“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is coming home. The ninth and supposed final film in New Line Cinema’s “Conjuring” horror franchise will arrive November 21 on HBO Max.
Directed by Michael Chaves, “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is loosely based on the real-life Smurl Haunting case. It follows franchise protagonists Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as they investigate a paranormal case with terrifying ties to their first-ever ghostly encounter. Alongside Wilson and Farmiga, the film also stars Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy.
The franchise began 12 years ago with the release of James Wan’s “The Conjuring” in 2013. “Last Rites” is the third direct sequel to the original film, and the franchise also features three “Annabelle” spinoffs and two “The Nun” spinoffs, filling out a uniquely expansive horror universe. Wan directed “The Conjuring” and “The Conjuring 2” and has produced all of the franchise’s sequels and spinoffs alongside Peter Safran. Chaves’ directorial debut “The Curse of La Llorona” (2019) is also a tie-in to the universe.
All of the “Conjuring” films have been distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery’s New Line Cinema, where they are developed with Wan and Safran’s respective production companies, Atomic Monster and The Safran Company.
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” opened on Sept. 5 to $83 million at the domestic box office, a record for the franchise. The movie ended its box office run with $492 million worldwide. Though “Last Rites” was marketed as the franchise’s finale, its success suggests that audiences have not yet seen the last of this spooky series. HBO Max is also developing a prequel TV series, after “Last Rites” showed younger versions of the Warrens in a flashback.
