Hold onto your holy water, Conjuring fans! New Line Cinema is stirring up excitement and a touch of mystery about the future of the horror franchise. Richard Brener, president and CCO of New Line, has revealed that The Conjuring: Last Rites, the fourth installment in the core series, will officially close the book on “phase one” of The Conjuring universe. However, don’t pack away your crucifixes just yet, as the door to “phase two” remains tantalizingly ajar with more to come.
The Final Chapter
The Conjuring: Last Rites, the ninth film in this sprawling paranormal saga, brings back the iconic duo Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the demon-battling Ed and Lorraine Warren. According to Brener, the film generates some serious buzz during test screenings.
“It’s testing through the roof and we’re only at the director’s cut, the 10-week part of the movie where you’re normally very, very scared about the status of your film,” Brener shared with THR. “We’re very early in the process, have very preliminary visual effects, but it’s already through the roof. So while this is the last of what we call phase one, we are hopeful that we can make more.”
Phase One
Brener’s use of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “phase” terminology adds an intriguing layer to the franchise’s future. “Phase two is TBD,” he teased, leaving fans to speculate what fresh horrors might await.
This strategic ambiguity opens up a world of possibilities. The Warrens’ extensive case files inspired the original Conjuring film (directed by James Wan). However, they offer a treasure trove of storylines. Their work also included iconic cases like The Amityville Horror and the chilling Enfield Poltergeist, which served as the foundation for The Conjuring 2.
A Hit Franchise
The original Conjuring movie’s (trailer below) success spawned a universe, including The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the Annabelle trilogy, and The Nun franchise. With such a rich tapestry of stories, the future of The Conjuring universe seems ripe for exploration.
The Dawn of a New Era
So, while The Conjuring: Last Rites, set to haunt theaters on September 5th, marks the end of an era, it might also be the dawn of a new one. Get ready to face the unknown.
Want to relive the terror of The Conjuring franchise? You can find where the movies are streaming here.
Want to learn more about the universe and the Warrens? Check out our interview with Eugenie Bondurant about her role as the villain, “The Occultist,” in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. We also explored the couple’s real cases during an interview with Joe Catapano, who recounted details of two unpublished investigations he worked on with the Warrens.
