The Conjuring: Last Rites is already a big hit for Warner Bros., and even though it was billed as the last Conjuring movie, there are several ways that the studio is certain to follow up on its success. With so many Conjuring movies already produced, the movies have set up several sub-series that could also be followed up on.

There will be more Conjuring movies, but what those will be exactly is up for debate. The latest film puts a cap on what has been referred to as the first phase in the Conjuring universe, but the incredible box office success of the new film all but ᴀssures that the studio will move forward with more installments soon.

The ending of Last Rites may have given Ed and Lorraine the happy ending that they deserve. However, even if that is the case, there are still so many terrifying horrors that haunt this dark and twisted world. With new spinoffs and sequels to existing franchises, there are many paths forward for The Conjuring.

The Nun 3

The Nun and its sequel were both big hits for The Conjuring universe, and it is reasonable to expect that another sequel could follow. The battle against Valak persisted in the latest film, with him being at least subdued for the time being.

However, with the antagonist coming back about 20 years later in The Conjuring 2, there is still more story to tell.

Using the religious imagery and new artifacts, including the Eyes of Saint Lucy, The Nun has built a unique franchise that stands all on its own. The Nun 2‘s strong box office shows that there is still interest in this series, despite middling critical reception.

No The Nun 3 film is yet confirmed, but it would make sense for Warner Bros. to continue the story in another one of these box office hits.

Annabelle 4

The Annabelle movies have told very different stories in each installment, with each built around the terrifying design of the тιтular doll. After stealing the show in the first Conjuring movie, the series spun her off into her own series, which has proven to be an excellent decision; the franchise has earned $794 million across three films.

A fourth Annabelle film is an obvious way forward for the The Conjuring series. After including Annabelle in Last Rites, there is great room to explore the doll’s continued connection to Judy. While no Annabelle 4 is yet confirmed, it would be the most reasonable next step for the series.

The Lost Demon

A Conjuring spinoff about a Lost Demon was planned to grow out of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Director Michael Chaves was enthusiastic, and told SlashFilm about his plans: “We had a demon that was full-on pulled from little David’s interview and description.”

The monster was designed, but was ultimately removed from the film. The spirit still appeared in a lessened form, as Chaves confirmed that it was the monster haunting David during the waterbed scene. However, Chaves has spoken about doing a spinoff about this spirit, and that could still occur.

The Axeman

The Axeman has a short and small appearance in Last Rites, but he could make for the focus of a compelling spinoff series of his own. Used as a puppet by the mirror demon, the Axeman’s horrifying appearance was a misdirect, intended to deceive Lorraine Warren.

With that said, some of the horrific details of the character were explained in the film. Suspecting his wife of cheating on him, the Axeman, once a normal man, killed her and her mother in a fit of rage.

Exploring this character’s spiritual connections in a film of his own could make for a unique take on the slasher genre with spiritual elements, akin to Friday the 13th. This could make for a unique and refreshing installment in the Conjuring universe.

The Conjuring Mirror

The latest Conjuring introduced a twisted magic mirror. It wound up in the Warrens’ artifacts room by the end, labelled as the Conjuring Mirror. This terrifying antique, which was used in the film’s opening flashback, could be given additional focus and even start a new spinoff series.

Last Rites shows the mirror in an antique shop in the 1960s, but it is not clear how long the mirror has been possessed. Tracing the origins of this spirit being bonded to this item could allow for new period settings for the franchise.

This could go back decades, or potentially even centuries, allowing the timeline of The Conjuring to expand significantly.

The Crooked Man

The Conjuring 2 saw the introduction of the Crooked Man, a terrifying figure that the filmmakers intended to make into a new spinoff series for the franchise. Valak took this form in the film, and it was drawn from some terrifying images and ideas from a children’s nursery rhyme.

The image of the Crooked Man is among the most terrifying in the series, and it was in the works as a spinoff for years. The project took a backseat after audiences responded with more enthusiasm to that film’s Nun character, but filmmakers including James Wan have wanted a Crooked Man spinoff for years.

The Crooked Man has since been canceled, but putting together a new version of the project could be an excellent next step for the franchise. The Conjuring needs new spinoff series, and building one around this terrifying, dark, fairy tale figure would be uniquely effective.

An Ed & Lorraine Warren Prequel

Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith played the younger Ed and Lorraine Warren in the opening to Last Rites, and the actors are open to reprising the roles. In outlining a possible Conjuring prequel, Lawlor expressed great hopes for their characters, saying “There are so many cases [where] I would love to see how they’re interpreted still.”

There has been talk of a Conjuring tv series for a long time, and seeing Ed and Lorraine’s early days investigating paranormal activities could be a great path for the series. However, this series of films has proven to have such great box office potential that moving Ed and Lorraine to streaming, even with different actors, could disappoint.

An Ed and Lorraine prequel made for theatres could be a strong option. Tapping into the period settings the franchise has used for many of their other films, including The Nun and the Annabelle films, could make this horror prequel feel compelling and essential.

The Conjuring 5

The Conjuring 5 has to happen at some point. This could bring back Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine, although it seems as though their time with the series could be done. If this is the case, and the two are given a happy ending, there is a logical new couple that could continue their investigations.

After the ending and post-credit scene of Last Rites, it is suggested that Judy and Tony, now married, will be given the chance to live out their lives in peace, as seen in Lorraine’s vision. However, Judy Warren is just as curious as her parents, and despite the terrors she has experienced, it is certain that she will be drawn to paranormal investigation.

Whether continuing the story with Judy and Tony, or bringing back the elder Warrens, more stories in The Conjuring‘s mainline series after the success of The Conjuring: Last Rites is all but ᴀssured. It may take some time for this movie to happen, but when it does, it will be another huge horror hit.