The Conjuring Director Confirms It's The End For Ed And Lorraine Warren
The Conjuring: Last Rites director just dropped a bombshell about the future of the franchise. Horror fans are already buzzing over whether the legendary duo is really about to be retired for good.
Another haunted house call for the Warrens, and then the keys go on the hook. The Conjuring: Last Rites is the final ride for Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the franchise is making a point of going out, not fading out.
The Warrens' last case (and when you can see it)
This is the fourth main Conjuring film and the ninth entry across the larger Conjuring universe that kicked off back in 2013. Last Rites puts the Warrens on the Smurl family haunting, with a demonic presence parked in their home. It hits theaters September 5.
- Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga (their last outing as the Warrens)
- Director: Michael Chaves (The Nun II; The Curse of La Llorona; The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It)
- Franchise origin: Created by James Wan, who directed the first two Conjuring films
- Scope: Ninth movie in the shared universe, fourth in the mainline Conjuring series
- Story focus: The Warrens vs. a demonic force tied to the Smurl family home
- Release: September 5
Big shoes, bigger pressure
Michael Chaves knows he is stepping into a cathedral James Wan built. He told GamesRadar+ he saw taking on the final Warren chapter as an opportunity, but he also felt the weight of it. The guy has put in the reps across this universe, and he is very aware that for a lot of people, The Conjuring was their first real horror gateway in the same way Nightmare on Elm Street was for him growing up. Translation: you do not mess up someone’s formative franchise.
"You want to end on a high point... We wanted to end with confidence and on our own terms."
That is Chaves on why now is the time to close the book on the Warrens specifically. The idea is to finish strong instead of milking the thing into oblivion.
Wait, is this the end-end?
Not exactly. New Line Cinema president Richard Brener told The Hollywood Reporter that Last Rites marks the end of The Conjuring phase one. Yes, they actually called it phase one. Corporate-speak aside, the takeaway is clear: this is the capstone for the Ed/Lorraine era, not a burial for the entire universe.
So: final case for the Warrens, ninth film in the saga, Chaves steering the ship under the shadow of James Wan, and a September 5 date circled on the calendar. If you grew up sneaking these at sleepovers, this one is built to feel like a goodbye you will actually feel.