The Conjuring 4 is the next entry in the top-rated horror franchise — but it may also be the end of The Conjuring Universe. Although the mainline Conjuring films have always told the various misadventures of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the franchise has branched out into several successful spin-off franchises, including Annabelle, The Nun, and The Curse of La Llorona. Although there are plans for several more films in The Conjuring Universe, The Conjuring 4 may cut the horror franchise short.
James Wan is the acclaimed horror director behind projects like Saw, but more recently, Wan has been helming the multi-billion dollar Conjuring franchise. First beginning in 2013, The Conjuring was a massive critical and box-office success, with sequels and spin-offs instantly being greenlit by New Line Cinema. The original Annabelle movie was the first Conjuring spin-off, with it and its two sequels also being financial successes. The subsequent spin-offs made The Conjuring Universe essentially a horror version of the MCU, but the franchise's fourth mainline entry may be the end of Warren's supernatural mysteries.
James Wan Says The Conjuring 4 Wraps Up The Series
Franchise creator James Wan recently teased the tragic news that The Conjuring 4 could be the end of the beloved franchise. According to Collider, James Wan spoke of the fourth film while promoting M3GAN, saying that The Conjuring 4 could be "potentially wrapping up" the story of the Warrens. Although he later clarified that there is a chance for more movies, James Wan's comments hint that The Conjuring Universe could be coming to a close soon, putting an end to the franchise that has been running for over a decade.
Nobody is sure why James Wan is teasing that The Conjuring Universe could be ending soon, as the movies are still incredibly successful. The third film, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, was the lowest-grossing film in the franchise, but it still made over $200 million at the box office while facing COVID-19 and a simultaneous HBO Max release. This proves that The Conjuring Universe still has legs to stand on. Even though James Wan has moved on to other projects, other directors have taken over The Conjuring movies, making the potential decision to wrap up the series even stranger.
The Nun 2 Is The Only Other Confirmed Conjuring Universe Movie
The idea that The Conjuring Universe is ending is supported by the fact that The Nun 2 is the only confirmed Conjuring movie in development besides The Conjuring 4. Since the franchise's inception, multiple sequels and spin-offs have been developing simultaneously, with a Conjuring movie coming out almost every year since the first film. This means there are currently fewer Conjuring movies in development than ever before, suggesting that there may truly be no plans for The Conjuring Universe after the fourth film.
Although The Nun 2 is the only Conjuring spin-off currently in development, there have been rumors of several projects set in The Conjuring Universe that haven't come to fruition yet. There have long been heavy rumors of a fourth Annabelle movie, as well as a spin-off of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. This film would have followed a character named The Lost Demon, who was cut from the film but is rumored to be heard in the credits of The Conjuring 3. There have also been hints at movies about The Bride and The Samurai, but none of these may happen if The Conjuring Universe truly ends.
The Crooked Man's Cancelation Means No Conjuring Movies Are Safe
While some of the previously rumored projects could be in development, none are safe — not even The Nun 2. A spin-off film titled The Crooked Man was announced in May 2017 and was set to follow the titular demon from The Conjuring 2. The spin-off was given consistent updates for over five years until The Crooked Man was officially canceled in Nov. 2022. While this is sad news for The Crooked Man, it implies even worse news for the rest of The Conjuring Universe.
If Warner Bros. is willing to throw out The Crooked Man, which was developed for over five years, then they're willing to throw out any spin-off in The Conjuring Universe. On top of that, when The Crooked Man's cancelation was announced by James Wan on Instagram, the caption stated that the decision was "Outside of [his] control," meaning that Wan may not be the one behind the ending of The Conjuring Universe. If The Conjuring Universe is truly dead (as James Wan is teasing), hopefully, The Conjuring 4 can give the franchise the finale it deserves.