Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy talk The Conjuring: Last Rites
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for The Conjuring: Last Rites.s.After 12 years of thrills, chills, and unforgettable adventures, the Conjuring Universe is saying goodbye to Ed and Lorraine Warren .
The Conjuring: Last Rites, which was loosely inspired by the alleged Smurl family haunting that occurred in Pennsylvania during the 1980s, faces a substantial challenge. Not only did it have to create a compelling story for the Warren’s final chapter, but it also had to wrap up more than a decade of mythology. Thus, for the final outing, the movie brought the entire Warren family together, including daughter Judy , for one last battle with the demonic forces. How does it all end, and what does it mean for the future? We're here to explain it all. ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Sets Up a Very Different Story Historically, the main films have followed a similar format to that of the original. The Warrens are called into a case by Father Gordon . They investigate, find a demon, and save a subject via a makeshift exorcism . But from the beginning, this film makes it clear that it is moving away from this format. We find a young Ed and Lorraine Warren out on their first case. Lorraine is heavily pregnant, and after coming face-to-face with a cursed mirror. The object, which is locked in the back of an antique shop, is a conduit for this new demon, which caused the shop's owner to hang himself. Ed is reluctant to let the pregnant Lorraine examine the piece, but she insists she can handle it. A weary Lorraine touches the mirror, which causes it to crack. While the demon itself isn't seen at this point, it attacks Lorraine's yet-to-be-born child, and she goes into early labor. Making matters worse is that the demon has followed them to the hospital, and, as a result, Lorraine gives birth to a stillborn baby girl. Miraculously, the baby is revived, and Ed and Lorraine name her Judy. Though it was hinted at in Annabelle Comes Home, the prologue also shows us that Judy is struggling with her own clairvoyant visions, and Lorraine teaches her how to shut them out. Once the Smurl family begins to experience their haunting, audiences might expect the Warrens’ visit to be set in motion, but the picture takes yet another surprising turn. When we find Ed and Lorraine Warrens in Last Rites, they’ve stepped back from investigating. Following Ed’s heart attack in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, they’ve retired... for the most part. Spending their days lecturing and enjoying their friends and family, Lorraine is adamant that they will not be taking on new cases. But after Father Gordon takes it upon himself to help the Smurls, the demon draws him into taking his own life. Devastated by loss and haunted by her visions, Judy runs away to help the Smurls. When Ed and Lorraine arrive, their past comes back to haunt them. The Past and Present Collide for Ed and Lorraine Warren Ed and Lorraine have no intention of staying with the Smurl family when they arrive, as they're only there to collect Judy. Accompanied by Judy’s fiancé, Tony , the Warrens are convinced by their daughter to stay and help. Past and present collide as their investigation begins, and they find the cursed mirror in the attic. The mirror had been a gift to the Smurl family, and is largely how the demon manipulates the family, even going as far as to lodge some of the mirror glass into the throat of one of the Smurl children. It becomes clear to Ed and Lorraine that this haunting is personal, especially when Judy becomes afflicted with a mysterious illness. Ed and Tony attempt to get the mirror out of the house and back to the artifact room. However, the demonic forces within fight back at every turn. Meanwhile, the entity manages to possess Judy. Under the demon’s control, she terrorizes the Smurl family. Lorraine figures out that the demon’s plan has always been to harm Judy when it reveals to her that it has been waiting for another chance to take Judy's soul, ever since she was revived after birth, which ultimately brings the entire Conjuring Universe together. Desperate to save their daughter, the Warrens, along with Tony, discover that Judy is attempting to hang herself in the attic. After narrowly saving her, the demon wages full-out war on the family and the house. ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Sees the Entire Warren Family Come Together After sending the Smurl family out of the house, the Warrens prepare to end this demon’s vendetta once and for all. The mirror proves to be one of the most undefeatable cursed objects they’ve ever faced. Judy has been freed of the demon as a result of her near-death experience, so it sets its sights on Tony and attempts to kill him. To save Tony’s life, Ed and Lorraine band together with Judy to finish what their younger selves couldn’t. It’s not an easy battle, and the demon fights back with an intensity the likes of which we haven’t seen before. Lorraine realizes the key to sending it back to hell isn’t the typical exorcism, but rather Judy finally accepting her abilities. This still proves intensely challenging. Though the demon remains unnamed, its desire to cause mayhem and kill gives it strength enough to destroy Ed's bible. But as the family comes together, the trio is able to release the demon and free Tony from his impending death. Following the climax, the film reveals that its version of the Smurls continued to live in the house peacefully for three more years. While more personal than those of their past, it’s another successful case for Farmiga and Wilson’s Ed and Lorraine. So, what comes next for cinema’s most famous paranormal investigators? ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Crafts a Definitive End for the Franchise Beginning with the very first film, the Conjuring Universe has always left the door open for more stories featuring the Warrens. In the case of Last Rites, however, the film leaves no mystery regarding their next chapter. Following the successful exorcism in Pennsylvania, the Warrens return home to Monroe, Connecticut, for Judy’s wedding. As Judy walks down the aisle, a slew of past Conjuring Universe characters return as wedding guests, including Lili Taylor’s Carolyn Perron, The Conjuring 2’s Frances O'Connor and Madison Wolfe as Peggy and Janet Hodgsons, and David Glatzel from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Even franchise creator James Wan gets to attend as a wedding guest via a very special cameo. As they dance at the reception, Lorraine tells Ed of a vision she had of their future. Enjoying their retirement, they become grandparents, while passing on their knowledge to the next generation of paranormal investigators, and grow old together. The film ends by detailing the lives led by the real Ed and Lorraine Warren. It recounts their controversies, their legacy, and, ultimately, their respective passings. The final moments of the film truly bring the saga to a close, leaving no questions unanswered and sending longtime audiences off with a feeling of closure. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Follow Followed The Conjuring: Last Rites R Horror 7 10 Release Date September 5, 2025 Runtime 135 Minutes Director Michael Chaves Writers David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Ian B. Goldberg, Richard Naing, Carey Hayes, Chad Hayes, James Wan Producers Peter Safran, James Wan Cast See All
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