‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ opened big at the global box office.
It represents the most successful launch for a ‘Conjuring’ movie.
And Warner Bros. is on a remarkable run.
The ‘Conjuring’ franchise –– launched back in 2013 by James Wan –– has been quite the reliable performer for Warner Bros., and this past weekend’s launch of latest entry ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ certainly kept that tradition alive.
‘Last Rites’, advertised as the final outing for Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, took in an impressive $83 million in its first three days.
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That makes it the most successful entry in a franchise that, via a run of nine movies including sequels and spin-offs, has earned $2.3 billion.
This ‘Last Rites’ launch was easily enough to win the box office here in the US, and with $194 million worldwide, it is also the most successful launch for a horror title globally, overtaking Warners’ own ‘It’.
The success of ‘Last Rites’ marks an impressive theatrical run for Warner Bros. as the seventh consecutive release to open above $40 million. No other studio has ever achieved that level of consistency at the box office.
It’s even more remarkable when you consider that earlier in the year, the studio had suffered a series of duds from 2024 and the initial months of 2024 including ‘Joker: Folie a Deux’, ‘Mickey 17’ and ‘The Alto Knights’.
Studio Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy were at risk of being fired until the likes of ‘A Minecraft Movie’, ‘Sinners’, ‘Superman’ and more began a run of hits, with movies sticking around beyond their first weekend.
What else happened at the box office this weekend?
Disney’s theatrical release of the filmed ‘Hamilton’ stage musical was a distant second, earning $10 million from 1,825 screens. It’s a solid start given that the movie has been on Disney+ since 2020.
It’s kind of amazing to realize that the ‘Conjuring’ universe is the only successful shared cinematic universe that doesn’t have superheroes in it. But after 12 years and $2.2 billion in box office receipts, this spooky paranormal saga revolving primarily around the real-life case files of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren is finally coming to a close.
After the tedious, going-through-the-motions disappointment of 2021’s ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,’ we’re glad to report that ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ finds the series on much better footing as it heads for the door. While it doesn’t quite match up to the first two installments, and there’s a certain amount of formula now permanently ingrained in the proceedings, ‘Last Rites’ is a more energetic, creepier, and emotional sendoff, anchored like all these films by the chemistry between stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
It’s 1986, and Ed and Lorraine Warren are all but retired from the paranormal investigation business due to Ed’s health issues and Lorraine’s fear of bringing evil forces down upon their heads and that of their now grown daughter Judy. At the same time, Ed is restless: the couple find themselves lecturing to near-empty college classrooms full of snickering students, and he’s not adapting well to a private life where he has to order the salad in a restaurant instead of lasagna.
So when they are approached about the case of Jack and Janet Smurl – whose family and house in West Pittston, Pennsylvania are seemingly under assault from a demonic entity – the Warrens find themselves pulled back in just when they thought they were out. But there’s an added wrinkle, as whatever is haunting the Smurls has its sights set on Judy as well, and is already sinking its psychic talons into her.
Director Michael Chaves – returning from ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’ – seems more confident here, even though he sticks squarely to the cinematic playbook of ‘Conjuring’ franchise mastermind and original series director James Wan. That means we get Wan’s trademark sweeps of dark rooms with even darker corners, which are surprisingly still effective: you can’t help but tense up anytime the camera lingers on those negative spaces. The demonic apparitions are spooky if fairly familiar, and some of the film plays like a ‘greatest hits’ as even haunted doll Annabelle makes a return for reasons that remain unclear at best.
But it’s the additional stakes for the Warrens that make ‘Last Rites’ largely work. While the film suffers from being a bit too long and suffers from stop-and-go pacing accordingly, the script (by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and series regular David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by Johnson-McGoldrick and Wan) puts much more emphasis on the family dynamics of the Warrens as they try to leave their past behind for the sake of their health and safety. We have no idea what the Warrens were like in real life or whether they believed in what they were doing, but the fictional family portrayed here is likable, brave, and sympathetic. It’s what ultimately makes the scares land, and keeps the viewer invested even through the clumsier parts.
As noted earlier, the main ‘Conjuring’ films have benefited enormously from the work of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. They have become as comfortable in the roles as your favorite Marvel or ‘Fast and the Furious’ superhero, and their empathy and warmth go a long way in making this horror franchise relatable. The pair also do a lot of the heavy lifting here, especially when the script bogs down, and they add enough to the more emotional moments to sell them successfully.
The rest of the cast is fine, if somewhat generic. Mia Tomlinson gets some moments to shine as the Warrens’ daughter Judy, while Ben Hardy is likable if a bit bland as her boyfriend Tony. The Smurls, unfortunately, are a more generic lot, and with much of the emphasis on the Warrens, the family at the center of the haunting never really rises above the level of ghostly punching bags.
As with any sustained media franchise, the universe of ‘The Conjuring’ has had its highs and lows. The third ‘Conjuring’ film, both ‘Nun’ entries, and the first ‘Annabelle’ probably rank pretty low, while the initial ‘Conjuring’ films and the underrated ‘Annabelle Comes Home’ sit at the top of the heap.
‘Last Rites’ ends up somewhere in the middle, perhaps a bit closer to the top thanks to the emotional connection of its leads and its ability to still mine some genuine scares out of this material. The end of the film gives the Warrens a satisfying goodbye, and no matter what you think about the real-life couple or their alleged experiences, James Wan and company have created a horror saga in which good-hearted characters are the protagonists, not a masked killer or supernatural being. We’ll take over all the Jasons and Art the Clowns in the world.
‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ receives a score of 75 out of 100.
Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) take on one last case that may prove to be their most dangerous yet, as a demonic entity attacks not just an innocent family but the Warrens’ daughter Judy (Mia Tomlinson).
Who is in the cast of ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’?
(L to R) Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview:
Michael Chaves has closed a deal to direct the next ‘Conjuring’ Movie.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are likely to return as Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The movie could signal the end of the main ‘Conjuring’ run.
The ‘Conjuring’ movies have long become one of the most successful horror franchises since James Wan made the 2013 original, which went on to earn nearly $320 million worldwide from a $20 million budget.
It has spawned not just sequels but also spin-offs, including the ‘Annabelle’ movies (about the diabolical doll who lurks in the Warren’s collection of haunted objects) and the ‘Nun’ films (which fill in the backstory of the demonic habit-wearer who briefly appears in ‘The Conjuring 2’. All told, the movies have so far made a combined $2.1 billion at the worldwide box office.
It’s somewhat surprising to learn, then, that the fourth –– which currently has no official title but was at one point called ‘Last Rites’ –– could bring the films to a close, at least those directly featuring paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
We do now know, though that Michael Chaves, who directed ‘The Curse of La Llorona’ (which isn’t technically part of the ‘Conjuring’ universe but has seen a character crossover into the ‘Annabelle’ movies and was produced by Wan), ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ (the third in the main series), and, most recently, ‘The Nun II’ is officially aboard for the new movie.
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What’s the story of the new ‘Conjuring’ movie?
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Nothing has been released about the potential story for the new movie, though the end of ‘The Nun II’ saw Ed and Lorraine show up, pointing to a possible crossover between the main movies and the nun-centric spin-off.
Here’s what Chavez told Screen Rant about the connection back in September:
“In terms of the exorcism of Maurice, that’s always been a center, a cornerstone marker in the timeline and I think it’s up to interpretation. It’s also, I think there’s a lot of things that need to align, so it could go a couple different ways. As an audience member, I would 100% see a crossover of all Conjuring demons. I couldn’t give away what I know about what’s being developed, but I know that they’re going to end with a bang. I know that there is a great finale being planned for ‘Last Rites’ and as to what or who’s in it… I don’t want to give away any spoilers.”
Regular writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick returned for the new movie, and the cameras should be rolling this summer in Atlanta, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Who will be in the new ‘Conjuring’ movie?
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
We can assume Wilson and Farmiga will return, and possibly either McKenna Grace or someone else playing their daughter Judy. The movies have usually tended to be stand-alone cases, so a new cast around the leads is likely.
Even if the movies do come to an end –– and more spin-offs are likely anyway –– there is still the ‘Conjuring’ TV series in development at Max. The creative team has stayed quiet as to what that might include, but if greenlit, the series will surely continue to bring fresh terror.
(L to R) Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson in ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Opening in theaters on September 8th, ‘The Nun II’ attempts to wring more scares out of the demonic habit-wearer first glimpsed in 2016’s ‘The Conjuring 2’.
Unfortunately, despite some expressive performances from the likes of Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid and Jonas Bloquet, it falls back on some very tired tropes and giant plot contrivances.
‘The Nun II’, as you might expect, picks up the story of 2018’s ‘The Nun’.
1956 – France. A priest is murdered. An evil is spreading. The film follows Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) as she once again comes face-to-face with Valak, the demon nun (Bonnie Aarons).
Given that Valak was not defeated at the end of ‘The Nun’, it’s in no way surprising that the demonic entity is back to cause more chaos, especially since we learned that Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) was possessed by the creature, and also returns here, this time working as a handyman at a girls’ boarding school in France.
At this point, almost anything from the main ‘Conjuring’ franchise (which, in case you forgot, sees Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson playing real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, who come up against some scary situations) that is even slightly popular with audiences ends up getting its own franchise.
So far, we’ve seen doll Annabelle spin-off for three movies, and demonic Nun Valak is now on her (its?) second. The first ‘Nun’ movie was directed by Corin Hardy, but for the second, we have ‘Conjuring’ franchise veteran Michael Chaves, who has so far shot spin-off ‘The Curse of La Llorona’ and third main ‘Conjuring’ entry ‘The Devil Made Me Do It’.
Here’s what we liked about ‘The Nun II’: the performances, by the returning likes of Taissa Farmiga (sister of Vera, though their onscreen roles are seemingly not connected beyond appearing in the same movie universe) and Bloquet are certainly committed, and Storm Reid, playing a fellow nun, is also a welcome presence in the film. Even if later on, they mostly just have to look wide-eyed in terror.
Chaves and cinematographer Tristan Nyby also bathe their movie in an effective wash of dark, European colors and the environs (shot in France) are convincingly creepy. The boarding school setting works for a horror movie, and also provides a batch of suitably scream-happy youngsters to respond to Valak’s terrifying tricks.
And talking of her actions, one or two of the scares are effective, one moment in particular involving a hook working to get the blood pumping. Unfortunately, there the praise ends.
Between Chaves and writer Akela Cooper (who has delivered genre fun via movies such as ‘Malignant’ and ‘M3GAN’), you might think that the stage was set for some original horror action. But that’s not really the case.
It seems churlish to castigate a horror movie for keeping to the tropes of its genre, but ‘The Nun II’ rolls out a laundry list of basic cliches that stop being entertaining after a while and will have you start to check your watch.
There are only so many times that Valak can pop up, either as itself or in some other form without warning and you wonder why people keep on screaming when all they have to do is wait a few minutes for the habitual horror to return.
Other scenes are even less effective, particularly one depiction of what is supposed to be the Devil, but which falls foul of what could be dubbed “satanic convenience” –– the creature is seemingly the prince of Hell, but at one point is stopped by a bunch of schoolgirls locking a big door.
Likewise, early in the movie, Valak slays a priest by setting him on fire (it’s this act that partly sends Sister Irene on her latest mission to track the demon down), but later on when it tries the same trick with someone more important, the convenient creature starts much slower, so that they can survive.
It’s just one frustrating element that derails the power of the film; for most of it, you feel like you’ve seen all of these moments a hundred times before and pulled off to more successful effect.
How many times, for example, have we seen a character roll or kick a ball into a dark corner in a seemingly empty, only to get a fright when it is kicked back by something or someone unknown? ‘The Nun II’s version, played out during an early scene, feels like nothing new on that front.
Likewise, the entire plot grinds to a halt when Irene seeks out Father Ridley (Hudson), a friend at the Papal archives (well, the ones in France) that has been researching Valak and other Hellspawn. While getting such information across to the audience is an unfortunate necessity, this scene has Ridley serve as Father Exposition, dishing out the details in such a way that it feels as though it’s being dumped on you.
Outside of the terror elements, even the schoolchildren feel like their story is straight from the Big Book of Movie Stories, with mean girls, young outsider heroines and the dedicated teacher all present.
‘The Nun II’ will certainly appeal to dedicated fans of this giant horror franchise, but feels unlikely to convert newcomers with a basic, often tired series of horrid happenings. We’re having none of it.
The latest film focusing on paranormal investigations of Ed & Lorraine Warren is the third film in The Conjuring series (focusing on the Warrens) but the eighth film in the “Conjuring Universe.” If that’s confusing, well, so is the latest film.
The movies set in this shared universe all boast they are based on true stories, primarily from the files of the Warrens. Full disclosure, I’ve always thought that the Warrens’ stories are mostly bunk. But in the hands of the right filmmakers, that bunk can be pretty entertaining. The first two ‘Conjuring’ films, both directed by James Wan, are pretty effective horror thrillers, as was ‘Anabelle: Creation,’ directed by David F. Sanberg.
This latest chapter is a pale shadow of those earlier films, however. Vera Farmiga and David F. Sanberg return as Lorraine and Ed Warren, and their familiarity with these characters really anchors the film. When one or both of the Warrens are on screen, the film works, but the rest of the scenes fall flat without them.
This particular case finds the Warrens documenting the possession of a young boy named David, so that they can presumably send their proof to the Vatican and have a formal exorcism performed on him. But when David suddenly stands on the table, bent backwards like a professional contortionist, Ed Warren tells the priest that’s present that they need to do an emergency exorcism immediately. The priest doesn’t think this is safe, so of course, there are unexpected complications. David’s older sister Debbie is there with her boyfriend Arne, who invites the demon inside himself instead of staying in David. All of the commotion gives Ed a heart attack, during with he sees the demon make the jump to Arne. (See, this is why you leave the exorcisms to the professionals, kids.)
Ed then wakes up in the hospital and tells Lorraine that Arne is now possessed. Which is probably why Arne stabs his landlord to death (while listing to that damned, devilish rock and roll). Arne’s locked up by the police, and indicted for murder, but the Warrens have a defense for him; he was possessed. The rest of the movie involves the Warrens trying to lift the curse that enabled the demon to possess David and then Arne, leading them to investigate a local cult and consult with a local former priest. And we can tell they’re on the right track, because Ed gets cursed and almost kills Lorraine.
Directed by Michael Chaves, this latest Conjuring film is more of an occult detective procedural than anything else. It certainly isn’t all that scary, unfortunately. Like in any proper procedural, we see our detectives (the Warrens) discover clues, make connections to other crimes, and find that some sources may not be completely honest. But that’s not what were here for, unfortunately. And even if we were, it’s never really clear why David’s family was targeted in the first place. There are some moderately effective set pieces here and there; a scene in the jail infirmary comes to mind, as does Lorraine’s psychic exploration of a killing in the forest. But that latter example gets goofy as the scene extends, and none of these elements add up to an engaging whole.
As I mentioned before, Farmiga and Wilson give far better performances than this script really deserves. And I have to give a nod to Leah Butler’s costume work. The puffy sleeves and ruffled necks on Lorraine’s blouses are perfect for the period, never crossing the line into satire of the era’s excesses.
The biggest frustration is that the movie is trying to be scary, without really succeeding. If the better movies in this franchise carry real dread, then this one struggles to even achieve unease. I won’t say that it’s boring; it moves along just fine, but you’re never really worried about the characters’ survival. And that’s not because history tells you what happens; Apollo 13 keeps you on the edge of your seat, even though you know what happens to Lovell and his crew.
Prior to quarantine, I’d have called this the kind of movie you could wait for on home video. But since this is also on HBO Max, you don’t even have to wait. No matter where you see it, bring a friend; this is the kind of movie where you’ll snicker about how silly it is, but that’s still a pretty good time.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
If you thought The Nun was bad, wait til you meet La Llorona.
It was just recently revealed that Michael Chaves would be directing “The Conjuring 3,” picking up from director James Wan. Wan is still on board as producer, but he felt confident in passing the reins to Chaves based on their experience working together on “The Curse of La Llorona.” (Tip: Don’t say that title in your head to the “My Sharona” song or it will never leave you.)
Chaves directed and Wan produced “La Llorona” — which was formerly called “The Children.”
The story follows social worker Anna Garcia in 1973 Los Angeles. Anna investigates one of her cases and finds foul play at the hands of a supernatural force, which she finds has similarities to the force terrorizing her family. She looks for help from a local faith healer when the entity, La Llorona, attaches itself to her and will stop at nothing to take her children.
The official poster for the film was released before the first trailer:
Warner Bros.
And here’s a very long description for more intel:
La Llorona. The Weeping Woman. A horrifying apparition, caught between Heaven and Hell, trapped in a terrible fate sealed by her own hand. The mere mention of her name has struck terror around the world for generations.
In life, she drowned her children in a jealous rage, throwing herself in the churning river after them as she wept in pain.
Now her tears are eternal. They are lethal, and those who hear her death call in the night are doomed. La Llorona creeps in the shadows and preys on the children, desperate to replace her own. As the centuries have passed, her desire has grown more voracious … and her methods more terrifying.
In 1970s Los Angeles, La Llorona is stalking the night—and the children.
Ignoring the eerie warning of a troubled mother suspected of child endangerment, a social worker and her own small kids are soon drawn into a frightening supernatural realm. Their only hope to survive La Llorona’s deadly wrath may be a disillusioned priest and the mysticism he practices to keep evil at bay, on the fringes where fear and faith collide.
Beware of her chilling wail…she will stop at nothing to lure you into the gloom.
Because there is no peace for her anguish. There is no mercy for her soul.
And there is no escape from the curse of La Llorona.
On April 19, 2019, this timeless Mexican legend comes to terrifying life in New Line Cinema’s “The Curse of La Llorona.”
The film is produced by Emile Gladstone, Gary Dauberman (“IT” and “Annabelle” franchises) and James Wan (“The Conjuring” universe). Michael Chaves, who won Shriekfest’s Best Super Short Film in 2016 for “The Maiden,” makes his feature directorial debut.
The film stars Linda Cardellini (Netflix’s “Bloodline,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,”); Raymond Cruz (TV’s “Major Crimes”); Patricia Velasquez (TV’s “The L Word,” “The Mummy” films); and Marisol Ramirez (TV’s “NCIS: Los Angeles”). The cast also includes Sean Patrick Thomas (the “Barbershop” films, “Halloween: Resurrection”), Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen (“Selfless”) and newcomer Roman Christou.
Chaves directs from a screenplay by Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis. The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Michael Burgess, production designer Melanie Jones, editor Peter Gvozdas and costume designer Megan Spatz. The music is by Joseph Bishara (the “Annabelle” and “Conjuring” films).
“The Curse of La Llorona” opens in theaters on April 19, 2019.
The Conjuring Universe scared away James Wan! Not really, though. He is out as director after “The Conjuring” and “The Conjuring 2.” However, he’s still on board as a producer and “godfather” of the third film.
Chaves got his start when Wan and company discovered Chaves’ award-winning short “The Maiden.” That led him to his directorial debut, “The Curse of La Llorona,” which will be released in theaters April 19, 2019.
Wan shared a statement with THR on Chaves joining The Conjuring Universe:
“While working closely with Chaves on ‘The Curse of La Llorona,’ I got to know him as a filmmaker. Chaves’ ability to bring emotion to a story, and his understanding of mood and scares, make him a perfect fit to direct the next Conjuring film. […] I’m excited to be back as producer and continue with Vera and Patrick on the next supernatural adventure of the Warrens.”
Here’s a statement from Chaves:
“I am a huge fan of the Conjuring films. The movies are the rare combination that delivers both tremendous heart and awesome scares. It is both a total thrill and absolute honor to be working with James and the gang at New Line again.”
Producer Peter Safran recently told CinemaBlend that progress on “The Conjuring 3” was “actually coming along great. David Lindsay Johnson is working on the screenplay, and I feel pretty confident they will have that one up and running next year.”
We were warned in June 2017 that “The Conjuring 3” would be happening … but most likely without James Wan as director. Wan is currently putting the finishing touches on DC’s “Aquaman,” which hits theaters in December. He’s also busy producing several films, including The Conjuring Universe’s “Annabelle 3,” which will open July 3, 2019.
