The release date for the highly-anticipated horror sequel The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It has been delayed by Warner Bros. The announcement may not come as a surprise considering the similar fate of many other high profile releases being delayed or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic's lasting impact.

The Conjuring franchise started in 2013 and follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. The Conjuring 3 writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick has teased the franchise is moving away from the traditional haunted house genre. While the primary setting for the upcoming new chapter is unknown, the plot is based around the true story of Arne Cheyenne Jackson's murder trial that took place in 1981 in the state of Connecticut.

Related: Conjuring 3 Isn't Another Haunted House Movie, Teases Writer

Deadline reports that Warner Bros. has announced June 4, 2021, as the new theatrical release date for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Rumors of the postponed release date had been floating for a while, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc with the Summer 2020 movie release calendar. A push to 2021 for The Conjuring 3 will hopefully land the film's release in a post-coronavirus theatrical landscape.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is the first film in the series to receive a new director, as James Wan, who helmed the first two Conjuring films, is only producing the third. The new director, Michael Chaves, previously made his debut with The Curse of La Llorona, which took place within the successful Conjuring Universe. Switching directors mid-trilogy could be a risky move, but with Wan producing, and Chaves' experience with the franchise, The Conjuring 3 is in good hands.

Movie studios are having to rewrite their theatrical release plans as they continue adjusting to the impact of Covid-19. Plus, when one major blockbuster moves, it causes a cascade of release date shuffles rippling through the calendar. With the recent news that Christopher Nolan's sci-fi film Tenet is being delayed, again, it makes sense for Warner Bros to shift its other movies to make room on the calendar for the new release date. Past films in The Conjuring franchise have performed well at the box office, which is why Warner Bros pushed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It to a 2021 release date rather than risk a low turnout in theaters or clash with the release of an equally anticipated film.

More: The Best Conjuring, Annabelle & Nun Movie Viewing Order

Source: Deadline