Ranking All 9 Movies In The Conjuring Universe (Including Last Rites)

It’s currently drawing significant box office success with “The Conjuring: The Last Rites”. However, one might ponder if this really marks the end of the “Conjuring” cinematic universe. After all, the fourth “Friday the 13th” movie was titled “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter”, yet another film in the series, “Friday the 13th: A New Beginning”, followed less than a year later. It seems that profitable horror franchises seldom meet their demise permanently. At present, there are nine films in the series, some of which have been more successful than others. Notably, “The Curse of La Llorona” and the Manson Family murders film “Wolves at the Door”, although part of the Conjuring universe, aren’t official entries and tend to rank lower in quality compared to the main series.

Initially, Michael Chaves was introduced to the IP through the movie La Llorona, which turned out to be significant for him in his career. Later on, he directed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Nun II, and Last Rites. Now, let’s discuss where Last Rites stands among the nine official installments – let’s explore that!

This version maintains the original information while making it more conversational and easy to read for a general audience.

9) Annabelle

The Annabelle doll emerged as the most intriguing character in “The Conjuring” due to its mysterious background. In the opening scene of the franchise’s first film, it is revealed that the doll serves as a container for a malevolent spirit. This brief introduction was all that was required to create a chilling image of Annabelle in viewers’ minds.

Although The Conjuring was financially successful, Annabelle became popular with viewers, leading to the release of Annabelle a year later. However, among all films in the franchise, this particular installment seems expendable due to its lackluster performances, unoriginal scares, and excessive plot elements that added little value. Apart from Alfre Woodard’s supporting role and a chilling basement scene involving the demonic Annabelle doll, Annabelle may be skipped during Conjuring marathon nights.

8) The Nun

As a devoted fan, I must admit that up until “Last Rites” and “The Nun,” the fifth installment, the franchise had never seen such a strong opening. However, it’s not hard to understand why the following three entries struggled to attract as many viewers. Despite having some redeeming qualities, “The Nun” ultimately feels like an unnecessary and unnerving addition to the series, causing quite a few fans to lose interest in the franchise as a whole.

Regrettably, “The Nun” is also the kind of film that begins with a flood of information, only for its two protagonists to spend the rest of the narrative reaching conclusions that the audience was made aware of in the very first five minutes. It’s a disappointing turn of events, but I remain hopeful for future installments that can recapture the horror and suspense that originally drew me into this captivating franchise.

In simpler terms, Taissa Farmiga shone as Sister Irene in the series, complementing her sister Vera well in the main movies. The movie’s visuals are stunning, with scenes filmed at locations like Romania’s Corvin Castle and Cârta Monastery. However, it has its drawbacks. The horror aspects often lean too heavily on computer-generated imagery (CGI), making characters like Valek appear different compared to their appearances in The Conjuring 2 from two years prior. Instead of fresh scares, it resorts to overused jump scares. The pacing is inconsistent, swinging between fast and action-packed to slow and talky. Compared to Annabelle, The Nun has a slight edge due to its slightly more atmospheric feel and Bonnie Aarons’ excellent performance, despite her character being underutilized and excessively CGI-ed.

7) The Nun II

In comparison to its sequel, The Nun, the original film tends to create a more suspenseful atmosphere. Yet, much of this built-up tension resulted in scenes that fell short of delivering effective frights.

The strategy for “The Nun II” can be summarized as intensifying the frightening elements to make them twice as impactful, with the assumption that these will effectively scare the audience. Although the narrative depth may not be particularly remarkable, it manages to outshine its predecessor due to increased screen time for the title character, the persistent moodiness of the setting, and Taissa Farmiga’s improved performance as Irene compared to her initial portrayal.

6) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

In this film, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, I find myself drawn into a more personal story, focusing on a specific couple, one of whom seems to be under some sort of supernatural influence, along with the Warrens. Unlike the first two films, it delves deeper and feels more intimate. Additionally, it revisits the landmark “Devil Made Me Do It” case, which was the first U.S. trial where the defense argued for innocence not due to insanity, but because of demonic possession. This case carries significant historical importance in legal circles, providing a rich vein to mine and bring the story to life.

In summary, the first film directed by Michael Chaves within the Conjuring universe successfully captures an authentic period atmosphere through color grading and costume design. However, compared to other mainline installments, it offers a more focused narrative with fewer intense scares, positioning itself as a courtroom drama with horror elements rather than a full-fledged horror movie interspersed with courtroom scenes. The appeal of this film may depend on whether viewers prefer the traditional Conjuring formula of escalating horrors or are open to experiencing a fresh take on the franchise.

5) The Conjuring: Last Rites

Last Rites” and “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” have similar standings within the series, but they vary significantly from each other. “Last Rites” represents a return to the original style, although director Michael Chaves isn’t quite as masterful as James Wan behind the camera. On the other hand, “The Devil Made Me Do It” attempted to steer the franchise in a fresh direction, but it didn’t always succeed in reaching its full potential compared to other films in the series.

However, the placement of “Last Rites” near the bottom of the list should not be interpreted as a reflection of its quality. Instead, this film serves as a fitting farewell to Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson’s characters Lorraine and Ed Warren. The movie is visually appealing, has improved pace compared to “The Devil Made Me Do It,” and presents a sense of higher stakes due to the death of a main character from the franchise.

Furthermore, the film concludes on an uplifting note, and if it truly marks the end of the Warrens’ adventures, it is satisfying that it revisits their first case-an investigation that predates even the events of the initial film.

4) Annabelle Comes Home

The film Annabelle Comes Home tends to create an atmosphere where it seems the stakes are not high, despite introducing multiple antagonists in one installment. Characters such as Annabelle, the Ferryman, the Bride, the Black Shuck, and others rarely appear to be truly endangered. An intriguing example is when Katie Sarife’s character Daniela gets stabbed and finds no wound, quickly followed by possession. By the movie’s conclusion, she seems unscathed. Similarly, Mckenna Grace as Judy Warren, the daughter, encounters a ghost werewolf yet emerges unharmed. Such instances contribute to a sense of invulnerability among the characters.

By now, having watched six films, we’ve encountered every horror element that The Conjuring Universe could present, yet none of it was notably scary a second time. However, it was gratifying to see the Warrens appear in certain scenes, and the use of a rotating color wheel in the bedroom scene added an interesting touch. Overall, Annabelle Comes Home sits comfortably in the upper-middle tier as an entertaining horror movie that’s perfect for a relaxing afternoon watch at home.

3) Annabelle: Creation

The initial Annabelle could be rephrased as follows: Annabelle was similar to X-Men Origins: Wolverine in the Conjuring Universe, where they focused on a well-known character, produced a movie around them, but left fans feeling unsatisfied and questioning the purpose. However, Annabelle: Creation mirrored The Wolverine (directed by James Mangold) in how it successfully demonstrated that solo films can be effectively crafted for popular characters, providing a more satisfying experience for audiences.

The point remains valid that the Annabelle doll, particularly in the opening scene of “The Conjuring”, is arguably at its most terrifying without needing elaborate backstories. The mere appearance of the doll is enough to create an unsettling atmosphere. However, the movie “Annabelle” chose to delve into exposition, which some viewers felt made the film less effective and unnecessary.

On the other hand, “Annabelle: Creation”, a standalone movie, addresses many questions effectively and takes us back in time as convincingly as the first two main “Conjuring” movies, primarily to 1955. The performances by Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson from “Becky”, among others, are commendable, making “Annabelle: Creation” a strong contender for the best spin-off movie within the nine-film franchise. Even its concluding scene offers a justification for the existence of its less satisfying predecessor’s spin-off.

2) The Conjuring 2

Just like The Conjuring effectively transported you to early ’70s Rhode Island, The Conjuring 2 masterfully transports you into the heart of late ’70s London during a rainy period in Enfield. Although there are moments when the film seems overly packed, it delivers as well as any mainline Conjuring sequel could aspire to.

In this movie, The Conjuring 2, we delve into the story of a hardworking single mother caring for four children. This situation already carries a high level of emotional intensity, and it becomes even more poignant when Lorraine Warren, portrayed by Vera Farmiga, expresses apprehension about handling a specific case due to recurring visions of her husband’s death. These visions originate from Valak, the demonic nun character brilliantly played by Bonnie Aarons, who serves as the principal antagonist in this horror franchise. Although there are two spin-off movies featuring Valak, her role in The Conjuring 2 is particularly captivating.

The movie isn’t quite as spine-tingling as its prequel, and at times, it struggles with a plot that seems overly complex. Nevertheless, The Conjuring 2 stands as an impressive continuation of the series and plays a significant part in expanding the franchise’s universe.

1) The Conjuring

The film “The Conjuring” elevated “Insidious” to appear as a preliminary attempt. Director James Wan refined and enhanced several techniques he used in that movie for this one, boosted production values, and overall, showcased why he’s an outstanding director in the horror genre. This movie excels across the board – the tone and performances are consistent without a single false note, and it stands out as remarkably streamlined compared to its sequels. The scares come rapidly, yet they never feel excessive.

The film’s strongest asset was undoubtedly casting Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warren couple, who convincingly portrayed their on-screen love. Whether you believe in supernatural entities or not, or have opinions about the real-life Warrens (assuming you were alive during their investigations), you want this film’s interpretation to be compelling and well-executed. The duo serves as the ideal core for this franchise, managing to make audiences feel secure as effectively as they portray the troubled Perron family feeling safe.

The original “The Conjuring” is highly regarded, with an impressive recreation of its historical setting and the most chilling horror scene of the 2010s: the demon hands clapping next to Lili Taylor’s character, Carolyn Perron. While other movies in “The Conjuring” Universe have come close to matching the original’s impact, none have surpassed it thus far.

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/horror-movies-tv-shows-like-alien-earth-5-ideas/embed/#

2025-09-09 21:49