It all started in 2013. “The Conjuring,” a supernatural horror film starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, spawned various installments. What began as a retelling of the haunting surrounding the Perron family in 1971 has evolved into one of the longest-running horror franchises in history, comprising sequels, prequels, and spin-offs.

The franchise, to say the least, hasn’t been exorcised of its appeal. And the box office numbers don't lie. Its latest outing, “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” now ranks as the biggest horror movie opening in history, according to Variety. Although the franchise has had its fair share of mixed-to-negative critical reviews, with 2018’s “The Nun” being the lowest-rated installment in the franchise, its ability to scare moviegoers remains unmatched.

Multiple Stories Within a Single Artifact Room

From the very beginning, the story has always been poised to expand with the Warrens’ artifact room, filled with occult items. It’s no surprise that all the films in the franchise exist within a shared universe, as each item in the room is packed with backstories, all connected to the Warrens’ past cases. It’s like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) if you think about it — but with supernatural entities and a whole lot of jump scares.

Created by James Wan, the same filmmaker behind Saw, The Conjuring Universe has nine installments so far, with a total of four included in the main film series. While “Last Rites” will likely be the final installment focusing on the Warrens, the franchise is still expected to expand further. And given the franchise's solid financial performance, that possibility seems quite likely. In fact, a series set in the world of “The Conjuring” is currently in development at HBO Max, although other details about the project are still being kept close to the vest.

We get it: in one film, there are the Warrens, and there’s a haunted doll in another, while a terrifying nun is wreaking havoc in another installment. And then there’s La Llorona (The Weeping Woman). “The Curse of La Llorona” is technically not part of The Conjuring Universe. Although it takes place within the same realm, it is not necessarily integral to the overall franchise.

It can be confusing, considering there really are plenty of stories to unpack within the cinematic universe. But if you’re curious about how each story is connected, here’s your guide to the ever-expanding The Conjuring Universe.

Watching The Conjuring Movies by Release Date

• “The Conjuring” (2013)
• “Annabelle” (2014)
• “The Conjuring 2” (2016)
• “Annabelle: Creation” (2017)
• “The Nun” (2018)
• “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019)
• “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (2021)
• “The Nun II” (2023)
• “The Conjuring: Last Rites” (2025)

The Conjuring Universe in Chronological Order

• “The Nun” (2018)
• “Annabelle: Creation” (2017)
• “The Nun II” (2023)
• “Annabelle” (2014)
• “The Conjuring” (2013)
• “Annabelle Comes Home” (2019)
• “The Conjuring 2” (2016)
• “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” (2021)
• “The Conjuring: Last Rites” (2025)

'The Nun'

At the core of the film series have always been the Warrens, with "The Conjuring," “The Conjuring 2,” “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” and “Last Rites” serving as the main installments. But although the franchise officially began in 2013, the story actually traces back to 1952 in Romania with “The Nun.” After a nun takes her own life to prevent Valak (Bonnie Aarons), the evil nun, from ultimately claiming her soul, the Vatican sends Sister Irene (played by Taissa Farmiga) and Father Burke (Demián Bichir) to investigate.

Along their journey, they meet French-Canadian Maurice "Frenchy" Theriault (Jonas Bloquet), who would later help them in their investigation. As they confront the demonic force, they also risk their faith, their souls, and their lives. They did succeed in sending the nun back to hell. However, unbeknownst to them, there’s an inverted cross mark on the back of Frenchy’s neck, a detail that later becomes crucial in the plot of "The Nun II."

'Annabelle: Creation'

Set in 1955 California, “Annabelle: Creation” tells the origin story of the cursed doll Annabelle, who audiences first saw in “The Conjuring.” That doll, iconic as she is, is undeniably creepy — one you wouldn’t have as a toy, even as an adult. The story revolves around a dollmaker, Samuel (Anthony LaPaglia), and his wife, Esther (Miranda Otto), whose young daughter, Annabelle, died in a car accident.

Years later, Samuel and Esther open their home to six orphaned girls. It is then revealed that they enlisted the help of a supernatural entity in hopes of seeing their daughter once again. From the film’s first moments, it seems like their daughter’s spirit is trapped inside the doll. However, Annabelle is merely a figure used by a demon to manipulate her parents into transferring a demonic spirit into Samuel’s doll, making it easier for the demon to find a human conduit.

The doll then put all the orphans in immense terror, with the demon possessing one of them: Janice (Talitha Bateman). Still possessed, Janice manages to escape the house and later finds new adoptive parents, whom she ultimately murders years later in a scene first shown in 2014’s "Annabelle."

'The Nun II'

“The Nun II” takes place after the events of “The Nun,” set in 1956, making it the third movie in the chronological order of The Conjuring Universe. It follows Sister Irene as she once again faces a demonic force, after the mark on the back of Frenchy’s neck is revealed to be a demon mark, which means Valak was able to transfer its essence to him.

The movie offers a brief origin of Valak, who was once a fallen angel determined to regain their power. Valak then seeks the eyes of St. Lucy, a powerful Catholic relic that would help the demon restore its power and strength. It was also revealed that Sister Irene and Lorraine Warren’s uncanny resemblance wasn’t just a coincidence (not to mention they are portrayed by real-life sisters). Sister Irene is confirmed to be a descendant of St. Lucy, while Lorraine shares the same bloodline. This connection makes the link between "The Conjuring" and "The Nun" even clearer, as we know Lorraine would eventually face the same demon in her own timeline.

'Annabelle'

There really is something horrifying about vintage dolls, and “The Conjuring” franchise has used that to its advantage. Characters in this franchise often seem gullible when inviting new items into their humble abodes, even when those items look like they carry something sinister. “Annabelle,” the first movie from the haunted doll’s lore, is set in 1967, 12 years after the events of “Annabelle: Creation.”

The story follows John Form (Ward Horton), who gives his wife Mia Form (Annabelle Wallis) what he believes is the perfect present: a vintage doll. The real Annabelle (originally named Janice, as revealed in “Annabelle: Creation”) and her boyfriend break into the Form’s house shortly after killing her adoptive parents. Their attempt to make the Forms’ lives a living hell fails when Annabelle’s devil-worshipper boyfriend is killed by the police, and Annabelle slits her own throat. The Forms are safe — or so they think. With Annabelle’s host dead, the demon returns to its original vessel: Samuel’s porcelain doll.

'The Conjuring'

This is the movie that started it all — and objectively, the best. It currently holds the highest critics’ score in the entire franchise, boasting an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of writing. The characters are based on the real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed, whose ghost-hunting adventures reportedly inspired “The Amityville Horror.” What makes the film even more hair-raising is its “based on a true story” label, as it follows Ed and Lorraine being called in to help the Perron family escape a demonic entity named Bathsheba. The witch had been terrorizing the family, particularly Carolyn (Lili Taylor), whom the witch possessed.

“The Conjuring,” set in 1971, also saw the Warrens lecturing on demonic possession, with the subject being, guess who: Frenchy. It was during his exorcism that Lorraine first encountered Valak, which forms the main plot of “The Conjuring 2.” This is also the movie where Annabelle was first introduced, albeit briefly.

'Annabelle Comes Home'

Set in 1972, “Annabelle Comes Home” centers on the Warrens’ young daughter Judy (McKenna Grace), who — along with her babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) — is left alone at home after her parents embark on another case. Now, everything that transpires in this movie falls on the Warrens. Why would they entrust their young child to a teenage babysitter in a house filled with hundreds of cursed, demonic artifacts?

Unsurprisingly, it resulted in chaos. After Mary Ellen's friend, Daniela (Katie Sarife), accidentally released Annabelle, several evil forces were unleashed, including the Ferryman, the Bride, the Samurai, Feeley Meeley, and the Black Shuck. All of them survived in the end. But it was, to put it mildly, quite a night.

'The Conjuring 2'

While the first movie provided a brief introduction to Annabelle, “The Conjuring 2” originally introduced the evil nun, who would later have their own prequel years afterward. Set in 1977, the second movie in the main Conjuring series follows Lorraine, who is having visions of the demonic entity as well as premonitions about the death of her husband, Ed.

Somewhere in Enfield, England, the Hodgson family is being terrorized by a poltergeist named Bill Wilkins. But due to her visions, Lorraine hesitates to help the family, even if she wanted to. But Ed is always willing to step in. As it turns out, Bill Wilkins isn't the real threat, as the ghost is being manipulated by the evil nun. Lorraine must obtain power over the entity to send it back to hell. But to do so, she must first speak its name. Luckily, during her countless psychic visions, she connects the dots and utters the demon’s name, allowing her to banish it. That demon is, of course, Valak.

'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It'

Loosely based on the real-life trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who was involved in the 1981 murder of his landlord, Alan Bono. Johnson claimed he was possessed by a demon and pleaded not guilty for that very reason. Known as the “Devil Made Me Do It” case, which inspired the film’s title, the trial was the first in the United States to use demonic possession as a legal defense.

In the movie, the demonologist duo is, of course, drawn into the case. They both believe the demon they exorcised from a young boy has transferred to Arne (played by Ruairi O'Connor), the boyfriend of the boy’s older sister. In the end, Arne is found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison. Still, it’s a bittersweet ending for the Warrens, who share a kiss in the same spot where they first kissed, just before the credits roll. But as we know, there really are no happy endings for these two, given their line of work. Hence, the next movie.

'The Conjuring: Last Rites'

Hailed as the final installment in the main Conjuring film series (or at least the last centered on the Warrens), “The Conjuring: Last Rites” opens in 1964 with a harrowing moment: Ed and Lorraine’s baby is born still. But just moments later, the child is miraculously revived, thanks to Lorraine’s desperate prayers. That baby is Judy (played by Mia Tomlinson). Fast forward to 1986, Judy is all grown up, engaged, and now faces terrifying supernatural forces that threaten her very existence.

The film draws inspiration from the true story of the Smurl haunting, which involved a family plagued by demonic activity in their Pennsylvania home. As Judy confronts her own demons, the Warrens are once again pulled into a dark, dangerous world. While “Last Rites” pales in comparison to earlier installments (plot-wise), it still delivers the franchise’s signature blend of horror, highlighting the enduring appeal that has kept audiences hooked for more than a decade.

All eight films in The Conjuring Universe are currently available to stream on Max, with “The Conjuring: Last Rites” expected to arrive on the platform later this year. "The Conjuring: Last Rites" is now showing. Check the film's official website to find a cinema near you.