A little over a decade ago, James Wan introduced audiences to Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life paranormal investigators whose case files were as unsettling as they were cinematic.
What started in 2013 with The Conjuring has since grown into a full-blown horror universe: nine films, more than $700 million at the U.S. box office, and now a tenth chapter—The Conjuring: Last Rites—which premiered on September 5 and promises to close, or at least attempt to close, the main saga.
The new film debuted with a franchise-best $65 million, after raking in $30 million on Friday alone, including Thursday night previews, according to Deadline. Produced by The Safran Company and Atomic Monster, the movie could even outpace early projections across its opening weekend. Still, Saturday’s turnout will be key in showing whether the scares can hold strong—or start to fade.
What’s the Best Order to Watch the Movies?
There are two ways to go about it: follow the release order (the way fans first experienced the universe) or dive into the chronological timeline, which helps piece together the full puzzle of fear.
The Chronological Path of Horror
- The Nun (Case 1952)
- The Nun II (Case 1956)
- Annabelle: Creation (Case 1958)
- Annabelle (Case 1970)
- The Conjuring (Case 1971)
- Annabelle Comes Home (Case 1972)
- The Curse of La Llorona (Case 1973) – its inclusion is debated
- The Conjuring 2 (Case 1977)
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (Case 1981)
- The Conjuring: Last Rites (Case 1986)
Does The Curse of La Llorona Really Belong in the Universe?
On this, fans are split. The Curse of La Llorona (2019) shares a priest with Annabelle and drops a few nods to the wider universe, but it’s not always considered official canon. Adding to the confusion, director Michael Chaves was later tapped to direct The Conjuring 3.
The Warrens: Where Reality Meets Fiction
What makes this franchise so compelling isn’t just the creepy demon makeup or the late-night jump scares—it’s the idea that all of it might have happened.
Ed and Lorraine Warren were high-profile figures in the ’70s and ’80s, and behind every film is a case they claimed to have investigated: from the cursed Annabelle doll to the infamous Arne Johnson trial—the first in U.S. history where demonic possession was used as a legal defense.
The “Warrenverse” didn’t just fill movie theaters—it reshaped modern horror. By blending “real” cases, a timeline that jumps between prequels and sequels, and characters that became genre icons—like Valak, the demon nun—the saga has earned its place next to classics like Halloween and The Exorcist.
And while The Conjuring: Last Rites is being billed as the final chapter, in horror nothing ever stays buried forever.
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