So you’ve watched The Conjuring: Last Rites and are wondering when we’ll get The Conjuring 5 with more Ed and Lorraine Warren ghost-hunting action, right? Well, here’s the thing: it’s not happening. And we’re not talking about a temporary hiatus here. The Warren stories are officially done, and there are some pretty serious reasons why Hollywood won’t touch them again.
Sure, The Conjuring: Last Rites just broke franchise records with an $84 million opening weekend, but that success actually marks the end of an era rather than the beginning of a new chapter. Let’s dive into why your favorite paranormal investigating couple won’t be returning for round five.
James Wan Moving Away From The Conjuring Warren Stories
Let’s be real, James Wan created this entire universe, and now he’s basically walking away from it. That should tell you something, right? The man who gave us the first two Conjuring films and basically reinvented the haunted house genre is done with the Warrens, and his reasons are pretty telling.
Producer Peter Safran put it best when he said Wan
really left everything out on the field with Conjuring 2
(via CinemaBlend).
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The guy poured everything he had into those films, and now he’s looking for something fresh. When you’ve got the creator of a billion-dollar franchise saying he’s creatively tapped out on the subject matter, that’s a pretty clear sign that the well has run dry.
But here’s what’s really interesting: Wan isn’t just stepping back as a director. His recent comments about “wrapping up” the Warren story suggest this was always meant to be a finite narrative. He wanted to give Ed, Lorraine, and their daughter Judy a proper send-off, and that’s exactly what Last Rites delivers. When the architect of your favorite horror universe says the story is complete, you’ve got to respect that creative decision.
Ed and Lorraine Warren Controversy Damaging The Conjuring Franchise
Okay, this is where things get uncomfortable, but we need to talk about it. The real-life Warrens weren’t exactly the wholesome Christian couple portrayed in the movies. In fact, there are some pretty disturbing allegations that have been floating around since 2017 that would make any studio executive break out in a cold sweat.
We’re talking about serious accusations involving inappropriate relationships with minors, domestic violence, and systematic exploitation of vulnerable families (via The Hollywood Reporter). These aren’t just random internet rumors; they’re documented allegations that came to light through legal proceedings.
Warner Bros. executives were reportedly made aware of these issues just weeks after the first film opened, which explains a lot about why the studio might want to distance itself from the Warren brand.
Think about it from a business perspective: why would a major studio risk continuing a franchise based on people with such controversial backgrounds? Especially in today’s cultural climate, where audiences are increasingly aware of these issues. The wholesome family dynamic that made the Conjuring films special would feel pretty hollow if audiences started digging into the real story behind Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Warren Investigations Lost Major Credibility Down the Years
Here’s the kicker that really undermines the entire “based on true events” angle: mounting evidence suggests the Warrens were essentially elaborate con artists. We’re not talking about skeptics being skeptical here; we’re talking about systematic debunking of their methods and cases.
Scientific investigators who examined the Warrens’ work found
common errors with flash photography and nothing evil in the artifacts they had collected.
Even more damning, the Warrens claimed to have investigated 10,000 paranormal cases during their career. Do the math; that’s literally impossible unless they were handling multiple cases every single day for decades without breaks.
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Multiple families involved in the famous Warren cases have come forward to dispute the movie versions of events. The previous owners of the original Conjuring house called the film “complete fiction.” Even the Amityville Horror case (one of their most famous investigations) has been admitted by participants to be a fabricated story created over “many bottles of wine.”
When the foundation of your franchise is built on fraud allegations, continuing that narrative becomes a legal and ethical minefield. Modern audiences are way more sophisticated about these things than they were in 2013, and Hollywood knows it.
| Movie | Year | Director | IMDb Score | Rotten Tomatoes | Box Office |
| The Conjuring | 2013 | James Wan | 7.5/10 | Critics: 86% Audience: 83% | $319 Million |
| Annabelle | 2014 | John R. Leonetti | 5.4/10 | Critics: 28% Audience: 35% | $257.6 Million |
| The Conjuring 2 | 2016 | James Wan | 7.3/10 | Critics: 80% Audience: 82% | $322 Million |
| Annabelle: Creation | 2017 | David F. Sandberg | 6.5/10 | Critics: 70% Audience: 68% | $306.5 Million |
| The Nun | 2018 | Corin Hardy | 5.3/10 | Critics: 24% Audience: 35% | $366 Million |
| The Curse of La Llorona | 2019 | Michael Chaves | 5.3/10 | Critics: 26% Audience: 35% | $123.2 Million |
| Annabelle Comes Home | 2019 | Gary Dauberman | 5.9/10 | Critics: 64% Audience: 70% | $231.3 Million |
| The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It | 2021 | Michael Chaves | 6.3/10 | Critics: 56% Audience: 83% | $206.4 Million |
| The Nun II | 2023 | Michael Chaves | 5.6/10 | Critics: 51% Audience: 72% | $269.6 Million |
| The Conjuring: Last Rites *Still in theaters, numbers may vary | 2025 | Michael Chaves | 6.5/10 | Critics: 57% Audience: 79% | $194 Million |
So there you have it, The Conjuring 5 featuring Ed and Lorraine Warren isn’t happening, and honestly, it’s probably for the best. The franchise will continue with “Phase Two,” focusing on new supernatural entities and stories, but the Warren era is officially over.
What do you think about the end of the Warren stories in The Conjuring franchise? Are you disappointed we won’t see more of Ed and Lorraine, or do you think it’s time for fresh supernatural tales? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. We’d love to hear your take on this controversial decision!
The Conjuring movies, The Nun movies, the Anabelle movies, and The Curse of La Llorona are all currently streaming on HBO Max. The Conjuring: Last Rites is currently showing in movie theaters near you.
