Not so last rites for the Warrens, as THE CONJURING prequel is officially in development at Warner Bros.
It seems that there are indeed other cases for Ed and Lorraine Warren to solve. The Conjuring universe is not only the most successful horror franchise in history, it is also one of the only cinematic universes to have managed to reach audiences. Billed as the final chapter of the franchise, The Conjuring: Last Rites was supposed to be a swan song for Ed and Lorraine Warren. However, plans changed when the film became a huge financial success. Despite mixed reviews (59% RT score), the film grossed $489 million internationally, more than any previous release. Conjuring slice.
With that, it was hard to imagine Warner Bros. ready to say goodbye to the franchise. And goodbye, the studio didn’t say. By VarietyA Conjuring A prequel film is in the works at WB and New Line Cinema. The film is expected to focus on the Warrens’ beginnings as paranormal investigators. Given the prequel nature of the project, it seems unlikely that Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson will return to play Lorraine and Ed Warren, respectively.
Rodrigue Huart is in negotiations to direct the project, written by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing. The duo co-wrote The Nun II (with Akela Cooper) and Last rites (alongside David Leslie-Johnson McGoldrick). Huart made himself known by directing short films like Real, Triggering And Transylvania. Aside from the Conjuring prequel, he is preparing to write and direct the Paramount film Suffer little childrena 1976 remake Who can kill a child?
Something unique about the Conjuring universe is how easily it lends itself to sequels. The franchise has established that demons of all kinds can be found anywhere. This little piece of tradition provided Warner Bros. an almost always new narrative that, if handled correctly, won’t dry up in the foreseeable future. Although past payments like The Curse of La Llorona And The Nun II seemed to indicate that the popularity of the franchise was waning, Last rites proved the opposite.
Given the nearly endless story possibilities afforded by the franchise’s premise, as well as current audience interest, the wisest decision is to move forward with the series. Due to the definitive nature of a conclusion Last rites presented for its main characters, turning to a prequel is the best approach to continue enjoying the narrative versatility offered by this horror universe.
The Conjuring universe not only continues in cinema, it also extends to television. A Conjuring TV series for HBO Max was announced will be in development in 2023 – produced by Peter Safran of DC Studios. Although the project saw no progress for several years, Deadline revealed in 2025 that Nancy Won (Little beautiful things, Jessica Jones) had been hired as showrunner and executive producer. Cameron Squires (WandaVision, Generation V) and Peter Cameron (WandaVision, Agatha throughout) were announced as writers for the series.
Although no plot details are yet available for the series, Deadline described it as a continuation of “established history in feature films.” Given these plans, it’s clear that the Conjuring universe is here to stay.
The Conjuring: Last Rites is available digitally.
What are you thinking about The conspiracy get a prequel movie? Are you excited for the show? Let me know in the comments!
