James' short story " Casting the Runes") such as the similar-shaped demons and the three-day curse theme in the film. Elements of the film's story are drawn from the British horror film Night of the Demon (itself an adaptation of M.R. The Raimis tried to make the character of Christine the main focal point in the film, and tried to have Christine in almost all the scenes in the film. The Raimis wrote the script as a morality tale, desiring to write a story about a character who wants to be a good person, but makes a sinful choice out of greed for her own betterment and pays the price for it. The film went into production under the name The Curse. The original story for Drag Me to Hell was written ten years before the film went into production and was written by Sam Raimi and his brother Ivan Raimi. The film includes cameo appearances by Raimi himself as an uncredited ghost at the séance, Raimi's younger brother Ted as a doctor, members of Raimi's family Emma, Henry, and Lorne in minor roles, frequent Raimi collaborator Scott Spiegel as a mourner at the death feast, and John Paxton and Irene Roseen as the old couple at the diner.
San Dena prepares a séance, but an unseen force attacks them and drags the boy to Hell. In 1969 Pasadena, a Hispanic couple seek help from young medium Shaun San Dena ( Adriana Barraza), saying their son is ill and hears evil voices after stealing a silver necklace from a Gypsy wagon, despite trying to return it.