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Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) Plot Summary & Timeline

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) movie poster

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is a 2023 mystery and horror film directed by Stephen Cognetti, running 1 hour 38 minutes. This page retells the whole story in 992 words (about 4 minutes to read) and covers 15 key events in order, 9 characters, where and when it is set and 3 themes. Looking for the cast, ratings and where to stream it? See the movie page for Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor.

to read the plot summary
4 min
key events in the timeline
15
characters profiled
9
themes explained
3
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Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 38m
Director
Stephen Cognetti
Genres
Mystery, Horror
Original language
English
No spoilers

What Is Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor About?

The premise of Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor in 317 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.

In a stretch of Rockland County far from the bustle of the city, a notorious manor stands as the lingering echo of a 1980s family tragedy. The house, long whispered about by locals, becomes the centerpiece of a new investigation when a trio of cold‑case enthusiasts decide to spend several nights within its walls, hoping to capture whatever lingers in its shadowed rooms. Their footage, later pieced together as a documentary, promises to reveal a truth that feels even more unsettling than the infamous Hell House tapes that preceded it.

Margot Bentley arrives with a personal stake in the unknown. As a filmmaker and paranormal investigator, her curiosity was sparked by a terrifying encounter from childhood—a clown‑costumed figure that almost seized her in a crowded fair. That early brush with the uncanny drives her to chase the lingering mysteries of the manor, blending professional rigor with a deeply personal quest for answers.

Joining her is Rebecca Vickers, Margot’s partner, whose supportive yet skeptical presence grounds the pair as they navigate the ominous corridors. Their dynamic balances curiosity with caution, each step forward echoing both camaraderie and unspoken tension. Complementing them is Chase Bentley, Margot’s brother, whose own fragile mental landscape adds an unpredictable edge to the expedition. His willingness to confront the manor’s reputation stems from a mixture of familial loyalty and a desire to prove himself amidst his own inner turmoil.

The film unfolds through a found‑footage lens, stitched together by an editor who offers occasional commentary, creating a layered narrative that feels both intimate and unsettling. The atmosphere is thick with creaking wood, dim lantern light, and the ever‑present suggestion that the manor holds more than dust and decay. As the investigators delve deeper, the audience is left with a lingering sense of dread, compelled to wonder what unseen forces might be watching from the darkness, waiting to be captured on the next shaky frame.

Full plot

What Happens in Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

The complete story of Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor, from the first scene to the last, in 992 words (about 4 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.

Spoilers ahead

In a careful, found-footage style documentary released in 2023, the film stitches together real-world recordings created by a small team: a filmmaker and paranormal investigator, Margot Bentley, her girlfriend Rebecca Vickers, and her brother Chase Bentley. The recovered material is brought into sharper focus by the hand of editor Bradley Moynahan, who supplies running commentary, while journalist Alice Harper provides an external perspective. This documentary not only documents a haunted investigation but also nods to the franchise’s broader lore, tying events to the infamous Abaddon Hotel and the shadowy history surrounding cult leader Andrew Tully.

The core expedition sends Margot and Rebecca to a remote manor house in Rockland County, a location that sits just a town over from the site of Hell House LLC’s most talked-about tragedy. Their target: the Carmichael family murders, a case once thought solved but now reopened by fresh footage and fresh questions. The pair learn that Arthur Carmichael and his son Patrick were the main suspects, yet both disappeared from public view long ago, leaving behind only a single set of footprints when the crime unfolded. Margot’s lifelong fascination with the supernatural traces back to childhood, when a man in a clown costume attempted to abduct her at a carnival, a memory that drives her deeper into this particular investigation. Joining them is Chase, whose own history of psychosis brings a volatile edge to the group, yet his commitment to supporting Margot’s work convinces him to stay.

Within the manor, the investigators uncover a locked storage room crammed with carnival relics—props and mementos that hint at a link to the same terrible carnival that shaped Margot’s fears. Among them are three clown mannequins, a visual echo of the dangers she believes lurk in this story, and a clue that the site is far more layered than a simple case study. The tension rises when the team learns that artifacts from the Abaddon Hotel have found a new home in a local antique store. In a tense sequence, Rebecca Vickers recognizes a grandfather clock from the hotel, revealing within its hidden compartment a cache of film reels, documents, and a cross pendant. The attic-like room becomes a portal to the past, stitching Margot’s present danger to the younger, darker history of the Carmichael family and the cult that would follow them.

Back at the manor, Chase Bentley faces terrifying moments alone; he witnesses the clowns move and a masked woman appears, amplifying the sense that the house itself is pressing in on them. When Margot and Rebecca return, Chase convinces them that the manor is haunted in a way that feels almost methodical, as if a hidden plan is at work. The recovered reels then move to the film’s editing desk, where Bradley Moynahan weaves them into a broader narrative—and the footage reveals a chilling arc that ties Margot’s past to the present danger.

As the documentary unfolds, the reels reveal the pivotal arc of Catherine and her relationship to the Carmichael family trauma. The material shows that Margaret Carmichael, long presumed dead or lost to history, is in fact the masked woman from earlier accounts. In a harrowing turn, a car crash involving Patrick Carmichael results in Margaret’s death, leaving Patrick alive but scarred, a physical reminder of the violence that surrounds the family. Patrick’s subsequent withdrawal and disturbance play directly into the cult’s evolving storyline, as Catherine later gives Patrick a pendant meant to protect him, a symbol that takes on a haunting significance as the narrative advances. The tapes show Patrick’s descent into the world of Andrew Tully’s cult, with the disturbing decision to relocate the clowns to his own bedroom and to preserve Margaret’s blood-stained dress as a macabre keepsake.

The danger intensifies as the cult infiltrates the manor, and Margaret’s ghost returns with lethal intent, killing Catherine as the historical wounds reopen. In a contemporary scene, Rebecca’s presentation to a real estate partner is interrupted by the supernatural interference of Catherine’s spirit, forcing the pair to retreat to the manor as night settles in. Amid this chaos, Chase suddenly vanishes, leaving behind scattered belongings that hint at a scene still unfolding off-camera. The footage then shows that Chase was pursued in his own bedroom by one of the clowns, ending in his murder and adding a personal stake to Margot’s investigation.

The present-day chase moves from the house to the surrounding woods when the car battery dies and the duo attempt to walk toward safety, only to be cornered by the cult’s members. They return to the manor, where a series of ominous texts from Chase urge them to escape. As they flee back to the house again, the cult surrounds them, and Margot discovers Chase’s eyeless corpse in a macabre tableau. The clown—the figure behind the terror—is identified as Patrick Carmichael, the man who once tried to abduct Margot when she was a child. In a final, troubling twist, Patrick speaks to a camera with a hollow apology before shouting at an unseen man to be quiet and stepping through a doorway into a red-tinted chamber that fans of the franchise recognize as a potential gateway to Hell.

The film closes with a mid-credits moment that shifts slightly to a sense of ongoing danger: journalist Alice Harper mentions that the town’s fair will return, while a distant window shows the silhouette of a clown, a final, unnerving hint that the story may not be finished.

Characters whose faces and actions anchor the narrative appear repeatedly through the footage, including [Margot Bentley], [Rebecca Vickers], [Chase Bentley], [Bradley Moynahan], [Alice Harper], [Catherine Carmichael], [Margaret Carmichael], [Patrick Carmichael], [Arthur Carmichael], and the imposing figure of the Hell House Clown. The story’s texture is enriched by small but essential threads—from a hospital-dark past in the manor to the uncanny echoes of the Abaddon Hotel’s relics—creating a cohesive, persistent sense of dread that stays true to the franchise’s lore while presenting a standalone, earnest documentary investigation.

Timeline

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor Timeline: Every Key Event in Order

15 key events in the order they happen, from “Margot's childhood trauma sparks paranormal interest” to “Mid-credits tease: a clown watches from the window”. 15 events name a place, across 10 locations.

  1. 1

    Margot's childhood trauma sparks paranormal interest

    Margot recalls a man in a clown costume attempting to abduct her at a carnival during childhood, an event that ignited her lifelong fascination with the supernatural. This early trauma fuels her drive to document paranormal activity. She begins seeking out haunted locations as part of her career.

    When:Childhood Where:Carnival

  2. 2

    Investigation begins at the Carmichael manor

    In 2023, Margot, her girlfriend Rebecca, and brother Chase travel to a remote manor in Rockland County to probe the Carmichael family murders. Arthur Carmichael and his son Patrick are the prime suspects, though neither has been seen since the killings. Only a single set of footprints is said to have left the house, hinting at a troubling mystery.

    When:2023 Where:Carmichael Manor, Rockland County

  3. 3

    Discovery of a locked storage room and clown paraphernalia

    Inside the manor they uncover a locked storage room filled with carnival memorabilia, including three life-sized clown mannequins. The find deepens the connection between the murders and Margot's childhood fears. The room hints at a ritualistic or cultic link underlying the hauntings.

    When:2023 Where:Carmichael Manor

  4. 4

    Antique store reveals Abaddon Hotel artifacts

    The trio learns that artifacts from the Abaddon Hotel are on display at a local antique shop. Rebecca spots a grandfather clock from the hotel and discovers film reels, documents, and a cross pendant hidden inside its compartment. The discovery expands the case beyond the manor walls.

    When:2023 Where:Local antique store

  5. 5

    Chase witnesses clown activity and a masked figure

    While Margot and Rebecca inspect the antique pieces, Chase remains at the manor and is frightened by apparent movement of the clowns. He also sees a masked woman, heightening his belief that the estate is truly haunted. The unsettling events raise the stakes for the investigation.

    When:2023 Where:Carmichael Manor

  6. 6

    The group reconvenes and considers the manor haunted

    Margot and Rebecca return to the manor with new evidence, while Chase persuades them that the place is indeed haunted. The team debates whether the disturbances are mere hoaxes or something more sinister. The eerie atmosphere tightens the group's resolve to uncover the truth.

    When:2023 Where:Carmichael Manor

  7. 7

    Bradley compiles reels; Margaret is revealed as the masked woman

    Recovered film reels are sent to Bradley Moynahan, who edits them into the documentary. The footage suggests that Margaret is the masked woman seen in earlier recordings, deepening the mystery surrounding her fate. The revelation ties Margot more directly to the lurking danger.

    When:Present-day Where:Bradley Moynahan's editing suite

  8. 8

    Past footage shows Patrick's cult involvement and memorabilia

    Additional footage reveals that Patrick joined Andrew Tully's cult in a bid to resurrect Margaret. He moves the clown figures into his bedroom and keeps Margaret's bloodied dress as a memento. This flashback connects the cult's influence to the manor and the ongoing hauntings.

    When:Past Where:Carmichael Manor (flashback)

  9. 9

    Cult invasion and Margaret's ghost kills Catherine

    During the cult's invasion of the manor, Margaret's ghost appears and kills Catherine. The supernatural consequences of Patrick's cult involvement become all too real. The haunting escalates from eerie signs to deadly confrontations.

    When:Past Where:Carmichael Manor

  10. 10

    Rebecca's presentation interrupted by Catherine's ghost

    In the present day, Rebecca's real estate presentation is disrupted by Catherine's ghostly interference. The haunting is no longer contained within the house but invades professional life. Margot and Rebecca realize the danger remains imminent.

    When:Present-day Where:Real estate office

Show the other 5 events of Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor
  1. 11

    Chase disappears and a clown attack follows

    Chase vanishes overnight, and a recovered clip shows he was confronted by one of the clowns in his bedroom, who pursued and killed him. The investigation grows more perilous as the threat targets Margot's circle.

    When:Present-day Where:Carmichael Manor

  2. 12

    Escape attempts are thwarted by cult and car fails

    Margot and Rebecca attempt to leave the house, but their car battery dies and the nearby woodland blocks their exit due to cult activity. They are forced back to the manor, where the danger closes in. The sense of isolation heightens as rescue seems unlikely.

    When:Present-day Where:Carmichael Manor vicinity

  3. 13

    Final confrontation and revelation of Patrick

    Disturbing text messages from Chase trigger a frantic escape in the car, but cult members surround the pair. Margot returns to the manor, and Catherine's ghost kills Rebecca while Margot discovers Chase's eyeless corpse. The clown, identified as Patrick, closes in on Margot.

    When:Present-day Where:Carmichael Manor

  4. 14

    Patrick's quiet departure into the red-tinted room

    In the final scene, Patrick apologizes to a camera before shouting at an unseen man to be quiet and walks into a red-tinted room that hints at another gate to Hell, echoing the franchise lore. The scene leaves the fate of the protagonists ominous.

    When:Final scene Where:Red-tinted room (gate to Hell)

  5. 15

    Mid-credits tease: a clown watches from the window

    A mid-credits scene shows Alice noting a fair is returning to town while a clown's image peers through a window in the background. The tease suggests the cycle of hauntings continues beyond the film.

    When:Mid-credits Where:Town/Window

Characters

Who Are the Main Characters in Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

9 characters, among them Margot Bentley, Rebecca Vickers and Chase Bentley: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.

  • MB

    Margot Bentley

    Played by Bridget Rose Perrotta

    A determined documentary filmmaker and paranormal investigator whose childhood trauma fuels her pursuit of the Carmichael Manor mystery. She leads the fieldwork and plays a central role in assembling the found footage into a cohesive narrative. Her courage is matched by a willingness to risk danger to uncover the truth behind the house’s history.

    • 🧭 Investigator
    • 🗝️ Paranormal Enthusiast
    • 👩‍💼 Protagonist
  • RV

    Rebecca Vickers

    Played by Destiny Leilani Brown

    Margot’s girlfriend and fellow investigator who helps analyze artifacts and corroborate footage. She brings a steady, skeptical perspective to the investigation while remaining deeply involved in the quest to uncover the manor’s secrets. Her presence anchors the documentary’s emotional throughline as danger intensifies.

    • 👭 Partner
    • 🧪 Researcher
    • 🕯️ Skeptic
  • CB

    Chase Bentley

    Played by James Liddell

    Margot’s brother, a man with a history of psychosis who joins the investigation after a mental health episode. His involvement sweeps him into the manor’s increasingly dangerous phenomena. He oscillates between fear and bravado, often driving the group deeper into the mystery.

    • 🧠 Troubled-Intellect
    • 🧭 Risk-Taker
    • 👁️ Witness
  • CC

    Catherine Carmichael

    Played by Cayla Berejikian

    A keeper of relics connected to the Abaddon Hotel who appears to aid the investigation but stands at the center of the manor’s cursed history. Her connection to the pendant and other artifacts ties the Carmichael family saga to the broader supernatural lore. She becomes a victim as the hauntings intensify.

    • 🗝️ Keeper of Secrets
    • 🧭 Artifact-Holder
  • PC

    Patrick Carmichael

    Played by Gideon Berger

    A member of the Carmichael family who joins a cult with the aim of resurrecting Margaret. He embodies the dual nature of charisma and menace, controlling clowns and relics to bend others to his will. His actions culminate in a chilling confrontation that reveals the true horror of the manor.

    • 🎭 Cultist
    • 👺 Clown-Manifestation
    • 🧭 Manipulator
  • MC

    Margaret Carmichael

    Played by Victoria Andrunik

    The murdered wife whose ghost haunts the manor, becoming a central figure in the haunting and in the revelation of the cult’s dark ambitions. Her memory drives the pursuit of truth and the questions about what truly happened in the house. Her presence intensifies the supernatural tension of the story.

    • 👻 Ghost
    • 🪦 Victimized-Wife
    • 🕯️ Memory-Keeper
  • AH

    Alice Harper

    Played by Searra Sawka

    A journalist and commentator who pieces together the recovered footage for the documentary, providing narrative context and connecting the Carmichael story to broader lore. Her perspective frames the events for the audience and hints at a larger, ongoing cycle of horror. She represents the bridge between researchers and the public’s curiosity.

    • 📰 Journalist
    • 🕯️ Chronicler
    • 🕵️ Investigation-Partner
  • BM

    Bradley Moynahan

    Played by Darin F. Earl II

    Editor who compiles the recovered footage into the documentary’s narrative, offering commentary and linking the present investigation to earlier chapters of the Hell House lore. He acts as the documentary’s connective tissue, shaping how the story is told. His involvement highlights the documentary’s meta-horror aspect as a crafted narrative.

    • 🗂️ Editor
    • 🎬 Narrator
    • 🧭 Connector
  • AC

    Arthur Carmichael

    Played by Robert Savakinus

    The patriarch of the Carmichael family and a suspected murder figure who disappears after the events. His legacy haunts the investigation, fueling speculation about the true origin of the manor’s dark power. His absence leaves a vacuum that the descendants and cultists try to fill.

    • 👨‍👦 Father
    • 🧭 Mystery-Suspect
    • 🔪 Murder-Suspect
Setting

Where and When Is Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor Set?

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is set in Carmichael Manor, Rockland County, New York and Local Antique Store (2023). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.

When

2023

The recovered footage and present-day events unfold in 2023, with Margot, Rebecca, and Chase collecting material for a documentary. The narrative threads past murders and cult activities into the present through artifacts, footage, and testimonies. The film juxtaposes found footage with real-time discoveries, hinting that the haunting persists beyond the documentary. The timeline culminates in contemporary events that echo the manor’s cursed history.

Where

Carmichael Manor, Rockland County, New York, Local Antique Store

The story centers on a remote manor in Rockland County, linked to the Carmichael murders and a surrounding cult history. Nearby, relics from the Abaddon Hotel circulate through a local antique store, tying the manor to a broader haunted lore. The setting blends claustrophobic interiors with a rural backdrop, emphasizing isolation and the weight of past sins. The estate and its environs are portrayed as a nexus where memory, murder, and the supernatural collide.

  • ❄️ Haunted
  • 🕯️ Mystery
  • 🗝️ History
Themes

What Are the Themes of Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Paranormal Haunting, Cult Obsession and Memory and Trauma.

  1. 01

    Paranormal Haunting

    The Carmichael manor is presented as a site haunted by past murders and cult rituals, with spectral imagery signaling danger. Ghostly appearances and eerie artifacts blur the line between truth and superstition. The investigation relies on found footage to convey a sense of unavoidable doom, while questions of agency and reality linger.

  2. 02

    Cult Obsession

    Patrick Carmichael's ties to a revivalist cult drive key turning points, as artifacts and rituals resurface to manipulate the living. The cult seeks to resurrect the deceased Margaret, leveraging belief to exert control. The narrative reveals how charisma, secrecy, and ritual can weaponize devotion and destabilize rational judgment.

  3. 03

    Memory and Trauma

    Margot's childhood encounter with a clown abductor fuels her fixation on the mystery, shaping her approach to the investigation. Past traumas color present encounters, casting doubt on what is seen and what is believed. The film uses fragmented footage to explore how memory can both illuminate and distort truth, leaving characters haunted by what they cannot fully recover.

Tone & mood

What Kind of Film Is Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.

Tone
Tense
Pacing
Steady
Story
Complex
Intensity
High
Ending
Bleak

A steadily escalating, dread-filled horror investigation that uses found footage to create an intensely claustrophobic and anxious experience as a paranormal team uncovers a deeply sinister legacy.

  • claustrophobic
  • anxious
  • dread-filled
  • sinister
  • paranoid
  • unsettling
  • found footage
  • supernatural investigation
  • unsolved murders
  • cult activity

Content notes: grisly murders, supernatural threat, psychological distress, child abduction attempt, mutilated corpse.

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FAQ

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor Plot Questions

5 quick answers about Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor, taken from the plot summary, character guide and setting on this page and the film’s credits.

What is Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor about?

In a stretch of Rockland County far from the bustle of the city, a notorious manor stands as the lingering echo of a 1980s family tragedy. The house, long whispered about by locals, becomes the centerpiece of a new investigation when a trio of cold‑case enthusiasts decide to spend several nights…

Read the full plot summary

When and where does Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor take place?

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor is set in Carmichael Manor, Rockland County, New York and Local Antique Store (2023). The recovered footage and present-day events unfold in 2023, with Margot, Rebecca, and Chase collecting material for a documentary.

The setting explained

Who are the main characters in Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

The story follows Margot Bentley (played by Bridget Rose Perrotta), Rebecca Vickers (played by Destiny Leilani Brown), Chase Bentley (played by James Liddell) and Catherine Carmichael (played by Cayla Berejikian); the character guide covers 9 characters in all.

All the characters

What are the main themes of Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

The summary picks out 3 themes: Paranormal Haunting, Cult Obsession and Memory and Trauma.

The themes explained

Who directed Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor?

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023) was directed by Stephen Cognetti and runs 1 hour 38 minutes.

Stephen Cognetti’s films

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