The latest The Conjuring franchise spinoff film, The Nun is all set to begin filming this week. Inspired by the demon that first appeared in director James Wan's sequel The Conjuring 2 last year, The Nun is the first of two confirmed additions to the larger supernatural horror property. While The Nun won't hit theaters until 2018, this summer will see the theatrical release of the second movie based around The Conjuring's Annabelle doll, titled Annabelle: Creation.

Like the three films in The Conjuring series before it, The Nun will explore a facet of the paranormal universe previously-explored by Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) on the big screen in The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2. With a main cast now in place - one that includes Demián Bichir (The Hateful Eight) and Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) - it comes as less of a surprise that The Nun is already prepared to roll camera.

Per an official Twitter posting from The Nun director Corin Hardy - who previously turned heads with his genre film debut The Hallow in 2015 - filming is slated to start this week on Hardy's The Conjuring 2 spinoff. Offering little more for fans of the series than his promise that the new movie is on the way - and that Hardy himself has a healthy sense of gallows humor to boot - it's now safe to assume that The Nun will make its official 2018 date with little trouble. You can check out the original Twitter post from Hardy, below:

Start shooting #TheNun this week. Hey @creepypuppet can I upgrade my trailer, feels a little cramped... pic.twitter.com/RxmG0TyyzD— CORIN HARDY (@corinhardy) May 1, 2017

As of yet, very little is known about any explicit plot points or featured protagonists soon to be established in The Nun proper, but following whatever reception Annabelle: Creation receives at the end of this summer, it will undoubtedly become more readily apparent just what direction Hardy's respective spinoff feature can be expected to be heading in. Hardy has already proven himself to be a horror movie director worth watching out for, which makes his sophomore effort one of decided interest for both fans of The Conjuring franchise and genre film enthusiasts.

After leaving production on the woefully beleaguered reboot of the cult-classic comic book film The Crow, Hardy definitely appears to be establishing himself on firmer ground as the director of The Nun. Only time will tell whether or not the latest spinoff in the larger The Conjuring franchise will prove to be a winning success with diehard fans and casual horror viewers alike, but here's to hoping for the very best in the meantime.

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Source: Corin Hardy

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