On paper, the success of The Conjuring franchise sounds unlikely, if not ludicrous. Sure, there is plenty of drama to mine from the real lives of Ed and Lorraine Warren, but it admittedly took a bold vision to turn their notorious paranormal case files into a cinematic universe that consists of 8 (sometimes 9) movies. The trick, as it turned out, was to put a sharp focus on Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga‘s portrayals of the Warrens. Thanks to them, there’s no denying that the cinematic Warrens are some of the most enjoyable protagonists in all of horror, and really make the Conjuring Universe what it is.
It seems that director Michael Chaves, who helmed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) and The Nun II (2023), agrees. The fourth and final chapter of the main Warren saga, The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025), centers on the couple’s legacy. Yes, they come to the aid of another poor family who are being besieged by demons, and yes, we get a bit of closure when it comes to the franchise’s evil spirits. Yet, Last Rites smartly never lets us forget why these films became popular, as well as (frankly) why they work at all.
The delightful chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as they act against the forces of darkness is kept at the forefront, ensuring that The Conjuring: Last Rites works as a satisfying ending to their story first, and a terrifying horror movie second.
The Conjuring: Last Rites Spans the Warrens’ Entire Career
Partially based on real events, The Conjuring: Last Rites starts at the very beginning of the duo’s career as paranormal investigators. Opening in 1964, we see Ed and Lorraine in their early twenties, played by Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor, who are an uncanny match for Wilson and Farmiga and a welcome presence. They are investigating a haunted mirror when the pregnant Lorraine suddenly goes into labor, causing the couple to rush to the hospital, where their baby daughter survives after being stillborn for a minute. 22 years later, in 1986, that evil mirror turns up as a confirmation gift to Heather Smurl (Kila Lord Cassidy), one of four daughters in a large, blue-collar family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania.
Sure enough, the mirror begins exerting its demonic influence over the Smurls, who reach out to the press for help. Ed and Lorraine are reluctant to get involved with any new cases for several reasons. Ed’s precarious heart condition is one, followed by the welfare of their now adult daughter, Judy Warren (Mia Tomlinson), who is getting more serious with her boyfriend, Tony Spera (Ben Hardy). She’s also experiencing an increased sensitivity to supernatural phenomena around her, something that troubles Lorraine and convinces her to stay away from ghostly events. Yet, the malevolent spirit at hand refuses to be denied, leading to a final confrontation at the Smurl home, which acts as an all-or-nothing battleground between good and evil.
How Scary is the Final Conjuring Film?
The answer to the question above is never simple for any horror film. If, like me, you find yourself scared by the persistent feeling of creeping, inescapable dread, then no, The Conjuring: Last Rites likely won’t stick with you for long. However, the Conjuring movies have primarily capitalized on what I call the “spookhouse” variety of scares. Or, in other words: jump scares executed with expert timing. Happily, Michael Chaves is no slouch in that department. That’s no surprise, given that he’s now made three of the nine entries (or four of the ten, if you count 2019’s The Curse of La Llorona) in the series.
Make no mistake: there are some great scares in Last Rites, including one that ranks in the top 5 of the whole franchise. Even more successful than the jump scares is the film’s heart, which is abundant throughout. Farmiga and Wilson are splendid together as always, and the finality of this personal case makes them muster all the emotional weight they can. Following in their footsteps is a special discovery in Mia Tomlinson, who does fabulous work as Judy. She’s the third actress to portray the Warrens’ daughter, and thus cannot rely on nostalgia to sell her character. So, Tomlinson gives it everything she has, and she’s so good that Last Rites likely wouldn’t work without her.
Last Rites also features some returning faces from the first Conjuring movie, which only increases the “family reunion” vibes that go a long way.
The Smurl Family Ends Up Feeling Like an Afterthought
If there’s one element to The Conjuring: Last Rites given short shrift, it’s the Smurl family. That seems to be a byproduct of the Warrens dominating this narrative. To be clear, the group of actors playing the Smurls do good work — there’s a moment where Beau Gadsdon as Dawn owns the screen, reacting to the supernatural in a fashion that feels the most relatable of any of the Conjuring films. The majority of the movie’s best scares belong to the family, too. Unfortunately for the Smurls, they aren’t at the center of the plot in the same way the Perrons and the Hodgsons were in the first two installments, making them side characters in their own haunting.
The disposable nature of the Smurl family becomes far more pronounced when one considers Last Rites as the final film in the Conjuring series. Whether it actually is remains to be seen, but the intention is clear. As such, there are a couple of unanswered questions in the franchise that aren’t addressed at all here. Namely, will the saga of Valak the Nun continue, and are the Warrens supposed to be related to Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene from those movies? Who knows, the Nun is not in Last Rites. For the Annabelle fans, however, let’s just say you’re going to be much happier. To a certain extent, Last Rites could be considered the final Annabelle film, too!
Director Michael Chaves Injects Schlocky and Spooky Fun Into the Last Conjuring Installment
Looking for consistency in The Conjuring is fruitless, of course. Never mind all the spin-off movies of varying quality; the series changes creatives, time periods, and aesthetics so frequently that Last Rites could never have an Avengers: Endgame-like impact on the modern horror genre. Michael Chaves knows and embraces this, as he often leans into the schlockier side of things. This is much more appealing than if he had insisted on grounding the script in faux-reality. The quiet anxiety of trying to pause a VHS playback at just the right moment is quite effective (and makes for a standout sequence), but bring on the axe-wielding maniacs, flying POV shots, and wacky funhouse mirror set pieces! In this, Chaves delivers.
Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Whether The Conjuring: Last Rites is the best of the sequels is up for debate, but it’s certainly good enough for the series to go out on a high note. The franchise’s future is murky; there’s been talk of a Crooked Man spin-off, and Last Rites itself teases the potential of a young Ed and Lorraine prequel or follow-up with Judy Warren and her boyfriend Tony. It would be next to impossible for another duo to recapture what Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga brought to this series, though. Forget the real-life Warrens, who have their problematic pasts and controversies. The on-screen Warrens have superseded them, becoming a better representation of their message than they could have ever hoped.
The Conjuring: Last Rites hits theaters on September 5!
Release Date: September 5, 2025.
Directed by Michael Chaves.
Screenplay by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.
Story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick & James Wan.
Based on characters by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes.
Produced by James Wan & Peter Safran.
Executive Producers: Michael Chaves, Michael Clear, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, John Rickard, Hans Ritter, Natalia Safran, & Judson Scott.
Main Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Steve Coulter, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, Molly Cartwright, John Brotherton, & Shannon Kook.
Cinematographer: Eli Born.
Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch.
Production Companies: New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster, & The Safran Company.
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Runtime: 135 minutes.
Rated R.
