In 1986 paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga) travel to Pennsylvania to vanquish a demon from a family’s home.

Picking up after the events of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Last Rites plunges the Warrens into what would become their most controversial and devastating case: the infamous Smurl Haunting. This case, rooted in the ordeal of a large, devout Pennsylvania family besieged by a violent demonic entity, proves to be both the Warrens’ ultimate trial and their undoing.

Director Michael Chaves, a veteran of the franchise, returns to helm this climactic chapter, and he doesn’t hold back. He cranks the fear factor to maximum, layering atmosphere, dread, and jolting scares into a film that feels both old-school in its gothic sensibilities and fresh in its visceral execution. Chaves makes it clear from the opening moments that Last Rites is not for the faint of heart.

One of the film’s most striking storytelling choices is its prologue, which takes audiences back to 1964. Here, a younger Ed and Lorraine come face-to-face with evil in a way that forever changes the course of their lives. Lorraine, pregnant with their daughter Judy, is forced into labor under horrifying, otherworldly circumstances that feel ripped straight from Rosemary’s Baby. The sequence is harrowing, blending body horror and demonic imagery in a way that sets the tone for what’s to come.

This haunting origin not only raises the stakes but also gives the film a thematic anchor: Lorraine’s enduring belief that light can overcome darkness. It’s a belief that guides her through the decades, and one that will be put to its ultimate test in the Smurl Case.

As always, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are the emotional heart of the film, and their performances here might be their finest in the series. Last Rites doesn’t just focus on their battle with the supernatural — it also addresses the passing of time, the toll of decades of fighting evil, and the sobering realisation that their mission may finally be over. Their chemistry has always been the bedrock of these films, and here it reaches a poignant, bittersweet climax.

Adding fresh tension to the narrative is Mia Tomlinson as Judy Warren. Now grown, Judy is grappling with both her clairvoyant inheritance from her mother and the emotional burden of being raised in a house where demons were part of daily life. Tomlinson plays Judy with a mix of vulnerability and determination, and her on-screen dynamic with Farmiga adds layers of generational weight to the story. Judy’s romance subplot injects a flicker of hope into the darkness, but when the entity at the heart of the Smurl Haunting sets its sights on her, the film ratchets the terror to unbearable levels.

Horror fans will find plenty to feast on here. Chaves escalates the scares with relentless precision: oppressive atmospherics, skin-crawling jump scares, and nightmarish possession sequences. By the time the third act rolls around, the film goes full tilt into shocking territory, with a possession scene so violent and unhinged that it ranks among the franchise’s most disturbing set pieces.

What elevates Last Rites, however, is that it doesn’t settle for cheap thrills. Every scare carries weight, every scream comes tethered to character stakes. The horror is not just about survival; it’s about legacy, family, and the terrible price of standing against evil.

After over a decade of terrors, The Conjuring saga fittingly concludes where it began: with the Warrens. Last Rites honors their legacy, balancing its popcorn-horror thrills with a genuine emotional resonance that makes its final act both terrifying and heartbreakingly beautiful. This isn’t just another entry in the franchise: it’s a sendoff to the characters, the performers, and the fans who’ve followed this universe since that first eerie clap in the dark.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is a grand finale worthy of the Warrens’ legacy. Chaves delivers a film that is scary, shocking, and unflinchingly intense, but also deeply human at its core. Wilson and Farmiga shine in what may be their last outing as Ed and Lorraine, and newcomer Mia Tomlinson ensures that the Warren legacy feels alive for a new generation. Horror doesn’t get more satisfying than this.

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

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Watch the brand new trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites below:

The Conjuring: Last Rites delivers another thrilling chapter of the iconic Conjuring cinematic universe, based on real events. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.

Franchise veteran Michael Chaves is at the helm for this final chapter of this sinister horror franchise, and the Warrens will have come to face-to-face with an evil that’s been waiting for them with pure hunger.

What is promises is an exploration of the darkest chapter in the lives of the Warrens, as in 1986 they face the horrifying and haunting tale of The Smurl Case, a real life haunting that completely takes them to pieces as they have to face down a terrifying demon who harbours its own vendetta against them…. and it’s very, very personal.

The trailer makes for utterly kinetic and unnerving watch, and promises peak horror cinema for fans, and you can expect the unexpected with The Conjuring: Last Rites. Chaves is merely teasing audiences with this trailer, but it’s certain that audiences will be in for a hell of a scare as Ed and Lorraine Warren are tested to their utter limits and are forced to contend with the choices and actions of their past.

 

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Discover why this was the last ever case of Ed and Lorraine Warren when The Conjuring: Last Rites arrives in cinemas on September 4.

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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 (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga). 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.

As the eighth entry in ongoing The Conjuring Universe, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It again follows the real-life investigative journey of demonologist couple Ed and Lorraine Warren (Parick Wilson, Vera Farmiga), as they set out to destroy the evil that is holding an innocent young man hostage and which sets the stage for a horrific crime. Based on the actual case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, a young man who committed a murder, and claimed to be possessed by a demon while he did so, and which would lead to the first U.S. legal case where a defence of ‘demonic possession’ would be petitioned before the court. It’s in this creepy setting that director Michael Chaves leads audiences into the world of The Conjuring this time….and this entry is freakishly scary.

In presenting another true case file of the Warren’s, Chaves presents a story that plays out in the vein of a nail-biting detective story. And this one features many twists and turns that certainly keep you guessing as an audience member and plays into the creepy ambience that Chaves works to establish in the film. Chaves, who has proven to have a very capable hand for telling horror stories, understands his audience’s familiarity with the world of The Conjuring and he uses this to his advantage and pushes the shock factor and suspense to the limit. It’s really interesting to see The Warrens act as detectives here, and the legal angle of the subject matter keeps things very interesting as we see the law mixed in with the demonic.

In addition to the new genre leanings of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, this film also keeps things interesting by giving the Warren’s a brand new type of antagonist. While we’ve previously seen the Warren’s having to deal with the demonic consequences of possessed objects, this time around they come face-to-face with the forces of a Satanist coven and this dials the horror up to a whole new level of edginess. Within The Conjuring Universe we’ve never witnessed a human face of evil, and this totally adds to the edge of this film as we see the fight between faith and the devil play out.

As always Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are once again perfect in their portrayal of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and as we move into the early 1980s we see age beginning to catch up with the two of them, along with recollections of their past and how their love was formed many years before. The events of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It also cement their power as a couple, and with dark spirits surrounding them, it takes all of their faith, love and resolve to combat this satanic evil. And there are plenty of moments that will have you gripping your seat as these two desperately face the demons in front of them.

In terms of the scare factor, Chaves absolutely brings it with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and in my mind this is the freakiest and scariest entry of the franchise yet. Having to face down a human evil keeps the suspense high, and there’s plenty of unpredictability that Ed and Lorraine have to face. Added to this is Arne (Ruairi O’Connor), who is also facing his own battles with this demon who is out to devour his soul. And this duel evil threat, and the Warren’s desperate mission to vanquish it, leads to plenty of tension on screen. The film’s mortuary scene is definitely the freakiest moment in the whole film, and Lorriane’s psychic battle with the film’s satanic antagonist’s leads to plenty of intense moments.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me De It deliver plenty of nightmares and horror fans will be very pleased with the scares that are on offer here. So say a prayer for your soul and watch this one if you dare…

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

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