The makers of the horror franchise The Conjuring recently announced the fourth film in the series, The Conjuring: Last Rites. The horror Universe started way back in 2013 and was directed by James Wan. Based on the supernatural cases of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, each film dealt with one of their case files.
Though the first two films were successful critically and commercially, the franchise has been dwindling for the past few years. Apart from the main The Conjuring films, the universe also includes spin-off films such as Anabelle and The Nun, which were not well-received. Hence, fans seem to be uninterested in the fourth film, especially after an underwhelming threequel.
What Is The Conjuring Franchise About?
James Wan began The Conjuring franchise with the eponymous first film in 2013, which dealt with the paranormal investigation of the supernatural events experienced by the Perron family in the ‘70s. The investigation was conducted by noted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorrain Warren, who were played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga respectively.
The films of the franchise dealt with different cases taken up by the Warrens in each installment, adding fictionalized elements to dramatize the material. The films also increasingly delved into the personal lives of the Warrens, centering around Lorrain Warren’s struggles with her own hauntings.
James Wan did not return to direct the third film of the franchise, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and the film was helmed by Michael Chaves instead. Chaves had previously helmed the Wan-produced horror film The Curse of La Llorona. The third film was based on the infamous Arne Cheyenne Johnson trial.
Though The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was a commercial success, earning $206 million at the box office, the film received mixed responses from audiences and critics alike, with many calling out the weak screenplay of the film. Many consider the film to be one of the weakest in the franchise.
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Fans Are Not Excited About The Conjuring 4
Recently, the makers of the fourth film of the franchise The Conjuring: Last Rites unveiled the logo of the upcoming film. While no plot details have been revealed yet, the film will see Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their role as Ed and Lorraine Warren, with Michael Chaves returning to direct. The post-credits scene of the recently released The Nun II also reportedly hinted at the plot of the upcoming sequel.
Chaves mentioned about the film’s development to SlashFilm,
“I think that they’re still writing it. They’re still working on it. There’s definitely ‘Conjuring: Last Rites’ is coming…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.”
Despite the excitement from the team, fans of the franchise seem to be tired of the underwhelming quality of the franchise. While there have been only three films in the franchise, the universe has expanded with The Nun and Annabelle franchises, which are largely considered inferior to the Conjuring films. With the third film receiving mixed reviews, fans seem to lack any excitement for the upcoming project.
not one of these movies have banged. horror films for NPCs
— Benjamino (@benjaminobro) January 15, 2024
they’re still making these ?? the last conjuring i saw was the one from a couple years ago and i fell asleep
— ً (@tylerduran21) January 14, 2024
Please be more like 1 and 2 and less like 3 🙏
— Ava_palindrome (@ava_palindrome) January 14, 2024
I really hope they come hard bc the last installment was meh.
— Mark Sundstrom (@106th) January 15, 2024
Damn how many of these are they going to make? The last one was awful!
— Victoria (@ADreamofWolves) January 15, 2024
With such saturation from the audience, the makers of the franchise seem to have a huge task at hand to make the fourth film work.
