The Conjuring Films in Timeline Order (Including Last Rites)
Released in 2013, James Wan’s The Conjuring was incredibly successful, spawning not only a sequel, but an entire cinematic universe.
The core Conjuring movies focus on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, but others in the series went in different directions, trying to explain the stories behind several of their adversaries and cursed objects.
With nine movies currently existing across the universe, it can be tricky to keep track of the timeline. Given that many of the films interconnect and have a fondness for jumping around time periods, here is the definitive timeline for the Conjuring films.
The Conjuring opens with the story of the very real haunted Annabelle doll who resides safely inside the Warren’s home museum of cursed objects. It was this opening tease that inspired the idea for spin-off movie Annabelle, but that film was also granted its own prequel.
Set before both Annabelle and The Conjuring, Annabelle: Creation explains the origins of Annabell’s making. Set three years after The Nun, in 1955, Annabelle: Creation follows a group of young girls as they move from their recently closed orphanage to the Mullins residence where one of them, Janice, is hunted by an evil presence. The Mullins take in the girls in an attempt to fill the void left by the death of their daughter, Annabelle. Consumed by his grief, Annabelle’s father has recreated his child in doll form, which becomes the vessel for a malicious entity. Annabelle: Creation also features a cheeky cameo from Valak, confirming Sister Irene hadn’t been very thorough in her vanquishing.
In 1967, twelve years after Annabelle: Creation, an older Janice (now possessed by Annabelle) begins her demonic work. Meanwhile, John and Mia, are looking forward to the arrival of their unborn child. To celebrate the pregnancy, John gifts avid doll collector Mia a rare vintage porcelain doll… That same night, Janice breaks into their house and transports Annabelle’s spirit back into the form of a doll.
Plagued with spooky occurrences, and believing the doll to be haunted, Mia seeks help from Father Perez. Their attempts to stop the demonic being seem to work, that is until the doll disappears only to turn up later in an antique store. Annabelle is then purchased for nursing student Debbie, the last ‘owner’ before she is taken into the Warren’s custody.
The third, and thus far final chapter of Annabelle’s story, Annabelle Comes Home, takes place both before and after the events of The Conjuring. Opening in 1968, Ed and Lorraine Warren finally join the timeline of the universe they created. The couple are in the process of transporting the Annabelle doll home, having acquired it from Debbie. Realising just how evil and dangerous she is, Ed orders a chamber for the doll, one enforced with holy glass. Everyone who enters the house is given the strict rule to stay out of that room, and, should they enter, touch absolutely nothing. If you want to watch the timeline in its purest form, here is where you should hit pause and return after watching The Conjuring.
The rest of Annabelle Comes Home happened a year after the events of The Conjuring, in 1972. Here, Ed and Warren are on the road again and leave their daughter Judy with a babysitter. In classic horror movie fashion, the babysitter and her friend venture into the forbidden room and set-off several cursed objects, including Annabelle. Annabelle Comes Home is easily the most fun entry in the universe, playing like a lost episode of Goosebumps.
Finally, in 1971, we get the first full investigation of Ed and Lorraine. The Conjuring is a fictionalised version of the real case of the Perron family. Having come to the conclusion that their new farmhouse might be haunted, the family call on the Warrens’ services. In order to fully uncover what is happening with the family, the Warrens move into the Rhode Island residence (as you do) and soon find that they have been targeted by a witch called Bathsheba.
This first film is genuinely unnerving and is responsible, not only for the Conjuring universe itself, but also introduced the now infamous ‘quiet, quiet, LOUD’ method of jump scares.
Upon its initial release, The Curse of La Llorona was marketed as a new chapter in the Conjuring universe. Then, when it didn’t perform very well, it was cast out, despite an appearance from Father Perez, which is more than enough connective tissue to tether it to the series.
Quibbles aside, The Curse of La Llorona slots neatly into the timeline between the first two Conjuring movies, with its events occurring in 1973. Stepping away from Annabelle and Valak, The Curse of La Llorona hones in on La Llorona, The Conjuring universe’s version of the Weeping Woman who stalks ‘70s Los Angeles, stealing children. But, plucky single mother Anna proves too strong an advisory.
Six years after their first ‘most terrifying case ever’, Ed and Lorraine Warren hop on a plane, arriving in England to investigate one of the UK’s most prolific ghostly accounts – the Enfield poltergeist. Before they get surrounded by some questionable cockney accents, the duo begin The Conjuring 2 with a visit to the Amityville House, where Lorraine sees a menacing nun.
This entity follows the pair to London and becomes the big bad that must be destroyed. The key to her banishment is unearthing her name, something that is a tad anti-climactic when watching in chronological order, as we all know by now that she is called Valak. The couple appear to succeed where poor Sister Irene failed not once, but twice.
Released in 2025, The Conjuring: Last Rites is the last chapter in the Warren story. Although once again dealing with a family being haunted by a demonic spirit, their plight takes the backseat to focus on Ed, Lorraine, and the now fully-grown Judy. As with Annabelle Comes Home, The Conjuring: Last Rites does spend some of the story in a different time, albeit briefly. A younger Ed and Lorraine are seen in 1964 just before Lorraine goes into labour, so technically this scene should be watched after The Nun II and before Annabelle Comes Home (told you the timeline was complicated), but as this opening encounter is intrinsic to the final boss the couple face, it can be viewed as a quick flashback rather than full timeline canon.
A fitting swan song for the two characters, many were disappointed with the lack of scares, but with the Warrens having always been the heart of the universe, it is nice to spend more time with them. The closing text seals the coffin for the paranormal sleuths, but with a universe happy to traverse across time, there is still the possibility that they could return at some point.
