When James Wan and Peter Safran set out to make the first Conjuring film, their goal was simply to make one great supernatural thriller, the likes of which people had not seen in a very long time, and in doing so, bring a great genre back to prominence.
More than 10 years and with an upcoming highly anticipated ninth movie later, the Conjuring Universe has become the highest-grossing horror movie franchise to date.
“We just wanted to make one great movie,” shares Peter Safran, producer of The Conjuring: Last Rites and all the other previous eight movies in the franchise. “And so, we’re really proud to be here 14 years later, with all of the tremendous commercial and critical successes that these films have had… I believe you’re always conflicted by the end of something beautiful – I feel happy and sad. But with the series, I’m happy to have been involved with such an amazing group of artists, and that we’ve all gotten to end this journey on a high note.”
James Wan, who directed The Conjuring 1 and 2, and has been a producer since the second film in the Universe, shares the same sentiment as Safran. “For me, The Conjuring: Last Rites is pretty much the end of an era and, because of that, it’s somewhat bittersweet,’ says Wan. “We’ve had such a good time making these films, because it feels like such a family unit. But like all good things… I think we’re finishing up at the right time. It feels like this movie is a good way to wrap up the world, at least for now. It’s been over a decade with the ‘Conjuring’ Universe. I’ve made many acquaintances who’ve become long-term friends.”
Wan is especially grateful to actors Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who play Lorraine and Ed Warren, respectively. “Vera and Patrick have always been the center of these movies,” says Wan. “They have such a great relationship, onscreen and off – they’re such good friends. I think that really comes across and the audience sees how authentic it is. I think it brings much more reality to the characters that they play. It’s a big part of why fans out there love these films. I have always said, ‘They come for the fright and the scares, but they really stick around for Vera and Patrick.’
In The Conjuring: Last Rites, Wan, Safran, director Michael Chaves and their fellow filmmakers deliver another thrilling chapter of the iconic “Conjuring” cinematic universe, based on real events. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reunite for one last case as renowned, real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in a powerful and spine-chilling addition to the global box office-breaking franchise.
Says Last Rites director Michael Chaves, who also helmed 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and 2023’s The Nun II: “I’ve been so lucky to be part of the ‘Conjuring Universe.’ Saying goodbye to this experience – and to the friends I’ve made along the way – has been really emotional. Vera and Patrick have always been our secret weapon. They’re the heart and soul of these films, and it’s their talent and who they are as people that have shaped these movies from the start. These films ended up being family stories in a way not a lot of people expected – big family stories with plenty of scares.”
Don’t miss The Conjuring: Last Rites, when it opens in Philippine cinemas September 3.
Watch the trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites here:
Photo & Video Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
