DALTON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Dalton is put to bed.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  22. 22. INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Josh and Renai talk about their lives.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  23. 23. INT. KITCHEN - MORNING

    A chaotic morning breakfast where Renai asks Josh to wake up Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Foster Lambert, Cali Lambert
  24. 24. INT. DALTON'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

    Josh attempts to wake Dalton, but discovers he is in a mysterious coma.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  25. 25. INT. HOSPITAL ROOM, ICU UNIT - DAY

    Dr. Sercarz informs Josh and Renai that Dalton's condition is medically unexplainable.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  26. 26. INT. DALTON'S BEDROOM, LAMBERT HOME - DAY

    Two months later, Renai cares for Dalton at home with nurse Adele.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  27. 27. INT. CALI'S NURSERY - CONTINUOUS

    Renai checks on Cali.

    Renai Lambert, Cali Lambert
  28. 28. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

    Renai hears a mysterious voice on the baby monitor.

    Renai Lambert
  29. 29. INT. NURSERY - CONTINUOUS

    Renai investigates the nursery after hearing crying.

    Renai Lambert, Cali Lambert
  30. 30. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

    The family eats dinner in silence.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Foster Lambert, Cali Lambert
  31. 31. INT. FOSTER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Renai talks to Foster about his school award and his fear of Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Foster Lambert
  32. 32. INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Renai tells Josh about the voice on the monitor.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  33. 33. INT. FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

    Josh investigates a mysterious knocking at the door.

    Josh Lambert
  34. 34. INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

    Renai hears a baby crying and sees a silhouette.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Cali Lambert
  35. 35. INT. LAUNDRY - SAME TIME

    Josh investigates the laundry room after Renai sees a figure.

    Josh Lambert
  36. 36. EXT. LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    A security officer tells the family the house is clear.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Foster Lambert, Cali Lambert
  37. 37. INT. GYMNASIUM, FORRESTER HIGH SCHOOL - DAY

    Josh refuses to be in the class photo.

    Josh Lambert
  38. 38. INT. GYMNASIUM, FORRESTER HIGH SCHOOL - LATER

    Alanso talks to Josh about faith.

    Josh Lambert
  39. 39. EXT. PARK - NIGHT

    Josh drinks alone.

    Josh Lambert
  40. 40. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

    Renai hears Josh reading to Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  41. 41. INT. BATHROOM - DAY

    Renai sees a figure through the bathroom window.

    Renai Lambert
  42. 42. EXT. LAMBERT HOME - NIGHT

    Renai and Josh argue about his late nights.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  43. 43. INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

    Renai sees a man pacing in her room.

    Renai Lambert
  44. 44. INT. Dalton's Bedroom - DAY

    Renai investigates a noise in Dalton's room, finding a discarded shoe and encountering a dwarf spirit.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  45. 45. INT. Classroom, Forrester High School - NIGHT

    Josh drinks with a janitor, Ned, who advises him to go home to his wife.

    Josh Lambert
  46. 46. EXT. New House - NIGHT

    Josh arrives home to find an unfamiliar car in the driveway.

    Josh Lambert
  47. 47. INT. Living Room, New House - NIGHT

    Josh confronts Renai, Lorraine, and a priest, leading to a heated argument about the supernatural.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Lorraine Lambert
  48. 48. INT. Kitchen, New House - NIGHT

    Lorraine recounts a dream she had about the house.

    Lorraine Lambert
  49. 49. INT. Living Room, New House - DAY

    Lorraine sees the Red-Faced Demon behind Josh, confirming the threat.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Lorraine Lambert, The Red-Faced Demon
  50. 50. EXT. New House - DAY

    Specs and Tucker arrive at the house.

    Specs, Tucker
  51. 51. INT. Living Room, New House - DAY

    Specs and Tucker introduce themselves to Renai and Josh.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Specs, Tucker
  52. 52. INT. Kitchen, New House - DAY

    Specs and Tucker argue about professionalism.

    Specs, Tucker
  53. 53. INT. Living Room, Specs' Apartment - DAY

    Specs interviews Renai and Josh.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Specs, Tucker
  54. 54. INT. Master Bedroom, New House - DAY

    Specs and Tucker inspect the room with equipment.

    Josh Lambert, Specs, Tucker
  55. 55. INT. Corridor, New House - LATER

    Tucker uses a special device to scan the hallway.

    Tucker
  56. 56. INT. Front Door, New House - EARLY EVENING

    Elise Rainier arrives at the house.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  57. 57. INT. Living Room, New House - DAY

    Elise arrives at the Lambert home, meets the family, and begins an initial assessment of the house with her assistants.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  58. 58. INT. Corridor, New House - CONTINUOUS

    Elise senses a presence in the hallway and has Specs sketch two spirits near the grandfather clock.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  59. 59. INT. Dalton's Bedroom - DAY

    Elise senses the Red-Faced Demon in Dalton's room; Renai discovers the drawing.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  60. 60. INT. Living Room, New House - DAY

    Elise explains that Dalton is an astral projector lost in The Further and that entities are trying to possess him.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  61. 63. INT. Living Room, New House - DAY

    Josh rejects Elise's explanation and kicks the team out of the house.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  62. 65. INT. Master Bedroom, New House - NIGHT

    Josh and Renai discuss their beliefs and the possibility of the supernatural.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert
  63. 65. INT. Living Room, New House - NIGHT

    Dalton, possessed by a demon, attacks the paranormal investigators while Elise attempts to banish the entity.

    Renai Lambert, Dalton Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker, The Old Woman
  64. 66. INT. Dalton's Bedroom - NIGHT

    Josh visits Dalton and discovers drawings that confirm Dalton's astral projection.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  65. 66. INT. Kitchen, New House - NIGHT

    The team reviews the footage and discusses the implications of their discovery.

    Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  66. 67. INT. Living Room, New House - NIGHT

    Lorraine arrives and reveals Josh's history with astral projection and the Old Woman.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Lorraine Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  67. 68. INT. Dalton's Bedroom - NIGHT

    Elise and the team attempt to contact Dalton through a seance.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  68. 68. INT. Living Room, New House - NIGHT

    Josh prepares to enter The Further to rescue Dalton.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Lorraine Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  69. 69. EXT. The Further - NIGHT

    Josh navigates the dark, desolate version of his neighborhood in The Further.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  70. 70. INT. House in The Further - NIGHT

    Josh searches the alternate version of his old house, encountering frozen spirits.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  71. 71. INT. Corridor in The Further - NIGHT

    Josh is confronted by the Long Haired Man.

    Josh Lambert
  72. 72. INT. HOUSE - NIGHT

    Josh's body convulses while Elise attempts to communicate with him in The Further.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier
  73. 73. INT. CORRIDOR, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    Josh fights off the Long Haired Man and searches for Dalton.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  74. 74. INT. BALLROOM, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    Josh finds Dalton chained in a ballroom.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  75. 75. INT. MAKE-UP ROOM, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    The Red-Faced Demon prepares in a make-up room and spots Josh in the mirror.

    Josh Lambert, The Red-Faced Demon
  76. 76. INT. BALLROOM, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    Josh and Dalton escape the Red-Faced Demon.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert, The Red-Faced Demon
  77. 77. INT. LIVING ROOM, NEW HOUSE - NIGHT

    Josh's body convulses in the real world while Elise tries to guide him back.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier, Specs, Tucker
  78. 78. INT. CORRIDOR, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    Josh and Dalton are chased by spirits.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert
  79. 79. INT. LIVING ROOM, NEW HOUSE - NIGHT

    Renai calls out to Josh to help him find his way back.

    Renai Lambert, Josh Lambert, Elise Rainier
  80. 80. INT. BASEMENT, LAMBERT HOME, THE FURTHER - CONTINUOUS

    Josh and Dalton reach the basement; Josh confronts the Old Woman.

    Josh Lambert, Dalton Lambert, The Old Woman

Dialogue examples

No, our job is not to alert the press and prove the existence of the 'paranormal', as you call it. I'm not out to prove anything. I've known there was a higher plane ever since I was a little girl and I could play hopscotch with people whose names were inscribed on tombstones. What you call paranormal is a fact of life for me. Our job is to help people. The least we can do is spare them the indignity of Sixty Minutes.

Elise Rainier / Scene 66

Your pictures are all in the computer. Nobody keeps photo albums like this anymore, they're ancient relics. They should. I like being able to touch something, instead of it floating around in cyber world. If the laptop breaks, your whole existence is erased.

Renai Lambert / Scene 4

I hear you... I hear you, but you don't know what you've done. There is a place that you can't go to and this is that place. YOU MADE A MISTAKE!! I'M GOING TO MAKE SUFFERING A FUCKING BLESSING FOR YOU! I'M GOING TO RIP YOU APART YOU CUNT!!

The Old Woman / Scene 71

I've always felt like less than good enough for you. I feel it every time you mention our bills. That subtle voice that says `can't you get a job that pays more than a teacher'? And now I can't even look at you without feeling it.

Josh Lambert / Scene 42

After all the years we've been dining out on morsels like a faucet that turns itself on and off...we finally have some empirical evidence of the real thing. Proof.

Tucker / Scene 66

After all the years we've been dining out on morsels like a faucet that turns itself on and off...we finally have some empirical evidence of the real thing. Proof.

Tucker / Scene 66

I feel like a mountain climber who's been waiting his whole life to climb Everest, and now that I'm standing on the summit, I don't know what to do with myself...

Specs / Scene 66

I feel like a mountain climber who's been waiting his whole life to climb Everest, and now that I'm standing on the summit, I don't know what to do with myself...

Specs / Scene 66

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