The Conjuring 4 Release Date: The Conjuring universe is one of the most successful horror franchises of all time, with nine movies so far that have grossed over $2 billion worldwide. The latest installment, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, was released in June 2021 and followed the real-life case of Arne Johnson, who claimed demonic possession as a defense for murder.
But the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigators who have been at the center of the main series, is far from over. In April 2023, it was announced at CinemaCon that The Conjuring 4 is in development, with an ominous official title: The Conjuring: Last Rites.
What does this title mean for the future of the franchise? When will the movie be released? Who will be in the cast and behind the camera? Here is everything we know so far about The Conjuring 4: Last Rites.
The Conjuring 4 Release Date
The Conjuring 4: Last Rites does not have a confirmed release date yet, but we can make some educated guesses based on the previous movies. The first Conjuring movie was released in July 2013, the second in June 2016, and the third in June 2021. There was a three-year gap between the first two movies, and a five-year gap between the second and third, although the latter was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
If we follow this pattern, we could expect The Conjuring 4 to be released in 2025 or 2026. However, there are some factors that could affect this timeline. One is the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strikes that have put a halt to many Hollywood productions. Another is the fact that producer James Wan, who also directed the first two movies, has said that they want to “take [their] time” to get the story right.
“We are very precious about [the Conjuring films],” Wan said in January 2023. “And so we kind of want to just take our time to make sure we get it right…the emotion of the Warren stories we want to tell. We just want to make sure that it’s the right thing, the right story that we’re telling.”
Therefore, it is possible that The Conjuring 4 will take longer than usual to be made and released. However, fans of the franchise can still enjoy other spin-offs in the meantime, such as The Nun II, which was released in September 2023.
Cast
The Conjuring 4: Last Rites has not confirmed its cast yet, but it is very likely that Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will reprise their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren. The couple has been the heart and soul of the main series since the beginning, and they have expressed their interest in continuing their characters’ journey.
“Oh my God, I’d love to [continue],” Farmiga said in an interview with Collider. “I love playing her [Lorraine]. I love being in that marriage with Patrick Wilson.”
Wilson echoed her sentiment, saying that he wants to “keep playing opposite Vera” and “push these characters” further.
The only other character who might return is Judy Warren, the couple’s daughter. Judy was played by Sterling Jerins in the first three movies, but she was replaced by Mckenna Grace for Annabelle Comes Home, which took place earlier in the franchise timeline. Depending on when The Conjuring 4 is set, either Jerins or Grace could reprise their role as Judy.
As for the rest of the cast, it will depend on which case The Conjuring 4 will explore. Each movie has introduced new characters based on real people who were involved in or affected by supernatural phenomena. Some examples are Carolyn Perron (Lili Taylor) and her family in The Conjuring, Janet Hodgson (Madison Wolfe) and her siblings in The Conjuring 2, and Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor) and Debbie Glatzel (Sarah Catherine Hook) in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
Plot
The plot of The Conjuring 4: Last Rites is still a mystery, but we can speculate based on some clues from the title and the previous movies. The Conjuring movies are based on the real-life cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who investigated hundreds of paranormal events over their careers. Each movie has focused on one of their most famous or controversial cases, such as the Amityville haunting, the Enfield poltergeist, and the trial of Arne Johnson.
The title of The Conjuring 4 suggests that it will deal with something dark and final. Last rites are a religious ceremony performed for a dying person or someone who is about to face death. This could imply that The Conjuring 4 will involve a life-threatening situation for the Warrens or someone they are trying to help. It could also hint at the end of the Warrens’ story, as Ed died in 2006 and Lorraine in 2019.
One possible case that The Conjuring 4 could cover is the Southend werewolf, which took place in England in 1983. The Warrens claimed to have exorcised a demon that possessed a man named Bill Ramsey, who exhibited animal-like behavior and attacked several people. The case was documented in a book by the Warrens called Werewolf: A True Story of Demonic Possession.
Another potential case is the Smurl haunting, which occurred in Pennsylvania in the 1980s. The Warrens alleged that a family named Smurl was tormented by a demonic force that caused physical and psychological harm, as well as sexual assault. The case was also turned into a book by the Warrens called The Haunted: One Family’s Nightmare.
Of course, these are just speculations, and The Conjuring 4 could explore a completely different case or even create a fictional one. We will have to wait until more details are revealed to find out what The Conjuring 4: Last Rites will be about.
Trailer
There is no trailer for The Conjuring 4: Last Rites yet, as the movie is still in the early stages of development. However, we can expect to see some footage or images from the movie once it starts filming, which will probably be in 2024 or later. Until then, we can revisit the trailers for the previous movies to get a sense of the tone and style of the franchise.
Here are the trailers for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It:
READ ALSO: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It movie
Summary
The Conjuring 4: Last Rites is the next chapter of the horror franchise that follows the paranormal investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The movie does not have a release date yet, but it is expected to come out in 2025 or later. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will likely return as the Warrens, while the rest of the cast and plot are still unknown. The title suggests that the movie will deal with something dark and final, possibly involving a life-threatening situation or the end of the Warrens’ story. The movie is still in development, so there is no trailer available yet.
Facts
- The Conjuring universe also includes spin-off movies such as Annabelle, The Nun, and The Curse of La Llorona.
- The Conjuring Universe is also developing a TV show for HBO Max based on its mythology.
- The Conjuring movies are inspired by real events, but they also take creative liberties and add fictional elements.
- Ed and Lorraine Warren were controversial figures who faced criticism and skepticism from some experts and media outlets.
- James Wan is the producer and creative mastermind behind the franchise, as well as the director of the first two movies.
