Los Angeles, Oct 31 (UNI) The spectral world of Ed and Lorraine Warren is poised to expand once work, as Warner Bros. and New Line have begun work on a prequel to “The Conjuring franchise after “The Conjuring: Last Rites” shattered box office records worldwide.
The upcoming film will be directed by Rodrigue Huart, a rising filmmaker best known for his award-winning short “Transylvanie”, which earned a jury prize at SXSW 2024. The screenplay will once again be penned by franchise writers Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg, known for their work on “The Nun II” and “Last Rites”. Although the film seemingly concluded the Warrens’ saga, its resounding box office triumph ensured the supernatural franchise would rise once more.
Although “The Conjuring: Last Rites” was marketed as the franchise’s swan song, its astounding box office success, $487 million globally, a record for the series, made it clear that audiences weren’t ready to bid farewell to the Warrens just yet, reports VARIETY.
It’s unclear whether Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson will return for the upcoming cinematic entry after “Last Rites” concluded the story of the Warren family. This next chapter is expected to go back to the beginning and focus on the early years of the ghost-hunting couple. That likely means that new actors will take over the helm of the “Conjuring” Universe.
Separately, “The Conjuring” is expanding to the small screen with HBO in development on a television series that will continue the story established in the feature films. Plot details have been kept under wraps, but Nancy Won was recently hired as the show’s writer, executive producer and showrunner.
Across nine films (spinoffs include “Annabelle” and “The Nun”), the “Conjuring” universe has become the highest-grossing horror franchise in history with a combined $2.7 billion. Plus they’re often low-budget, which makes for bloody-good profit margins. James Wan created the occult-tilted property while Peter Safran has served as a producer on every installment.
