The Conjuring was a surprise hit for Warner Bros. So, they naturally have expanded the series into something much, much larger. There have been hits and misses but it’s clear that audiences really dig what James Wan brought to the table. Now, confirmation about a third Conjuring film has come through and we know a little bit about it.
The film will be written by David Leslie Johnson. Johnson wrote the last Conjuring film as well as the underappreciated Orphan and most recently Unforgettable (which I dug quite a bit!). He’s also attached to another reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street and has written episodes of The Walking Dead. This all sounds like someone who has a good grasp on the horror genre.
But Who Is Directing?
The big question mark is who will sit in the director’s chair. James Wan is expected to produce but won’t be helming this newest entry. Could the job go to David Sandberg? He recently completed Annabelle: Creation and Warner Bros seems mighty pleased with him. Maybe they’ll keep this a tight-knit affair. Sandberg did a solid job on Annabelle: Creation and would fit well with the kind of style these films have cultivated.
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are slated to return as Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the next plot will be based on another one of their case files. To be fair, the movies have become so over-the-top conceptually that they can pretty much do any story they please. It’d be interesting to see the Warrens return to Amityville as that was set up in The Conjuring 2. Actually, any notable paranormal case would be intriguing. The first film was sold on the idea that it was a “never before released” case from the Warrens’ files. Doing something more recognizable could rope in people for their third go-around with the franchise.
Regardless of my feelings about most of these films, it’s still great to see horror be held in high regard and treated as a contender to other blockbusters. We’ll see how The Conjuring 3 shakes out in the long run. We’ve still got Annabelle: Creation this year (it’s fun), The Nun, and The Crooked Man in development. Whole lotta Conjuring going on!
