After 12 years of thrills, chills, andvillains who have become horror icons,The Conjuring Universe,as we know it, is coming to an endwith this year’sThe Conjuring: Last Rites. What began as a rather humble endeavor with the 2013James Wanclassic,The Conjuring,became a sprawling cinematic universe overseen by some ofhorror’s most ambitious and skilled filmmakers. However, while characters like Annabelle and the Demon Nun (Bonnie Aarons) have been responsible for endless nightmares for movie goers, it’s the universe’s take onEdandLorraine Warren(played byPatrick WilsonandVera Farmigain the films, respectively) who have kept audience interest for more than a decade. Although the films are very, very loose adaptations ofthe alleged real-life hauntingsthe Warrens investigated, each installment has upped the ante and horror, moving further away from the small but mighty origins of the series. But, with the announcement that the final film in the Warren’s sagawill cover the apparent haunting of the Smurl family,it seems the creative team is crafting an ending thatboth honors what came before and will send the characters out fittingly.
There is no doubt that The Conjuring Universe has become one of themost influential horror franchises of all time. With a collective budget of $2.1 billion in box office earnings against a series combined budget of $208 million, it is the highest-grossing horror series of all time, with each film turning over a profit. The series reached a record high with 2018’sThe Nunearning $365 million. 2021’sThe Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do Itwas one of the first post-COVID films to become a box office success. But even as the films have gotten “bigger and better,”for many, it’s 2013’sThe Conjuringthat remains the series’ best.
Based partially on the book byAndrea Perronand the experiences her family claimed to have experiencedwhile living in a Rhode Island farmhouse, the movie shocked audiences when it came out,thanks to Wan’s emphasis on practical effects, a fantastic script by Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes, and earthy, realistic performancesby Farmiga, Wilson,Lili Taylor,Ron Livingston, and even ayoungJoey King. Produced for a humble $20 million, the film is still a horror marvel, making the plight of the Perron family feel personal and horrific.
Its mix ofjump scaresand atmospheric horror makes the movie just as effective more than a decade later, and itstillhas one of the most frightening character designs with its demon. While the grandeur of the franchise as a whole has certainly made the series feel epic and exciting, it’s hard to deny thatthe extreme human elements of that first movie make it a gem within the haunted house genre. Sure, we’ve enjoyed the exploits of Annabelle, and the supernatural murder mystery ofThe Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do Itwas a stimulating subversion of what we were used to, but the series would be nothing without this grounded, effective start. Luckily,The Conjuring: Last Riteshas already set up a story that will bring the franchise back to its roots before saying goodbye.
‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Case Mirrors the Series’ Beginnings
Ever sinceThe Conjuring: Last Riteswas announced, there has been plenty of speculation regarding which case the film would focus on. On May 6th, 2025,Entertainment Weeklybroke the news that the final installment in the Warren’s saga would be based on the haunting ofJanetandJack Smurl(who will be played byRebecca CalderandElliot Cowanin the upcoming film). Much like the original picture,Last Ritesseesa large family move into a new home, looking for a new start, only to find the home is infested by demonic forces. While the fictionalized version of the Warrens has helped a number of families over the course of the series, this is the first time sinceThe Conjuring2that the series has gone for a classichaunted housesetup.
Did the First ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Images Just Drop a Major Hint For the TV Series Spin-Off?
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return for one final battle against evil this fall.
WhileThe Conjuring 2is also a haunted house setup,introducing us to the Hodgsons family,the film is less contained than its predecessor,depicting something more diabolical and interconnected, having Lorraine’s first encounter with the Nun in Amityville, before Janet (Madison Wolfe) accidentally summons it with a homemade Ouija board. The third entry in the series was the biggest shake-up for the series, completely abandoning the haunted house setting in lieu of asupernatural detective story. Each of these films certainly has its own merits, withThe Conjuring 2often considered one ofthe best modern horror sequels, introducingAarons’ iconic Demon Nun, but the fourth installment is set to be the best of both worlds. As Wilson and Farmiga both stated in EW’s coverage,this film is set to be both a return to form and the series’ most intense installment yet.However, it’s not only the storytelling that is coming full circle, but the fictionalized Warrens themselves.
The Warrens’ Arc in ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Is a Full Circle Moment
The heart of the Conjuring Universe has always been Ed and Lorraine Warren. They are trulythe glue that holds the series together, even more so than their demonic foes. While speaking to EW, Wilson and Farmiga teased a few arc details that are not only exciting, but an intriguing twist on the first film’s story. Taking place five years afterThe Devil Made Me Do It, the picture will find Ed and Lorraine in semi-retirement,following Ed’s heart attack. According to EW, the two are speaking at lectures and trying to figure out their next chapter and the new decade they are living in. It’s certainly a shake-up for the two, considering how the previous films portrayed them as constantly working, but it’s a beautiful reflection of where they were when we met them.
When the franchise started, it was Lorraine who was suffering following a terrifying occurrence during the exorcism ofMaurice Theriault(Jonas BloquetandChristof Veillon). It’s an interesting way to revisit the idea of the Warrens leaving behind their work, something the first film played with, but couldn’t explore. The series has always been at its strongest when it portrays the love between its interpretation of the Warrens. Though the franchise often avoids the controversies and nuances that surrounded the real people, the movie versions of them have consistently portrayed them as likable equals.While we, as audience members, will certainly miss Farmiga and Wilson’s interpretations, it really is a fitting way to end their arcs.
It’s hard to believe that the main string of movies in the Conjuring Universe is coming to an end, but using the Smurl case truly seems to be the perfect finale. Not only does it bring the format back to its roots with the promise of new scares, butit allows the Warrens' arc to come full circle. While Warner Bros. has made it known that there aremore Conjuring-based adventuresin the future,The Conjuring: Last Ritesis already building itself up to be a fitting and emotional endgame for Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Conjuring: Last Riteswill haunt theaters July 27, 2025.
The Conjuring: Last Rites
