TL;DR
In The Conjuring: Last Rites, the Warrens’ final case balances chilling atmosphere with emotional closure. Wilson and Farmiga deliver a farewell that cements the Conjuring Universe as modern horror’s crown jewel.
Introduction: The Conjuring: Last Rites
Every franchise wants to end on its own terms, but horror rarely gets that luxury. The Conjuring: Last Rites does. Marketed as the Warrens’ final chapter, the film delivers scares, intimacy, and a sense of closure that’s rare in a genre built on endless sequels. If you’ve followed Ed and Lorraine since 2013, this isn’t just another case file — it’s a goodbye that feels earned.
Plot Overview: A Farewell Case
Set later in the Warrens’ lives, Last Rites draws them into a haunting that’s both vast in its supernatural reach and intimate in its personal cost. Director Michael Chaves frames the story less as a new mystery and more as the one test that forces the couple to confront their faith, their resilience, and the sacrifices of a lifetime spent fighting the unseen.
The story isn’t as propulsive as earlier Conjuring entries, but that’s deliberate. Instead of a relentless parade of scares, the pacing allows for moments of reckoning. We see Ed and Lorraine reflect on the years they’ve given to the supernatural, the toll it’s taken, and the faith that keeps them standing. The film runs long and sometimes lingers, but that slower rhythm reflects its goal: a case that feels like an ending.
Deep Dive: Legacy over Jumps
What makes this entry resonate is the way it balances reflection with tension. The emotional pull is anchored by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, whose twelve years together as Ed and Lorraine transform familiar genre beats into deeply human stakes. Dialogue feels lived-in, shaped by characters who’ve weathered countless storms rather than scripted archetypes.
Visually, the film favors atmosphere over excess. Extended shots of shadowy spaces, reflections that don’t quite align, and stained glass that frames faith under siege give the movie a haunted weight without leaning on CGI clutter. The pacing occasionally tests patience, but it builds to moments of dread that feel communal in a theater.
Sound is another standout. Silence becomes its own character, stretching nerves taut until Joseph Bishara’s gothic score crashes in, heavy and unforgettable. And while Michael Chaves doesn’t reinvent the franchise, his direction respects it, slowing down just enough to let audiences feel the Warrens’ journey.
What gives Last Rites weight isn’t just fear. It’s the focus on legacy. Judy’s presence ties the story to the next generation, reinforcing the idea that these battles don’t just scar the Warrens — they ripple outward, shaping family and future.
Standout Moments: The Emotional Core
The chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga is the emotional core of the film. Their shared history breathes life into every exchange, whether it’s a quiet glance across a haunted room or a desperate moment of support when the supernatural overwhelms them. That connection makes the story feel personal, reminding the audience why we’ve followed these characters for more than a decade.
The film’s emphasis on atmosphere over heavy-handed effects also shines. Instead of bombarding viewers with CGI phantoms, Chaves leans into long, quiet shots where the terror builds inside your own imagination. This restraint creates moments that are not only scarier but more memorable, because they trust the audience to fill in the blanks.
Sound design plays an equally crucial role in the experience. Extended silences draw you to the edge of your seat, only to be shattered by Joseph Bishara’s gothic score that rolls in like a wave of dread. The contrast between quiet and impact ensures that the scares hit harder, leaving echoes in your chest long after the credits.
Finally, the film’s commitment to legacy makes the finale resonate beyond the typical haunted-house formula. By tying Judy into the Warrens’ story, the movie acknowledges that these cases didn’t just affect Ed and Lorraine—they reverberated through family and future generations. That perspective elevates the film from a final scare-fest to a thoughtful reflection on what the series has meant.
Missed Opportunities: Where It Falters
The film’s pacing is its biggest hurdle. Some sequences linger well beyond their natural tension, turning dread into waiting. While longtime fans may appreciate the slower, reflective rhythm, casual viewers might find themselves wishing the story moved with sharper momentum.
Familiarity is another challenge. Certain tropes—the cursed object, the climactic showdown with a sinister entity—have been staples of the franchise for years. While they’re executed competently, they don’t carry the same spark of surprise that earlier entries delivered, leaving a few moments feeling recycled rather than revitalized.
Franchise Reflections: A Decade of Conjuring
To appreciate Last Rites, it helps to see it in the context of the entire Conjuring Universe. The first film, released in 2013, was a revelation — a low-budget haunted house story that combined jump scares with atmosphere and character-driven stakes. The Conjuring 2 expanded the canvas while keeping its heart intact, cementing the Warrens as horror’s most recognizable couple. Even spin-offs like Annabelle and The Nun proved financially successful, if not always critically beloved.
The weakest point came with The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), which struggled to balance its procedural elements with supernatural tension. Yet even that film cleared $200 million globally, a testament to the franchise’s durability. Against that backdrop, Last Rites feels like a return to form. It isn’t the scariest Conjuring entry, but it is one of the most personal — and that’s what makes it a worthy finale.
Box Office Context: Horror’s Summer Crown
If the Warrens’ story feels monumental on screen, the numbers back it up off-screen. The Conjuring: Last Rites opened with $187 million worldwide, the largest global debut for any horror film. That figure not only set a new franchise record but also confirmed horror’s dominance in a year when superhero films faltered.
Its domestic debut of $83 million placed it just behind It and It: Chapter Two for all-time horror openings, while international markets — particularly India — pushed the global numbers even higher. Combined with hits like Weapons and Final Destination: Bloodlines, horror passed the $1 billion mark domestically in 2025. Simply put, horror isn’t just thriving; it’s carrying the industry.
Why Horror Thrives in Theaters
Part of what makes Last Rites so effective is the communal aspect of its scares. Horror works differently in a theater. Silence stretches further when an entire room is holding its breath. Gasps and nervous laughter spread across the seats, amplifying the tension. That shared adrenaline rush is difficult to replicate at home, no matter how good your sound system might be.
This explains why horror consistently outpaces other mid-budget genres at the box office. A scare shared is a scare doubled, and audiences know they’ll get that payoff in theaters. Last Rites capitalizes on this, leaning on sound design and atmosphere that practically demand a big-screen experience.
Final Verdict: Who Should Watch
The Conjuring: Last Rites is a rare horror finale that values heart as much as fear. For longtime fans, it’s the farewell you hoped for; for casual viewers, it’s a slower but rewarding supernatural ride.
What truly separates this film from other franchise entries is how it leans into themes of faith and legacy. The scares are effective, but the real hook is watching two characters we’ve known for over a decade confront the costs of their work and the toll it’s taken on their lives. That personal weight makes the finale resonate even when some set pieces feel familiar.
The audience split will come down to patience. If you want relentless jumps, you might find the reflective pacing too measured. But if you’ve grown attached to Ed and Lorraine, the slower rhythm feels like walking alongside them in their final chapter — a chance to say goodbye rather than just sprint through another exorcism.
From an industry standpoint, its record-breaking debut proves that horror doesn’t just thrive in the margins anymore — it can anchor the entire box office. Where superheroes stumbled and family tentpoles underperformed, Last Rites and its peers carried 2025, showing that horror is both profitable and creatively resilient. It’s not just about the monsters in the dark; it’s about the audiences who keep showing up to share the experience.
In the end, this finale works because it remembers what made the Conjuring Universe special in the first place. Not the demons, not the cursed objects, but the human connection at its center. That’s why it lingers, and that’s why it matters.
FAQs: The Conjuring: Last Rites
Q: Does The Conjuring: Last Rites have a post-credits scene?
A: Yes. A mid-credits gives us snapshots of the real Ed and Lorraine Warren, as well as a final still on what happened to them.
Q: Is The Conjuring: Last Rites really the last Conjuring movie?
A: It’s the final mainline film featuring Ed and Lorraine Warren, but Warner Bros. has signaled interest in prequels and spin-offs.
Q: When will The Conjuring: Last Rites be on streaming?
A: Warner Bros. hasn’t confirmed a streaming release date, but it’s expected to debut on Max after the theatrical run.
Q: How does The Conjuring: Last Rites compare to other horror films this year?
A: It outperformed Weapons and Final Destination: Bloodlines, cementing horror’s box office dominance in 2025
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