Last Rites shows how the franchise can continue without Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga

Publisher’s note: The following contains spoilers for conjuration: Last rites.

Despite one of the most profitable horror films of all time, The Conjuring: Last Rites is, indeed, the end of the conjuring universe as we know it. In some ways, it may be for the best, because it would allow the franchise to go out with a blow and finish firmly where so many horror stories have not done so. Of course, on the other hand, there seems to be a reason Latest rites is the end of the “phase one” of the franchise, whatever it really means. Naturally, the “phase one” seems to involve a “phase two” and although James Wan And Peter Safran were quite tight on what it really implies, Latest rites establishes a major possibility.

“ The Conjuring: Last Rites ” sets up more Ed and Lorraine Warren Adventures

For some, one of the best parts of The Conjuring: Last Rites was this opening moment. From 1964, we followed a newly married young Ed (Orion Smith) and Lorraine Warren (Madison Lawlor) While they are investigating their first real case involving the death of a man who committed suicide after looking at the conspiracy mirror. After Lorraine met the responsible demon, the couple rushes to the hospital while their daughter Judy is still born. Miraculously, after having petled paradise by prayer, she lives and the Warrens never return to the mirror – not before starting over 20 years later. Although this sequence is the catalyst for the rest of the film, it is also much more. Not only were the young Ed and Lorraine perfectly sunk (he is shocking how much Smith looks like and looks like Patrick Wilson), but It also offers us an overview of a pair of younger and more inexperienced demonologists who always try to understand why they were gathered to start. See Ed and Lorraine tripping in a case as an amateurs were unexpectedly, and that reminds us that they have not always been the confident experts that we know them throughout the franchise. If anything, it gives the series a point of view from which to continue.

Through this simple flashback sequence which sets the tone for the rest of the film, Latest rites Place more Conjuring Tales through Ed and Lorraine themselves, although their younger versions. The Flashback sequence in their first years as paranormal who is like something almost torn from another story, and it is easy to see why some (this author included!) Would like to see more. There is something about the original stories that are best to prepare the ground for the rest of the storyGive the public a deeper respect and context for the characters involved. This is exactly what the Annabelle Trilogy made after the first film, swivel back over time for Annabelle: creationwhich was probably even better than the original. In fact, the combined universe has never failed to come back in time, like both The nun The films also take place many years ago Conjuring 2helping to establish the presence of Valak on earth.

Starting Latest rites With a sequence that details Ed and the real beginning of Lorraine, the fourth Conjuring Either the deductible by revealing both the start and finally the end of their two decades of work. It is a great way to link the intrigue to their youth while juxtaposing the departure of Ed and Lorraine in the paranormal field with that of their daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson) and her future husband Tony Spera (Ben Hardy). But when Tony asks Ed how many cases they took over the years, and he replies that he is probably somewhere about a thousand, The choice to start Latest rites With the Flashback of the 60s takes on a new meaning. We can see how the plan may have been to give Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga An outing so that Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor can take over. With as many cases still left there, the “phase two” could easily do this Conjuring The spin-offs have always done: Revisit the past.

A “conjugated” prequel franchise could go in several different ways

Image via Warner Bros.

What’s more Conjuring The series could continue from here. Obvious thought is that the young Ed and Lorraine could make the headlines of the new feature films. Given how these images behave at the box office (and how generally they are received by the public and criticism), there is no doubt that more Conjuring Films are the most obvious way to continue the series. If the “phase two” of the combined universe is supposed to be a creative restart, starting with new prequel films could also trigger new spin-offs like Annabelle And The nun Before. While it is probably better to leave the Conjuring The squidch like its own separate thing for the good of completion, a series of prequel films could easily exist under a new title. When franchise creators Chad Hayes And Carey Hayes worked with James Wan on the first ConjuringHe was called at some point Warren files. Something like that, maybe even shortened to WarrensMaybe would be a better way to distinguish between the two series of films.

Alternatively, the first adventures of Ed and Lorraine make an even better television program. Since there was a Conjuring Development series at HBO Max for some time, it could be the best way to further extend the world. We know that the Warrens artefact room is strewn with objects of a thousand different cases, and Annabelle returns home only touched a few very selected. But by pivoting the story of Young Ed and Lorraine on television (or streaming), Each episode could develop a new aspect of the Warrens case files, adapting real stories in a more limited time time. It would essentially be an anthology format, something similar American horror stories. In this way, if Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga always wanted to be involved, they could tell or tighten these adventures while Smith and Lawlor physically engage with the material, almost as The young Indiana Jones says. This would give the franchise room to develop more the first days of Ed and Lorraine as a paranormal researchers, and could add an additional weight to their biggest cases, such as Amityville, Enfield and Smurl obstacles.

The second phase of the combined universe could fully go a different direction

But there is another way than Latest rites Install the universe to continue beyond Wilson and Farmiga, and it is through the characters of Judy and Tony Spera. The end of the film seems to imply that the Warrens give their “family business” to their daughter and their new son -in -law, and it is easy to see how they could continue where the warrens had stopped. After all, The real speed actually continued to investigate the paranormal (and are currently co -directors of the New England Society for Psychic Research, founded by the Warrens). Although their case files are not as well known or high level, there is undoubtedly a potential for the characters. In addition, the real Tony Spera was a consultant on Conjure,, Conjuring 2And The Conjuring: Last RitesIt therefore seems very likely that we can see Judy and Tony come back for more adventures in this universe, even if Latest rites Rewrite the story of Judy a little.

Who would you like to see the franchise continue? Could the combination universe divide and conquer by continuing Warrens In a television format, developing their large backlog of case files, while the Speras take up the series of feature films with a soft restart? Or would it be better to leave the saga in nine parts alone and to move on? Many franchise fans want this to continue, of course, it is therefore up to Wan, Safran and the company to decide on the best action plan. Our vote? Continue the adventures of a young Ed and Lorraine, perhaps sometimes juxtaposing the future escapades of Tony and Judy Spera.

While The Conjuring: Last Rites is exclusively in theaters, the rest of the deductible is available for streaming on HBO Max.

The Conjuring: Last Rites

Release date

September 5, 2025

Execution time

135 minutes

Director

Michael Chaves

Writers

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Ian B. Goldberg, Richard Naing, Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes, James Wan

Producers

Peter Safran, James Wan