The Conjuring: Last Rites Makes One Thing Very Clear About The Future Of The Franchise

The devil exists. God exists. And so do spoilers. This article discusses major plot details of "The Conjuring: Last Rites."

"The case that ended it all." "Prepare for the end." "The final chapter from the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren." After plastering these taglines all over the various posters, it's safe to say that the marketing campaign for "The Conjuring: Last Rites" hasn't shied away from a certain sense of finality surrounding the latest — and perhaps last — installment in James Wan's wildly successful horror franchise. Loosely based on the "true" story of the Smurl family haunting, the entire premise of this sequel has been sold to audiences as the one experience traumatizing enough to scare even the Warrens into retirement. It's a cheeky instance of real-world capitalism and in-universe canon lining up in perfect sync, joining forces to take what could've felt like just another "The Conjuring" movie and make it feel like a true theatrical event.

But is it truly the end of it all? Anyone even casually familiar with Hollywood's penchant for buffoonery knows that "the end" rarely ever means, you know, the end. Remember when the Marvel Cinematic Universe just kept trucking along after the movie literally titled "Avengers: Endgame," to frequently diminishing results? Or how that perfect, thoroughly satisfying ending to "Toy Story 3" somehow gave way to a fourth movie, a bizarre spin-off, and a soon-to-be fifth film? No valuable IP is ever really gone, to lightly paraphrase Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," so forgive us if we went into the "final chapter" of "The Conjuring" with a bit of healthy skepticism.

Well, "Last Rites" sure proved us wrong. True to its word, the blockbuster avoided any funny business (well, outside of a demon or three) and gave fans a proper conclusion to this supernatural saga. There remains plenty of room for more potential spin-offs in the future, mind you, but as for our paranormal power couple? This actually appears to be the end of the line.

Don't cry because it's over; smile because you survived. Say what you will about "The Conjuring: Last Rites," which /Film's Chris Evangelista reviewed here, but at least it had the decency not to overstay its welcome. It's always better to make its graceful exit from the party before the hosts throw you out, and director Michael Chaves seems to have taken this to heart. His latest effort goes out of its way to highlight our two main characters, Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga), as experts who reluctantly accept that their most active days in the demon-hunting business are likely behind them. Ed is still recovering from the demon-induced heart attack he suffered in 2021's "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," while Lorraine gently steers them both towards passing on their findings and experience to the next generation. It's a fitting end for the both of them, considering the thousand-odd cases they have under their belts ... until one last case brings them right back into the action.

The particulars of the Smurl family haunting in Pennsylvania obviously matter to the story, but it takes a secondary position to how this final mission affects them both emotionally. As spelled out in the opening prologue set decades earlier, the younger Ed and Lorraine (played by Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor, respectively) establishes their original sin: running away from an encounter with a demon-possessed mirror and abandoning its victim, rather than helping. It takes until the climax in the final act of "Last Rites" for the couple to rectify their mistake and commit all their resources to helping the Smurls — even as they're preoccupied by saving the life (and soul) of their daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson). All of this backdrop provides the foundation for the Warrens' most personal case to date — and one that forever changes them, to the point of calling it a day, taking stock of what they have, and sailing into the sunset.

The final, endearing moments of "Last Rites" center on the Warrens putting this grisly business behind them. They celebrate Judy's marriage, dance sweetly in each other's arms, and even experience a premonition of their happily-ever-after ending. We couldn't have asked for much more than that. 

"The Conjuring: Last Rites" is now playing in theaters.