The Nun 2 Director Considered Bringing Father Burke Back In A Deadly Way (Literally)
As someone who actually likes "The Nun" (insert "There are dozens of us!" gif here), I'm pleased to see the sequel to the Conjuring Universe spin-off doubling down on its predecessor's approach of, to paraphrase /Film's Jacob Hall, feeling like the greatest Hammer Horror tabletop role-playing game that's never been made. Directed by Conjuring Universe veteran Michael Chaves ("The Curse of La Llorona," "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It"), "The Nun II" sees the titular demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons) getting back in the habit of terrorizing the world of the living. Taissa Farmiga is also back as Sister Irene, though Demián Bichir is noticeably absent as Father Burke, a character who we learn sadly died from cholera in between films early on in the "Nun" sequel.
Not bringing Burke back for "The Nun II" makes sense enough from a creative perspective. Between the character's relatable trauma from the events in his past and Bichir's compelling, understated performance, a grounded protagonist like Burke might've felt out of place in a film that sees Irene transform into, basically, a superhero who weaponizes Communion wine like she's the Scarlet Witch conjuring bursts of energy to fling at her opponents. Could Burke have received a similarly fantastical upgrade to make him feel more at home in one of this year's best unofficial Indiana Jones films? It seems the thought did, in fact, cross Chaves' mind at one point.
Zombies & demons
In "The Nun," Father Burke acts as The Vatican's own personal Mulder & Scully, a specialist who spends his days investigating strange and possibly supernatural cases. After Irene spent that film essentially serving as his apprentice during their trip to Valak's former stomping grounds at Saint Cartha's monastery in Romania, it's only natural that she would pick up that torch after his passing. But just as "The Nun" saw Burke haunted by the specter of Daniel, the possessed boy who died from the injuries he sustained while Burke was exorcising him, "The Nun II" could have seen Irene tormented by Burke not as a ghost, but as a member of the living dead.
At least, that's what Chaves said when he spoke to Collider, claiming there was a version of the film where Burke came back as a "zombie." When asked if that was a "legitimate idea" and not just a joke, the director confirmed it was:
"I pitch a lot of crazy ideas. [Laughs] It was one of many ideas, so I don't know how far it was. I think I probably killed it while I was still in the crib. But at the end of the movie, you want it to be a funhouse of scares, and you want Valak to be throwing everything it has at our characters, so that was in consideration. But I don't know if we could have brought back Father Burke just to be a zombie."
Interestingly, The Conjuring Universe has featured everything from haunted wedding dresses to hellhounds in addition to your run-of-the-mill demons, ghosts, and witches, but has yet to feature traditional brain-snacking zombies (although Valak has re-animated the dead before). Perhaps "The Nun III" can go there, giving us the Hammer Horror zombie survival RPG we never knew we wanted.
"The Nun II" is now in theaters.