The Conjuring Universe

Overview

The franchise consists of four films in the main series: The Conjuring (2013), The Conjuring 2 (2016), The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), and The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025). The first two were directed by James Wan and the next two by Michael Chaves. The first two installments revolve around two of the Warrens' many famous paranormal cases, with the first film depicting the case of the Perron family, who experienced disturbing events in their newly acquired house in Rhode Island. The second film focuses on the controversial case of the Enfield poltergeist while briefly referring to the events that inspired The Amityville Horror. The third entry in the main series, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, was released in 2021 and revolves around the murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson in 1981 in Connecticut.

The franchise also includes Annabelle (2014), a prequel directed by The Conjuring cinematographer John R. Leonetti and produced by Wan and Peter Safran, which reveals the history of the Annabelle doll before the Warrens came into contact with it at the start of the first film. A further prequel, Annabelle: Creation (2017), directed by David F. Sandberg, shows the origins of the demon-manipulated doll. A third Annabelle film, Annabelle Comes Home, was released in 2019, with franchise writer Gary Dauberman making his directorial debut from a script he wrote. Wan has likened the story to Night at the Museum, with Annabelle activating the haunted objects in the Warrens' artifact room.

The Nun, a spiritual prequel based on a character introduced in The Conjuring 2, was released in 2018. The plot focuses on the origins of the demonic nun Valak before coming in contact with the Warrens. A sequel, The Nun II, was released in 2023, with Michael Chaves directing and Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper serving as writers for the film.

Wan has said they sought accuracy to real life in making the main films, while the spin-offs allowed them to "just explore different sub-genres in the horror genre".

The first two Conjuring films were met with generally positive reviews by both critics and horror fans, with praise for Wan's directing and the main cast's performances, particularly Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga's on-screen chemistry as Ed and Lorraine. Critics also acknowledged the effect the films have had on popular culture as well as in the production of modern horror films. The third entry received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances of Wilson and Farmiga but considered it weaker than the previous Conjuring installments. The first entry in the Annabelle film series received mixed to negative reviews, considered inferior to its precursor. Annabelle: Creation was met with generally positive reviews. Annabelle Comes Home, and The Nun II received mixed reviews. The Nun, on the other hand, received generally negative reviews. The three main films and their five spin-offs were successful at the box office, with combined earnings of over $2.1 billion worldwide against a combined budget of $208 million, making The Conjuring Universe the highest-grossing horror franchise in history and one of the most critically acclaimed.

Development

Development began over 20 years before the first film's debut, when Ed Warren played a tape of Lorraine Warren's original interview with Carolyn Perron for producer Tony DeRosa-Grund. DeRosa-Grund made a recording of Warren playing back the tape and of their subsequent discussion. At the end of the tape, Warren said to DeRosa-Grund: "If we can't make this into a film I don't know what we can". DeRosa-Grund then described his vision of the film for Ed.

DeRosa-Grund wrote the original treatment and titled the project The Conjuring. For nearly 14 years, he tried to get the film made without any success. He originally landed a deal to make the film at Gold Circle Films, the production company behind The Haunting in Connecticut, but a contract could not be finalized and the deal was dropped.

DeRosa-Grund allied with producer Peter Safran, and sibling writers Chad and Carey W. Hayes were brought on board to refine the script. Using DeRosa-Grund's treatment and the Ed Warren tape, the Hayes brothers changed the story's point of view from the Perron family to that of the Warrens. The brothers interviewed Lorraine many times over the phone to clarify details. By mid-2009, the property became the subject of a six-studio bidding war that landed the film at Summit Entertainment; however, DeRosa-Grund and Summit could not conclude the transaction and the film went into turnaround. DeRosa-Grund reconnected with New Line Cinema, who had lost in the original bidding war, and the studio ultimately picked up the film. The same year on November 11, a deal was made between New Line and DeRosa-Grund's Evergreen Media Group.

Films

Released

The first installment of the series centers on the real-life exploits of Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who investigated paranormal events. Patrick Wilson starred alongside Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine. The film focuses on a 1971 case in which the Warrens investigated a witch's curse at a farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. The Conjuring was released on July 19, 2013, to positive reviews. It earned $320 million worldwide against a budget of $20 million, becoming one of the most profitable horror films in history.

A spin-off film, focusing on the origins of the Annabelle doll introduced in The Conjuring, was announced shortly after the release of its forerunner, mainly due to the film's worldwide box-office success and the character's positive reception. The plot focuses on John and Mia Form, a married couple expecting a child, whose vintage doll, Annabelle, becomes possessed by a vengeful spirit after two devil worshippers break into their home and are killed. The film was directed by The Conjuring cinematographer John R. Leonetti and produced by Safran and Wan, with Gary Dauberman behind the script. It was released worldwide on October 3, 2014, to major commercial success, becoming the 14th most profitable horror film in North America. Many critics found Annabelle inferior to The Conjuring.

A sequel, The Conjuring 2, was commissioned after the success of the original film and was also directed by Wan, with both Farmiga and Wilson reprising their roles. The film focused on the Enfield poltergeist case in London in 1977, while briefly referring to the events that inspired The Amityville Horror. It was released on June 10, 2016, to positive reviews from both critics and audiences; some agreed that the film was vastly superior to other horror sequels, while others debated whether the film had surpassed its predecessor in quality. Proving to be similarly successful to the first entry in the series, the film became another profitable addition to the franchise, having earned $320.3 million worldwide from a budget of $40 million, and becoming the second highest-grossing horror film of all time, after The Exorcist, until It was released in 2017.

An Annabelle sequel was in development, eventually revealed to be a prequel to the original film. The plot of the film centers on a dollmaker and his wife, whose daughter tragically died twelve years earlier, as they decide to open their home to a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage; the dollmaker's possessed creation Annabelle sets her sights on the children and turns their shelter into a storm of ultimate evil. Lights Out director David F. Sandberg replaced Leonetti as director, with Dauberman returning to write the script and Safran and Wan returning to produce. The film was released worldwide on August 11, 2017, to critical and commercial success, with many critics stating Annabelle: Creation was a vast improvement over its predecessor.

Future

In August 2025, Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith expressed interest in portraying Ed and Lorraine in prequel movies, including one potentially exploring the couple's involvement with the Amityville haunting. In September 2025, a Conjuring prequel film was announced as in development following the financial success of Last Rites. Rodrigue Huart was in early negotiations to serve as director, with a script co-written by Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg. The plot will follow investigations during Ed and Lorraine Warren's early years, with younger actors expected to star in the movie. In January 2026, the film was titled The Conjuring: First Communion and was given a release date of September 10, 2027.

In June 2017, producer Peter Safran stated that while the studio would not incorporate characters from other standalone original works, there are various projects in development. He later reiterated that future projects would only be made that have a direct connection to the Warrens and the other released films in the franchise; stating that they would continue to be made "as long as [we] keep having original stories to tell". By May 2021, he said that there were multiple future projects in various stages of development, with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga intended to reprise their roles. Safran stated: "[They] are such unique actors and they portray Ed and Lorraine so beautifully that we'd love to keep making these movies with them. Ed and Lorraine investigated cases for 50 years, so we have another 40 years with Patrick and Vera before we run out".

Following the release of Annabelle Comes Home in June 2019, Gary Dauberman acknowledged the possibility of a fourth Annabelle film, while stating that there's potential for a number of spin-off films centered around the other cursed artifacts and their entities, as well. The filmmaker revealed that specific entities received detailed backstories that he wrote during the production for Annabelle Comes Home. Developed with Wan, he stated that the future of the franchise would explore different sub-genres of horror; stating that a psychological horror film centered around The Bride, and a slasher horror film centered around The Samurai, were examples of options that were discussed for development.

In June 2021, after the release of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Michael Chaves revealed that the film was originally intended to directly tie into the next spin-off film. Centered around a demonic character that was cut from the third Conjuring referred to as the Lost Demon, Chaves stated that this entity would be notable because it was entirely based on descriptions from true account witnesses. Though the full character reveal was removed from the final cut, as well as a subplot where Isla the occultist was working with the demon, the filmmaker noted that it is the same entity that torments David in the waterbed and ultimately enters his body. He expressed hope that one day the project would be green-lit. Chaves commented that James Wan has several Warren "cases up his sleeve", with "a lot of things ... to explore". The filmmaker acknowledged that he knew various projects that were being developed.

Related films

In May 2015, John R. Leonetti, was announced as the director of Wolves at the Door for New Line Cinema, with Gary Dauberman as screenwriter and Peter Safran as producer. Although the film is not an installment in The Conjuring Universe, it stars Eric Ladin, who reprises his role as Detective Clarkin from Leonetti's 2014 film, Annabelle. Wolves at the Door is loosely based on the Manson Family murders in 1969.

In October 2017, Wan served as a producer of a horror film directed by Michael Chaves and starring Linda Cardellini, which was then titled The Children. The film was later retitled The Curse of La Llorona (also known as The Curse of the Weeping Woman in some international markets). Although the film is not an official installment in The Conjuring Universe, it stars Tony Amendola, who reprises his role from Annabelle as Father Perez. The character gives direction to the family being tormented by the titular spirit and relates the haunting to his experiences with the demonic entity attached to the doll, with Annabelle appearing on screen.

In October 2025, a sequel to The Curse of La Llorona was announced, with Santiago Menghini directing the film from a script by Sean Tretta. The story centers around a fractured family who must work together alongside their estranged grandfather to resolve their past and ancient evils before the Weeping Woman claims their children forever. It stars Monica Raymund, Jay Hernandez, Raymond Cruz, Edy Ganem, Martín Fajardo, Acston Luca Porto and Avie Porto in lead roles. James Wan, Gary Dauberman and Emile Gladstone returned as producers; principal photography began early the same month.

The Revenge of La Llorona is scheduled to be released in the United States on February 26, 2027.

Television

In May 2021, Peter Safran said that there were ongoing developments for a television series set within The Conjuring Universe. The producer stated that while they did not want to take away from the film installments, there were "some more long-form stories that would be better told over eight episodes or eight hours as opposed to just a two-hour movie". Safran acknowledged that an expansion of the franchise into television shows has been in discussion for some time, with the launch of HBO Max providing Warner Bros. Entertainment with a distributor for any potential series.

In April 2023, an untitled television series in the franchise was announced as being in development. The show would take place chronologically after the events of the films, with James Wan and Peter Safran serving as executive producers. The project was set to be a joint-venture production between New Line Television, Warner Bros. Television Studios, Atomic Monster, the Safran Company, and Max Originals, and was being developed for release via streaming exclusively on Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max.

In September 2025, Nancy Won was reported to serve as a writer, executive producer, and showrunner for the series. Peter Cameron and Cameron Squires will also serve as writers.

Recurring cast and characters

This table lists the main characters who appear in The Conjuring Universe, in alphabetical order by the character's last name.

Reception

Box office performance

The franchise has been notable for its profit, with The Conjuring and its follow-up having earned a combined profit of $260 million, according to Deadline, while Annabelle managed to make 40 times its $6.5 million budget. Scott Mendelson of Forbes called the franchise the "first successful post–Marvel cinematic universe". The Hollywood Reporter in 2022 wrote that "Besides the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an argument can be made that the Conjuring franchise is the second-most successful cinematic universe at the moment".

Comic books

In April 2021, DC Comics formed a new horror imprint called DC Horror. The first of a series of comics set within The Conjuring Universe was released on June 1 the same year. The Conjuring: The Lover is a 5-issue limited series that serves as a prequel to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. The story involves a college student named Jessica. She struggles with college life and her discovery that something sinister is targeting her. Each issue includes backup stories, which explore the cursed artifacts in the Warren's basement museum. The limited series is co-written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Rex Ogle, with artwork by Garry Brown and cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. The backup stories featuring the occult items from the Warrens' artifact room were written by various writers: the first by Scott Snyder, with Denys Cowan serving as artist, the second from writer Che Grayson and artist Juan Ferreyra, the third from writer Tim Seeley and artist Kelley Jones, followed by the fourth from writer Ray Fawkes and artist Christopher Mitten, and by the fifth from writer and artist Dominike "Domo" Stanton. In March 2022, a trade hardcover collecting the issues was released.

Tie-in media

In July 2013, prior to the theatrical release of The Conjuring, Vice Media alongside Warner Bros. Entertainment and New Line Cinema (under the banner of The Conjuring) presented a series of anthology horror short-films, titled The 3:07 A.M. Project. In the series of shorts, the witching hour of 3:07 A.M. is the only recurring theme within each short. The shorts were presented as a marketing device that drew attention to the first installment of The Conjuring Universe, leading up to its release date. The short films were met with mixed reception, while each filmmaker would later find success in other noteworthy horror franchises. While the series does not connect directly to the franchise, it serves as the first attempt at expanding the franchise, though this specific time was referenced in the first movie of the franchise.

Lawsuits

Norma Sutcliffe and Gerald Helfrich, previous owners of the house on which The Conjuring was based, have sued Wan, Warner Bros. and other producers in 2015 because their property was being constantly vandalized as a consequence of the film. Entertainment Weekly obtained documents in which the owners affirm various invasions and ratify that they have found numerous objects affiliated with satanic cults. The lawsuit also reveals that the previous owners bought the house in 1987 and lived "in peace" until 2013. Both owners had been seeking unspecified damages. When questioned, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. declined to comment on the issue.

Gerald Brittle, author of a book about the Warrens called The Demonologist, filed a $900 million lawsuit on March 29, 2017, against Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Wan and others, claiming that he had the exclusive rights to the Warrens' story and that it had been stolen by the studios and producers. The case was scheduled to go to trial on April 16, 2018, with a Warner Bros. spokesperson commenting: "We're pleased the Court significantly narrowed the case and look forward to addressing the remaining claims at summary judgment. Mr. Brittle's claims are not only without merit, but contradict Mr. Brittle's prior admissions in other failed lawsuits concerning The Conjuring movies".

On December 13, 2017, Warner Bros. settled the lawsuit, revealing that Tony DeRosa-Grund, the producer of the original film, was the "mastermind" behind the lawsuit, without Brittle ever having been involved. Brittle himself commented that "Mr. DeRosa-Grund has been controlling this litigation from the start. [...] Based on a review of text messages between Mr. DeRosa-Grund and my attorney, I understand that he even threatened my attorneys that if they sent information from me without him seeing it first they would be fired". This followed repeated failed lawsuits by DeRosa-Grund against Warner Bros., claiming they owed him millions of dollars from the franchise; he eventually settled with Warner Bros., agreeing to never sue them again for anything related to the franchise.