The Blair Witch Project: 7 Most Compelling Fan Theories

Nothing conclusively supernatural actually happens on camera in The Blair Witch Project, or at least nothing that cannot be just as easily explained by a flesh-and-blood killer (or killers). As one interviewee states at the beginning of the film, Heather's documentary isn't the first to be made about the Rustin Parr murders, Coffin Rock, Robin Weaver, or the Elly Kedward legend. One popular theory suggests that the Burkitsville locals were sick and tired of having their town's history exploited by ignorant outsiders, and they conspired to stalk and murder the three young filmmakers.

Or more likely the opposite could be true: for a town that probably relies heavily on macabre tourism, the townspeople may have seen this new documentary project as a way of adding more meat to the existing legend, thereby encouraging more tourists to flock to the area upon discovery of the footage. In fact, this turned out to be the result of the film's convincing marketing in real life, too; many people actually travelled to the filming locations of The Blair Witch Project having seen the fictionalised companion documentary, not realising that the lore had been entirely invented.

The fact that the locals are so cooperative with Heather, Josh and Mike, as well as the fact that whoever responsible clearly made the effort to frighten them before luring them to their deaths, suggests that the latter theory is more likely. Some fans online have also suggested something along the lines of a mass cover-up, or even a supernatural influence affecting the whole town, but that seems a bit too far-fetched.