“They have a superhero universe, why can’t we do that in the horror world?” are words from James Wan. He is the mastermind behind creating a critically and commercially successful franchise ‘The Conjuring‘. There are eight films in the franchise released so far. All the films did astonishingly well at the domestic box office. All the films in the series collectively made a business of $738,203,662.
The franchise pattern in horror films is very niche and they certainly are cult favorites. But, this particular series brought the franchise pattern into the mainstream. The films are majorly centered around the adventures of Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), the Demonologists. They embark on a journey to fend off evil spirits while journeying through personal demonic experiences. Here’s our attempt to rank the films.
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8) The Curse Of La Llorona (2019)
The story is based on the legend of La Llorona, which existed 500 years ago. The film is about a working mother Anna Garcia, who has children and finds it difficult to juggle her personal and work life. Things start getting spooky when she attends a case of an unstable mother and her children.
The children are taken to temporary housing, where they get drowned. The mother blames Anna for evoking the spirit of La Llorona, who is responsible for the death of the kids. Eventually, Anna’s kids too get possessed by the demon and she gives her everything to relieve everyone of the curse.
7) Annabelle (2014)
One of the most underwhelming films of the franchise could not match up to the strong storytelling of its predecessor ‘The Conjuring’. It follows the story of a couple, John (Ward Horton) and Mia (Annabelle Wallis), who moves into a new house. Mia is pregnant, so her husband brings a Chucky Doll for the baby adding to the already existing collection. However, the doll is cursed and it is on a hunt for a soul. The narrative then follows the mayhem that is followed and how they get rid of the doll with someone sacrificing their life for liberation from guilt.
6) The Nun (2018)
The ghost of a nun that haunted Lorraine Warren is back in a cloister in Romania, where a Nun takes her own life to fight powerful demonic energy that comes back known as Valak. The Vatican appoints Father Burke (Demián Bichir) and a novitiate Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) who is about to take her vows. The two investigate the case along with a local Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet). They unearth a secret from the pre-World War period which is a realm that makes the Nun stronger. The three and the other nuns in the abbey fight this demonic Nun to bring back the holy order.
5) Annabelle: Creation (2017)
The prequel to ‘Annabelle’ is a better origin story of the cursed doll. In the film, the couple Samuel Mullins (Anthony LaPagila) and his wife Esther (Miranda Otto) are grieving the loss of their daughter Bee. After the death of their daughter due to an accident, they lock up her room. The couple sublet part of the house to a nun and her six children. They warn them to not go to Bee’s room. But, one of the girls unlocks and unleashes the horror that follows after Annabelle is freed from the wardrobe.
4) Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
After all the havoc that the evil doll creates, Ed and Lorraine decide to store Annabelle in a glass box. She is stored with the many demonic artifacts that the couple collects with every investigation. The doll is one of the most powerful ones of all where they need to offer holy prayers twice a week. One day before their daughter Judy’s birthday, the two leave for an important case. Judy is with her babysitter, Mary Ellen when her parents leave. However, one of Ellen’s friends, Daniela Rios accompanies her. The young woman has an ulterior motive to enter the room of demonic artifacts. She succeeds to do so, but the night awaits episodes of horrors, past encounters, and edge-of-the-seat scares.
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3) The Conjuring (2013)
It all started with the very first film in this horror franchise. ‘The Conjuring’ opens with the cursed doll, Annabelle, when the couple Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren conduct a seminar for sharing their experiences. But, the main story is that of the Perron family, who newly moves to a farmhouse. The happy family of Carolyn and Roger Perron is disturbed by spooky instances that occur in the house. As a remedy, she meets Ed and Lorraine and explains the situation. During the investigation, the couple and their team come across some satanic horror experiences that turn the house upside down. The final exorcism climax is enough for the film to have gotten the reputation that it has today.
2) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
One of the most haunting and emotionally aching cases in Warren’s files. The film opens with an exorcism scene of a young child, David. The demonic possession finally ends when David’s sister’s boyfriend Arne invites the ghost into him to free David from the demonic curse. However, things start spiraling once Arne experiences lethal demonic instances which go to an extent that he commits a murder. Ed and Lorraine are called to investigate the case. The things that unravel about the house and the intent of a cult woman who is searching for an evil purpose are crafted to perfection and take you on a horror ride of possession, murders, and demonic rituals.
1) The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Set in the background and aftermath of “The Amityville Horror”, ‘The Conjuring 2’ is hands down the best in the franchise. It is the most humane of all the films in the series. It explores Lorraine’s clairvoyance about her husband getting killed by the demonic Nun. But, on the other side of the ocean, in the U.K. the destitute family, Hodgson experiences paranormal events in their house. Peggy’s younger daughter gets possessed by an older man’s spirit. But, some other demonologists and academicians are not satisfied, so they try to prove that the family just wants to garner media attention and there is no demonic energy. In the attempt to do so, the couple and the Hodgson family’s strength and love are tested to fight the demon, who is not what they think it is!
Also Read: Haunted House That Inspired ‘The Conjuring’ Sold For $1.5 Million
