The Conjuring Cinematic Universe is not a universe that needs to exist, but for the most part, the films are fun, if mostly forgettable. Sometimes, you need a scary film to give you shivers for a couple hours and then be forgotten by bedtime. However, there are a few that stand out. Annabelle: Creation was well-received when it debuted, and both entries into the main Conjuring series tended to be positively received, due to the inclusion of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s Warren family.
Annabelle Comes Home, the final film in the Annabelle trilogy and the latest in the Conjuring franchise, will not only feature two female protagonists, but will feature Ed and Lorraine Warren, as well, as the evil they’ve brought into their home comes to vicious life and targets their daughter (Mckenna Grace) and her babysitters (Madison Iseman and Katie Sarife). Check out the newest trailer below.
First off, let me make something very clear: If anything happens to Ed or Lorraine, I am out. Wilson and Farmiga’s stellar turns and excellent chemistry have created one of the best depictions of a married couple on the big screen, and one of horror’s best love stories. I am not here for either of them being killed off, especially as it would remove the heart from the Conjuring universe. The films work because they’re tied to the Warrens, and we get to see them fight ghosts and goblins as a team. Remove half of that, and the joy of the film goes away.
Also, to sound like a complete feminist parody, I’m really excited to see a film that centers on female protagonists that hopefully won’t revolve around motherhood or the perils of female desire. It’s not pure female friendship, as two characters are babysitting another, but it won’t be a film that prioritizes virginity or the role of motherhood, or even present motherhood as something horrific. Too often, horror films centered on women can fall into harmful, sexist tropes. I’m excited to see a plucky group of young women kick some monster ass.
If I were in charge of the film, I might tackle some generational trauma, with Grace’s character dealing with her family’s haunted history or the passing down of her mother’s psychic gifts, but that might be asking a little much. At best, I just hope it’s not trope-y and harmful.
Besides, it’s always nice to see Grace in horror form, as she was one of the best child actors on The Haunting of Hill House.
A cobbled-together horror cinematic universe has no business being this fun. The Curse of La Llorona (which is debatable as being part of the universe) is probably the only misstep here, along with the rough first Annabelle film. The others range from fun to so-bad-it’s-good, and I’m excited to see where Annabelle Comes Home falls on that scale. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be another surprise smash like the main Conjuring films. Stranger things have happened.
(image: Warner Bros.)
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