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Just when fans thought they had seen the last of The Conjuring universe with Last Rites (2025), HBO Max announced its expansion into the TV world. This means more screen space to dive into gruesome horror plotlines that fans can't wait to witness. Warner Bros. had confirmed to Variety in April 2023 that the show will "continue the story established in the feature films."
With Nancy Won (Supernatural, Little Fires Everywhere) at its helm alongside co-writers Peter Cameron and Cameron Squires (MCU's WandaVision), the show is shaping up to be a grand affair. This has fans theorizing about possible plotlines (will they finally explore the Amityville horror?) and who would lead the show. Will Ed and Lorraine come back? Or is it the beginning of a new era?
Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers for The Conjuring universe ahead.
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Plotlines and other expectations from The Conjuring universe
1) Ed and Lorraine's origin stories
If at all Ed and Lorraine continue to be a part of The Conjuring TV show, it would be intriguing to see their beginnings with the church. Seasoned fans know their origins: Ed became a self-trained demonologist after living in a haunted house as a kid, while Lorraine always had a knack for clairvoyance. However, their relationship with the church isn't fully explained.
The show can take fans back to the time the duo crossed paths with the church for the first time. What was the incident that clinched their trust and deepened their mutual respect? A non-linear narrative where their origins overlap with another high-stakes case will be interesting to get a contrast. If the duo do not return to the franchise, a head priest could narrate an incient that nods to their relationship.
2) Exploring Ed and Lorraine's legacy
The next best step if the Warrens do not return to The Conjuring universe is to introduce their successors. The duo have a long history of being traveling lecturers, writing dozens of books, and founding the New England Society for Psychic Research in the 1950s. Since then, they have helped several others follow their path of paranormal investigation.
The new show could take the path of honoring their legacy, and showing how their work impacted a future generation of demonologists. This could expand the characters in the world of horror, giving way to large-scale stories from across the country. With the NESPR consisting of people from all walks of life, the different perspectives will lead to intriguing world building.
3) Give Judy Warren a bigger role
Speaking of legacy, there are few better ways to take The Conjuring universe forward than give Ed and Lorraine's only daughter, Judy (Mia Tomlinson), a chance at the helm. She has had major roles in movies like Annabelle Comes Home (2019) and more recently, Last Rites, growing along with every case and watching her parents.
It would be intriguing to see how her childhood shaped her into a paranormal investigator, especially after inheriting Lorraine's clairvoyat abilities. In Last Rites, the intense visions make her panic before she goes with her gut. Her internal conflict as she adapts to her new reality could be a major plotline. Judy and Tony, her husband, could very well become the new investigative couple in town.
4) The demon in Last Rites needs its due
Michael Chaves' The Conjuring: Last Rites had to get its goodbye to the iconicism of Ed and Lorraine Warren perfectly right. This made the movie take a slightly misguided turn towards drama rather than horror. That meant that the demon haunting the Warrens (particularly Judy) for decades, did not get its time in the sun. Apart from a falling ceiling light, and a forced suicide, the demonic entity didn't do much to elicit a fear response from fans.
While it tried to tear the Warrens apart, and Ed and Judy almost died, the family saved themselves and the Smurls by combining forces and destroying its tether, the mirror. This does not do justice to what was potentially the Warrens' last brush with the paranormal. The TV show could delve more into the motivations and make it a more fearsome presence in the horror universe.
5) What's left to explore in the Warren Occult Museum?
One of the most iconic locations in The Conjuring universe is the room where they preserve the cursed objects they come in contact with. This includes the haunted Annabelle doll and the broken pieces of the mirror from Last Rites. However, there are still several other objects in the room, from books to furniture, that haven't been explored.
The TV show has the opportunity to do more standalone stories by focusing on each object. By giving one object a few episodes to develop, the stories could dive deeper into the Warrens' history and their past encounters. If this could introduce a younger, less experienced couple, the possibilities are endless.
6) More screentime for the Amityville horrors
There is nothing more enticing for a horror fan than the story of the Amityville horrors. It was also one of the Warrens' most infamous cases in the beginning of their career, with many controversies and conspiracies around it. However, since it is already ultra famous (including the 1979 cult classic The Amityville Horror), The Conjuring universe did not get into it in the movies.
In The Conjuring 2, fans get an opening montage of the case with the Lutz family, but nothing more. However, a TV show could give the writers plenty of room to explore the nitty-gritties, show multiple sides of story, including how the Lutzs had to take a lie detector test, and recreate the horrors for a new audience.
7) The last chapter of the Warrens' life
In real life, Ed Warren died of stroke complications in 2006. Lorraine continued consulting with the NESPR, but did not partake in active investigations, before passing away in 2019. While Last Rites bid the couple farewell, there is so much more to their story.
If the horror franchise is looking to incorporate more drama into their folds, Ed and Lorraine's final moments might be a great jumping off point. Similar to movies like Titanic, an older Lorraine could narrate incidents. This way, the Warrens will continue being a part of the story.
Watch all movies in The Conjuring universe on HBO Max.
