The Conjuring: Last Rites pays tribute to the real-life Annabelle doll handler following his untimely death. Last Rites is the latest entry in The Conjuring horror franchise, starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren. The film opened to mixed reviews on September 5 and follows the Smurl haunting case.
Viewers may notice that at the very end of The Conjuring: Last Rites’ credits, three real-life figures have special mentions, including a dedication to Dan Rivera. Rivera was a paranormal investigator and handler of the real haunted Annabelle doll — which inspired The Conjuring franchise’s own iconic horror character — who died suddenly in July 2025 of natural cardiac-related causes.
Now, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, The Conjuring: Last Rites’ director, Michael Chaves, addresses Dan Rivera’s pᴀssing. Chaves states: “It was really just tragic and a curveball.” Yet despite being “blindsided” by it, the director added: “We wanted to just handle it as respectfully as possible.” Check out Chaves’ full explanation for Last Rites’ tribute below:
It was really just tragic and a curveball. The poor guy. I think we were all blindsided by that. We wanted to just handle it as respectfully as possible.
It was definitely a discussion that we had with everyone and how to respectfully handle that. That was the biggest challenge. It’s hard…horror movies are fun and they deal with dark things, but I think just being able to separate that rollercoaster experience with a real, tragic death and something that really took him and his family by surprise, it was tricky to navigate.
What The Dan Rivera Tribute Means For The Conjuring: Last Rites
The Dan Rivera tribute adds a layer of authenticity and acknowledgment to The Conjuring: Last Rites, reminding audiences that while the film (and the overall franchise) dramatizes paranormal lore, there are very real people connected to its myths, investigations, and cultural impact. By including a dedication, the film bridges the line between horror fiction and real life in a respectful way.
Annabelle does briefly return to The Conjuring: Last Rites for a few scenes, making the dedication to Rivera even more appropriate. Judy (Mia Tomlinson) sees Annabelle on a rocking chair in her childhood bedroom, and later in the Smurl family’s attic. The sequence connects Last Rites to The Conjuring and Annabelle Comes Home, teasing the doll’s possible return in the franchise’s future.
Our Take On The Dan Rivera Tribute In The Conjuring: Last Rites
Considering the context, the tribute to Rivera is handled well. It’s understated but sincere, and putting it at the end of The Conjuring: Last Rites feels appropriate, rather than something more dramatized or exploitative. Furthermore, that Chaves said that multiple people discussed how to do it “respectfully” suggests a conscientious approach to the matter.
It would have been easy to lean into the whole Annabelle mythos with Rivera’s unfortunate pᴀssing in July, especially as the paranormal investigator was touring with the doll at the time on his company’s Devils on the Run tour. However, The Conjuring: Last Rites took the right approach in addressing the situation in a professional and respectful manner.
The movie’s tribute to Rivera humanizes the franchise in a way: horror can often feel removed, stylized, or sensational, but consequences and connections to real people are important. Therefore, while Rivera’s death was unexpected and tragic, acknowledging it honors his contributions, especially as Annabelle’s character is also featured in The Conjuring: Last Rites.
