'The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It' Early Buzz: Another Spooky Outing For The Warrens
The Conjuring has become a monster franchise since the first James Wan-directed film debuted in 2013. Spawning several spin-off films over the past eight years, the story of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren has been limited to mostly the original film and its sequel, which was released in 2016. Now the Warrens are finally back, in the highly anticipated The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Will their long-awaited return be worth it?
Based on critics' early reactions to The Conjuring 3, it looks like the answer will be yes. Find out what critics have to say with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It early buzz below.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It follows the real-life trial of Arne Johnson, the first man in U.S. history to plead demonic possession as a defense. Johnson was one of the Warren's most high-profile cases, and is given the appropriate treatment with The Conjuring 3, which will reportedly be the darkest entry yet in the franchise. But while the film does break from the haunted house tradition to explore real-life horrors on a much grander scale, many critics say that The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It doesn't match the first two Conjuring movies in terms of scares.
Here's what /Film's Chris Evangelista has to say:
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT changes up the established formula a bit, but the series remains what I like to call "spooktacular." As long as Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga keep making these, I will watch them. #TheConjuring #TheConjuringTheDevilMadeMeDoIt pic.twitter.com/bjKRZB7GwD
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) May 20, 2021
Other critics are mixed to positive on The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, with many praising the stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the core reason why the horror franchise continues to work.
#TheConjuring #TheDevilMadeMeDoIt is a fantastic next chapter in the franchise! It's got so much heart and a love story at its core. I got so invested that I forgot to eat dinner while watching the screener. No spoilers, but I slept with the light on. pic.twitter.com/jPZR1GAVfC
— Jenna Busch-Henderson (@JennaBusch) May 20, 2021
Happy to report that The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is solid. It has issues dovetailing the reality of the case and its fictional horror spin, but it's great to see the Warrens on an investigation, and there are more than a few exciting and well-orchestrated scares. pic.twitter.com/AYIYKrIGz7
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) May 20, 2021
Add me to the list of folks who saw (and honestly loved) THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT. The film stalls a bit when Patrick and Vera aren't on-screen (especially together), but creepy visuals and changing up the linear investigation plot for once make this a fun sequel. pic.twitter.com/to1i98eZDb
— Carly Lane-Perry (@carlylane) May 20, 2021
Was a huge fan of THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT, a film that wisely deviates from the haunted house formula for maximum spooky fun. @michaelchaves maintains the visual hallmarks of Wan's films while adding plenty. And the 80s setting rules. Also: it's scary as shit. pic.twitter.com/lhRBDZ4fob
— Drew Taylor (@DrewTailored) May 20, 2021
I wish I had bigger effusive praise for THE CONJURING THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT as others do. I loved the first two chapters, and admire some of the bigger swings this one takes in remaining true to the universe. It just didn't crawl under the skin in the ways the others have.
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) May 20, 2021
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT is freakishly demonic & bone-chilling in all the right spots, featuring a sensational opening sequence & a waterbed scene that rivals any creepy moment from the franchise so far. Wild that it's based on a real story, too. #TheConjuring pic.twitter.com/8HxIRkNHtI
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) May 20, 2021
Last week I was lucky enough to be among the first people to see #TheConjuring #TheDevilMadeMeDoIt and oooh boy, get ready. The Warren's are BACK, baby! Prepare yourself to go on one hell of a ride, and don't worry, there's no shortage of scares. pic.twitter.com/zG1O8HQ3G5
— Shannon | #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@shannon_mcgrew) May 20, 2021
First reaction to #TheConjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It:
• Less scary than C1 and C2
• The antagonist is a franchise-best
• Strong visuals and atmosphere throughout
• Sets up an interesting new dynamic for the series
• @thejohnnoble rulesFull review coming soon on @IGN. pic.twitter.com/NzU5x6PLYj
— Tom Jorgensen (@Tom_Jorgensen) May 20, 2021
There you have it. Critics seem mostly warm to The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, apart from a few issues regarding the scares and the story. We'll have to see wait until June 4, 2021, when The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It hits theaters and HBO Max, to decide for ourselves.
Michael Chaves takes over as director from James Wan, who helped create the story and produced the film. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick wrote the screenplay for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes. Producer Peter Safran is also on board with Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, and Michelle Morrissey executive producing.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they'd ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.