The Conjuring series is one of the most successful supernatural horror franchises ever. The films follow paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga), Annabelle the doll, and other evil entities that the Warrens have contained. The Conjuring franchise is certainly successful and often the performances are highly praised even if the very preachy storylines are off-putting. What makes The Conjuring interesting is the expansion of its universe. The introduction of Annabelle the doll, for instance, was the wisest choice the creators made. I personally can’t imagine Annabelle or the Annabelle films not existing within The Conjuring series.
The series can be watched in a different order than they were released. If you wish to embark on a chronological journey, I’m going to tell you how to watch the series (so far) in chronological order, and if you’re new to the franchise—you’re in for a ride.
The Nun (2018)
The events in The Nun tie directly into The Conjuring and what occurs in that film. The Nun follows Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) and a priest in 1952 Romania who unravel the mystery behind a demon named Valak, a.k.a. the Nun (Bonnie Aarons). It’s one of the weakest films in The Conjuring series. However, it ties neatly into The Conjuring and why the Perron family investigation happened in the first film. Therefore it’s required viewing if you’re aiming to watch The Conjuring series in chronological order.
Annabelle: Creation (2017)
Exploring the origins of Annabelle could have been boring, but Annabelle: Creation is the furthest from it. It’s a prequel to Annabelle and follows a group of orphans who are terrorized by the evil spirit in the Annabelle doll. It’s an eerie entry that takes a relatively simple haunted doll concept and elevates it into an even more terrifying situation. So if you like the Annabelle doll, Annabelle: Creation does it justice.
Annabelle (2014)
Yikes, this film is … not good. Annabelle is a prequel that follows a couple terrorized by the Annabelle doll spirit (or demon? I don’t even fucking know because they make it so confusing in the movie). Since this isn’t a ranking I won’t go into full detail about why Annabelle isn’t a good film. Instead, I’ll just say that if you’re dedicated to watching every film in The Conjuring series, then this prequel to The Conjuring will provide some insight—and that is the very least it could do.
The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring is the film that kicked off the entire franchise and without it, we’d have no Annabelle or Valak. The Conjuring follows Ed and Lorraine Warren as they help the Perron family when they experience disturbing events in their home. Believe it or not, Ed and Lorraine were real-life paranormal investigators who inspired The Conjuring. But they weren’t remotely like Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s versions, and The Conjuring benefited from all those changes.
Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
Aside from the first one, the Annabelle films are worth your time! Annabelle Comes Home focuses on Ed and Lorraine’s daughter and her friends who are stuck dealing with spirits when they are let out of the Warrens’ artifacts room. If you wish to finish Annabelle’s story (unless we get a fourth film) it’s necessary. Plus you’ll get to experience the other artifacts in that special room in the Warrens’ house. Super creepy, and kids being terrified is usually a good time.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
The Curse of La Llorona is an unnecessary entry in The Conjuring franchise and ultimately it’s not super necessary to watch it. The Curse of La Llorona focuses on the Mexican folklore of La Llorona and a woman who is desperate to save her children from an evil spirit. The lore is worth reading up on if you’re into folklore from different cultures.
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Ed and Lorraine are back to dealing with nutty spirits in this direct sequel to The Conjuring. Based on another allegedly true story, The Conjuring 2 focuses on Ed and Lorraine helping a family in England struggling with a poltergeist haunting. It’s nothing new as far as hauntings go, but you have to watch The Conjuring 2 if you’re binge-watching the series. Plus, it’s more interesting than The Conjuring because of the setting and overall paranormal activity. A big house with poltergeists? Also a fun time.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2022)
Once again real-life cases are woven into The Conjuring universe. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It focuses on the case of Arne Johnson (Ruairí O’Connor), who claims possession is the reason he murdered his landlord. Fair warning that if aggressive Christian religious plotlines annoy you, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It will make you roll your eyes. And trust me, I did just that. But it’s important to watch if you want to complete your chronological watch of The Conjuring series.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
