Warner Bros greenlight The Conjuring prequel movie after Last Rites' success

Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have greenlit The Conjuring prequel movie to The Conjuring series in a move that revives the franchise despite its predecessor being billed as the final chapter. It comes after the massive box office success of The Conjuring: Last Rites.

The movie that prompted this revival was released in theaters on September 5, 2025. Directed by Michael Chaves, Last Rites featured Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren and Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren. The Conjuring prequel movie, currently untitled, will reportedly explore the "early years" of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, meaning original stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are unlikely to reprise their roles.

Rodrigue Huart, known for his award-winning short films, is in talks to direct the upcoming movie, with Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg, writers of the previous Conjuring films and The Nun II, set to write the screenplay. Last Rites was a significant box office hit, grossing nearly $500 million globally and becoming the highest-grossing film in the entire franchise

The Conjuring prequel movie officially greenlit as Last Rites dominates global box office

The news of the Conjuring prequel movie development was widely reported on Wednesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 30, 2025, with film trades citing industry insider Borys Kit and other outlets. Despite The Conjuring: Last Rites being promoted as the final chapter, its massive success, grossing nearly $500 million globally, prompted Warner Bros. and New Line to move forward with a prequel.

James Wan, the franchise's originator and a producer, had earlier described Last Rites as the "emotional and fitting conclusion" to the era, however, his production company's involvement may be limited in the Conjuring prequel movie due to reports of a pay dispute with the studio over his overall compensation for the expanded universe.

The planned director, Rodrigue Huart, a rising star in horror, has not yet made a public statement regarding his vision for the prequel, though his short film Transylvanie won a major award at SXSW. Overall, The Conjuring Universe has established itself as the highest-grossing horror franchise in history, with an overall earning that has surpassed $2.7 billion worldwide against a modest combined budget.

While the franchise has received mixed critical reviews for some spin-offs, the main Conjuring films, particularly the first two, garnered positive reception for James Wan's direction and the strong chemistry between leads Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.

The original movie received numerous awards, including the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film and the Golden Schmoes and Empire Awards for Best Horror Movie of the Year, which established its position as a top horror film.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha