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| Hokum: Is Ohm Bauman Based on a Real Writer? The Truth Behind the Conquistador Trilogy Explained. (Credits: IMDb) |
When audiences finished watching ‘Hokum’, one question quickly floated to the surface alongside all the ghosts, secrets, and eerie hotel corridors: is Ohm Bauman actually based on a real writer, and does his gloomy ‘Conquistador’ trilogy exist somewhere on a dusty bookshop shelf waiting to ruin everyone's weekend? The short answer is no. Both the troubled novelist and his bestselling fantasy-horror series are entirely fictional creations designed specifically for the film. Yet the way they are written feels so convincing that many viewers immediately started searching for real-world inspirations behind them.
At the centre of the story is Ohm Bauman, played by Adam Scott, a successful but emotionally exhausted author struggling to complete the final instalment of his famous trilogy.
His creative block pushes him toward the unsettling Bilberry Woods Hotel, a place connected to his family's past and, unfortunately for him, a place that appears to come with far more ghosts than room service.
As the mystery unfolds, Ohm finds himself facing experiences that are far more frightening than anything he has ever put on paper.
Despite the character's realism, Ohm Bauman is not based on any real-life novelist. Writer-director Damian McCarthy created him from scratch to explore themes of grief, memory, personal growth, and the uncomfortable reality that real fear is much harder to manage than fictional fear.
In many horror stories, characters become tougher and more cynical as events spiral out of control. Ohm's journey takes the opposite route.
He starts off guarded, sarcastic, and emotionally shut down before gradually becoming more open and vulnerable as the story progresses.
That unusual character arc is one reason viewers have compared him to legendary horror author Stephen King. The comparison is understandable on the surface.
Both are associated with dark stories, troubled protagonists, and unsettling supernatural themes. However, the similarities largely stop there.
McCarthy has never suggested that Ohm was directly inspired by King, and there is no evidence that the character was modelled on any specific author.
Still, fans have noted that Ohm Bauman shares some familiar traits with several fictional writers who appear throughout King's novels: talented, haunted by the past, and carrying enough emotional baggage to require an extra suitcase.
The comparisons become even louder because ‘Hokum’ features a writer travelling to an isolated hotel where strange events begin to unfold. For some viewers, that setup immediately triggered memories of ‘The Shining.’
However, McCarthy has repeatedly explained that he wanted to avoid simply recreating that classic formula. Instead, he used familiar horror ingredients to tell a story with its own identity.
In other words, if audiences walked in expecting a copy of a famous haunted-hotel tale, they probably discovered that ‘Hokum’ had other plans. The same fictional approach applies to the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy, the bestselling book series that dominates Ohm Bauman's professional life throughout the film.
Despite appearing incredibly detailed and fully developed, the trilogy does not exist outside the world of ‘Hokum.’ There are no novels, no secret manuscripts, and sadly no collector's edition box set for fans hoping to spend a rainy weekend reading it.
Even so, the trilogy feels authentic because it borrows elements often found in dark fantasy and horror literature. The desert setting, supernatural undertones, morally complex characters, and bleak atmosphere have reminded some viewers of epic fantasy series and classic horror sagas.
The title itself suggests themes connected to historical exploration, conquest, ambition, and human greed, all subjects that naturally fit the darker tone of Ohm Bauman's writing.
What makes the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy especially important is that it serves as a mirror for Ohm Bauman himself. The books are not merely background decoration or a clever plot device. They reflect his emotional state throughout the story.
Early on, Ohm Bauman struggles to complete the final chapter because the ending he planned no longer feels right. As his experiences at the hotel begin changing him, his perspective shifts as well. Suddenly, the fictional world he created starts revealing uncomfortable truths about the real world he has been avoiding.
That connection becomes increasingly clear as the film moves toward its conclusion. The trilogy functions almost like a coded diary, with characters, conflicts, and themes reflecting pieces of Ohm Bauman's own life.
His fears, regrets, and personal growth all seep into the pages. The irony is almost deliciously cruel: a man famous for understanding darkness discovers he may not fully understand himself. Horror films do enjoy humbling their protagonists, and ‘Hokum’ certainly doesn't miss that opportunity.
Fan reactions have been notably divided, which is often a sign that a film has given audiences something to discuss. Some viewers praised the decision to make Ohm Bauman's journey deeply personal rather than relying solely on traditional scares.
Others appreciated how the fictional trilogy added extra layers to the narrative, turning what could have been a straightforward ghost story into a meditation on creativity and healing.
Meanwhile, some audience members admitted they spent half the film wondering whether they had somehow missed a real ‘Conquistador’ book series released years ago. A few even joked online that the fictional novels sounded interesting enough to deserve publication.
Many viewers have also praised Adam Scott's performance, arguing that he successfully balances dry humour, frustration, and vulnerability without turning Ohm into a stereotypical tortured genius.
Others have pointed to the film's refusal to provide easy answers as one of its strengths, while some found the symbolic storytelling more challenging than expected.
As often happens with folk horror, one person's masterpiece becomes another person's "wait, what exactly just happened?" experience.
In the end, both Ohm Bauman and the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy are fictional creations, but that fiction is precisely what makes them work. By blurring the line between imagination and reality, ‘Hokum’ encourages viewers to look beyond its ghosts and mysteries and focus on the emotional journey hiding underneath.
Did you find yourself convinced that Ohm was inspired by a real author? And would you actually read the ‘Conquistador’ trilogy if it were published tomorrow? That's the debate many fans are still having long after the credits rolled.
Next: 15 Movies Like Hokum.