The Conjuring universe and the stories told in the various movies aren’t all exactly true, but are loosely based on adventures of a real pair of paranormal investigators. 

In the franchise, these investigators are portrayed as Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who call themselves demonologists. 

The Warrens make their living through helping people who are tormented by demonic forces. The Conjuring movies have captivated horror fans since 2013 when the first movie hit theaters. 

Yanecia Culmer, sophomore mechanical engineering student says, “I would say that the first Conjuring is my favorite because it was the first horror movie that caught my attention and genuinely scared me.”

The original story is about a family that is tormented by dark spirits after recently moving into a haunted farmhouse in 1971.

Culmer later said, “Good jump scenes with a [solid] plot makes a good horror movie. Some movies just pick something scary and roll with it with no plot at all.”

There are a lot of ties to religion and familial relationships in all the installments, and this one is no different. 

(If you haven’t seen the movie yet and want to avoid spoilers, read at your own risk.) The film explores the Warrens and their relationship with their daughter, Judy. 

When Judy Warren was born, Lorraine was worried that she was potentially cursed and carries this fear with her for the rest of her life. 

“Unlike many horror movies where characters feel disposable, the Warrens are developed as compassionate, faith-driven protagonists,” Mya Pratt, a freshman biology student shared. “Their ongoing presence across films creates continuity and emotional investment.”

Pratt says she enjoys watching scary movies because, “Horror provides a way to experience fear without real danger.”

She said, “Your heart races, adrenaline spikes, but you know you’re ultimately safe in a theater or on the couch. It’s like riding a roller coaster , thrill without the actual risk.”

The couple takes on a case in the Smurl family home in Pennsylvania. The family is being persecuted by an evil mirror that was given to one of the children. 

The Warrens are itching to retire from the paranormal business, but every time they try to walk away, something keeps pulling them back in. Judy Warren seems to have a clairvoyant gift, but Lorraine doesn’t want her to get roped into their dark family business. 

When she comes home to visit her parents and introduce them to her future husband, Tony Spera, she ends up joining Lorraine Warren and Ed Warren in their quest to banish the demons from the Smurl’s house.

The chronological order of the movies is: “The Nun”, “Annabelle: Creation”, “The Nun II”, “Annabelle”, “The Conjuring”, “Annabelle Comes Home”, “The Curse of La Llorona”, “The Conjuring 2”, “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “The Conjuring: Last Rites”. 

When the film hit theaters, it earned $83 million, a larger sum than the estimated $50 million critics thought it would get. The movie was directed by Micheal Chaves and Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 57% score. 

“The Conjuring: The Last Rites” has its fair share of funny moments mixed in with the jumpscares, and features a few cameos of characters viewers have come to know and love.

Students like Cameron Shropshire had a number of opinions on the horror flick. 

Shropshire, a sophomore liberal studies student said, “I just personally don’t like the direct ties movies are making between the devil and horror.” He says, “There are other ways to portray horror and in that movie I feel like they overdid it.”

It’s unclear at this time if this will be the final movie in the Conjuring universe, because the director intentionally left the closing scene of the movie open ended. 

As of 2024, Warner Bros. confirmed that a Conjuring TV series is in the works. (Patrick Wilson, Ed, and Vera Farmiga, Lorraine, will reprise their roles in the show.) 

If you consider yourself brave enough to look evil in the face, go watch “The Conjuring: Last Rites” today!