After 12 years, eight major films, and countless demons, audiences are preparing to say goodbye to Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) with The Conjuring: Last Rites. Loosely based on the alleged Smurl family haunting, the picture is set to bring about an end to The Conjuring Universe as we know it. It’s certainly not an easy task given the franchise’s popularity, and rumors have already circulated about a possible creative reboot for the series with a proposed “Phase Two.” For executive producer and franchise godfather, James Wan, however, his focus is elsewhere.

In retrospect, the series’ commercial success is almost baffling. When Wan began the series, The Conjuring was a humble yet highly effective piece of horror. And while he has continued to oversee the franchise and has helped craft some of modern horror’s most unforgettable films, Wan has stepped away from the roles that made him a household name: those of writer and director. Though we would never discount his skills as a producer and what they’ve brought to The Conjuring Universe and other films like The Monkey, the end of Warren’s on-screen journey and Wan’s focus offer an exciting opportunity for him to once again take his place in the director’s chair.

James Wan Isn’t Focused on The Conjuring Universe’s Phase Two

From the moment it was announced that The Conjuring: Last Rites was meant to end the story the franchise had been telling thus far, there seemed to be speculation regarding the franchise’s future. In the spring of 2025, the head of New Line Cinema, Richard Brener, suggested that the studio was considering a Phase Two for the franchise, despite the exit of the Warren’s. Though Wan hasn’t directed a Conjuring film since the first sequel, The Conjuring 2, he is still, by and large, his creation. Thus, when speaking with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, it was inevitable that the question surrounding the series’ future would come up. When asked for his thoughts on a potential continuation of the franchise, Wan responded:

“I don’t know. I guess just the lore of the real-life Ed and Lorraine Warren is so rich, like the characters are so rich, the lore’s so rich, that they still really have a lot of stories left. And, I don’t know, the idea of a Judy and Tony story — who knows? There are many ways to approach this. But I guess I try not to give it too much thought at this point. I want to be respectful to where we are right now and focus on saying goodbye to this one.”

While Wan did not exactly shut the idea of continuing down, even expressing joy when Nemiroff mentioned the largely cancelled Crooked Man spin-off, it’s clear that ideas for the series beyond this chapter are not at the forefront of his mind. At first, this may sound rather disheartening to the audiences who have loved these films for over a decade now. However, Wan has been incredibly busy as a producer with the Conjuring Universe taking up a large portion of his time. And even beyond The Conjuring, all of Wan’s upcoming credits are as a producer. While he’s helped bring some modern classics to the screen, such as M3GAN, his focus on being allowed to wander from the Conjuring Universe allows for exciting opportunities.

James Wan Has Always Been a Talented Writer and Director

Before he was the godfather of the Conjuring Universe, Wan was one of horror’s most intriguing directors. He entered the scene in 2000 with the independent feature film, Stygian. It was just four years later that he broke through into mainstream cinema with Saw. Even for some of history’s most talented storytellers, that is a rapid turnaround, and the career that has followed is a credit to Wan’s imaginative approach to filmmaking and his diverse directing style. After all, the gruesome gore and violence of Saw is vastly different from that of the classic haunted house vibe of the first Conjuring, and even more different than his time in the DCEU as the director of Aquaman and its sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Yet, no matter the picture, he manages to bring a uniqueness to his project, a sense of originality that has become rarer in studio films. It’s truly a remarkable accomplishment, but in the wake of the Conjuring Universe’s finale, it’s time for Wan to return to crafting original stories away from big franchises.

James Wan Can Now Return to Original Storytelling Thanks to ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’

There would be no Conjuring Universe without the originality and brilliance of Wan. His work on the first film effectively reinvigorated the haunted house genre, and we hope that he will return to crafting groundbreaking stories as a director now that he is no longer tied to the shared universe. Wan’s last credit on a horror film as the director was the 2021 cult-favorite, Malignant. Though the picture’s jarring tone shift and twists divided audiences, it was pure Wan brilliance. Likewise, his work on the first Insidious made for a spine-chilling film the likes of which audiences didn’t expect, especially in 2010. His bold, original, and twisted sense of storytelling is what sets him so far apart as a horror director and is key to his continued legacy. While we’re excited to see what his work as a producer on SOULM8TE and the reboot of The Creature from the Black Lagoon brings, it’s hard not to wish he were at the helm of these movies. But now, with the release of The Conjuring: Last Rites, Wan could, in theory, return to the director’s chair, and it’s safe to say, it would be a homecoming that countless horror fans would celebrate. His innovative approach and brave style are exactly what the genre needs, and we hope that he decides to return to the role that made him a household name.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is now haunting theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and news!

The Conjuring: Last Rites

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