Who is the hypnotist in Insidious 5? After more than a decade on our screens, the Insidious movies have built up a deep ensemble of characters. Some of them have made more of an impact over the years than others, as we have witnessed our heroes battle with the demonic inhabitants of The Further.
The new Insidious movie features an opening scene of hypnosis, set in the immediate aftermath of Insidious Chapter 2. That scene is presided over, in the absence of the deceased Elise (Lin Shaye), by another person with a connection to the other realm. Fans of the Insidious movies will definitely have seen him before his return on the Insidious 5 release date.
So who is the hypnotist in Insidious 5, and why is he so familiar? Let’s delve into the best movies in this series to see where you’ve seen the guy, and where he fits into the ongoing story.
Who is the hypnotist in Insidious 5?
The hypnotist in the opening scene of Insidious 5 is Elise’s friend Carl (Steve Coulter), who we previously saw in both Insidious 2 and Insidious 3.
We were introduced to Carl in Insidious Chapter 2. Along with Elise, he visited Lorraine Lambert to help her understand what was wrong with her son, Josh. He was a close associate of Elise throughout her life and helped with her work, making a brief appearance in Insidious 3 to provide her with the pep talk she needed to keep going.
He briefly appears in Insidious 5 as the hypnotist responsible for helping the adult Josh (Patrick Wilson) and his young son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) forget their astral projection abilities, after Josh attempted to kill his family while possessed by a demon from The Further.
After the narrative flashes nine years into the future, we see Carl again as one of the mourners at Lorraine’s funeral. He has a brief interaction with Josh, who of course doesn’t recognize him.
The inclusion of Carl is a nice little easter egg for Insidious fans who have sunk a lot of hours into this franchise over the years. And we know he’s still around, so we might get to see him again if there are new movies in the franchise.
For more of the best horror movies coming your way, find out about The Meg 2 release date and the Saw 10 release date. We’ve also recommended the best ghost movies and the best slasher movies for you to watch.
But for more Insidious, check out our Insidious 5 review and find out how it all pans out with the Insidious 5 ending explained. You can also read our Insidious 5 director interview with Patrick Wilson and Insidious 5 cast interview with Ty Simpkins, Sinclair Daniel, and Lin Shaye. FInally, be sure to give our Insidious 5 cast guide a read.