*Keep up with our ongoing end of the decade coverage here*
Every decade has a certain set of horror movies that define it. That certain group of movies that hits the right tone, captures audiences perfectly and is the first thing that you think of when that particular time period comes up. For the 70s, it was those movies that pushed the envelope and broke new ground in an uncertain era – The Exorcist. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. For the 80s, it was the slasher cycle. Hundreds of slasher films came and went over a few short years, but the big franchises stand out in front for the way they created characters that would last and become the new faces of horror – Halloween, Friday the 13th and the Nightmare on Elm Street films. In the 90s, we saw a return to masked killers that also incorporated a witty writing style and casts of chic young actors. The Scream franchise led the way. In the 2000s, we saw a rise in ultra-violent films like the Saw series and the Hostel films.
As we wrap up the 2010s, it’s interesting to look back and see how horror has changed and what was really popular during this period. Of all the movies that were released this decade, the ones that will most define this period will be the films of The Conjuring Universe.
What began in 2013 with a single ghost story has ballooned to be one of the most successful horror franchises of all time. In keeping with the current trend of cinematic universes (which will also mark this decade), the series has developed beyond simply a series of sequels and has created its own web of stories that has spanned six years and seven films, and continues to grow.
The Conjuring (2013)
The road to bringing The Conjuring to the screen was a long one, beginning about 20 years prior, when producer Tony DeRosa-Grund met with Ed Warren to discuss the case of the Perron Family – the story that the script would come to be based on. DeRosa-Grund tried to get the film made for years, but it never quite materialized. Deals were formed with Golden Circle Films (who had made A Haunting in Connecticut, based on another of the Warrens’ cases) and Summit Entertainment, but nothing ever made it to the finish line. Finally, a deal was struck with New Line, James Wan was brought on board to direct and produce the script from Chad and Carey Hayes, and the story finally made it to the screen.
Set in the 1970s, the story followed the Perron family as they move into a farmhouse in rural Rhode Island, only to discover that the property has a dark history, as a malevolent entity begins to threaten their family. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga were cast in the roles of Ed and Lorraine Warren, and offer up a duo that is not only defined by their ghost hunting, but by their chemistry and relationship to one another. Their kindness is front and center throughout the film and gives the characters depth in a way that is not commonly explored in films like this.
The Conjuring won over audiences and critics alike, opening the door for New Line to not only make sequels, but to expand the story out in multiple directions simultaneously.
Annabelle (2014)
From there, as they were developing a sequel to The Conjuring, New Line also decided to create a spin-off film based on the Annabelle Doll that made a brief appearance at the beginning of the first film. Since the most famous story of the doll was already told during that scene, screenwriter Gary Dauberman chose to create an origin story for the doll, in which she starts out as an antique in a child’s bedroom, but becomes possessed by a malevolent spirit after a cult member breaks into the house and dies by suicide in the room where Annabelle is kept. The homeowners, John and Mia, find themselves plagued by the entity and eventually learn that it intends to take a human soul.
The film did well financially, but was a big disappointment for fans of The Conjuring, as it lacked both the pacing and the effectiveness of the first story.
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
2016 saw the return of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as the Warrens in The Conjuring 2. James Wan returned to the director’s chair, and also co-wrote the script, along with Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes and David Leslie Johnson. This film briefly touches on the Warrens’ investigation into the Amityville haunting, before traveling to England to investigate the Enfield Poltergeist. They are sent there by the Catholic Church to determine if the stories being told by a working class family concerning a haunting in their home are true, or if they are instead an elaborate hoax.
In reality, Ed and Lorraine did determine this particular incident to be a hoax, but in the film, the family is ensnared by the power of a demonic spirit that not only manipulates the ghost of the former owner of the home, but also appears as a monstrous nun. This new adversary, while defeated in The Conjuring 2, would be the next focal point of the cinematic universe, as it was a successful villain that terrified audiences.
The film was massively successful and also introduced the world to the joys that can be found in watching Patrick Wilson sing and play guitar.
Annabelle Creation (2017)
The following year, a prequel was made to the less than stellar Annabelle film. Annabelle Creation takes place in 1955 as a middle-aged couple, Esther (Mirando Otto) and Samuel Mullins (Anthony LaPaglia) open their home to a nun (Stephanie Sigman) and a group of girls after their orphanage closes down. Janice (Talitha Bateman), a girl who has been disabled by the effects of polio, finds a doll that had belonged to the couple’s deceased daughter, Annabelle. When Janice begins behaving strangely, Esther confesses that the couple had been so distraught when their daughter died that they agreed to allow what they thought to be her spirit to inhabit the doll. As it turns out, the spirit in question was a demonic entity playing on their grief.
Gary Dauberman returned to write the script, and David F. Sandberg came aboard to direct. The film was a critical and box office success and was a huge step forward from the previous Annabelle entry. It told a new story while still tying itself back to everything that had already been established in the mythology.
The Nun (2018)
In 2018, the terrifying demon nun, Valak, got her moment in the spotlight. The Nun was written by Gary Dauberman and directed by Corin Hardy. It is set in 1953 and tells the story of Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a novice nun and Father Burke (Demien Bichir) who are called to a Romanian monastery to investigate the mysterious circumstances following the suicide of a nun on the property. Upon their arrival, they learn that a demonic entity that has been imprisoned within the walls of the abbey has been released. The nuns pray in shifts to attempt to keep the evil at bay, but are quickly losing ground. This evil, known as Valak, takes the form of a nun and must be once again sealed in her prison before it can escape the grounds and bring corruption wherever it goes.
The Nun was met with mixed reviews. Though it had a classic horror setting and atmosphere, the editing was shaky and the film didn’t flow like its predecessors.
The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
Based on a Latin American folktale, The Curse of La Llorona follows Anna (Linda Cardellini), a social worker sent to investigate the disappearance of two young boys. When she arrives at their house, she finds the children locked in a room. She calls the police, and has their mother, Patricia (Patricia Alvarez), arrested. Patricia claimed to be locking the boys away for their own protection. The boys later turn up dead, and Anna’s own children begin experiencing strange happenings around their home. It seems Anna’s involvement in the case has brought her under the curse of the dreaded spirit La Llorona. Realizing that the spirit is powerful, she turns to the Church for help in banishing the entity.
The Curse of La Llorona’s place in The Conjuring Universe is not as obvious as the other films, and was only really known when the film was released. The La Llorona spirit was never a part of any of the prior films and the movie wasn’t marketed as a Conjuring film or as having any relation to the franchise. The connection itself is small, and lies in the appearance of Father Perez (Tony Amendola), the priest who counseled the couple in Annabelle.
The film received poor reviews, many of which cited the overuse of jump scares and the lack of a well-formed storyline.
Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
The second series entry for 2019 was the third film to focus on the Annabelle doll. Annabelle Comes Home sees Gary Dauberman returning once again, but this time, taking over the director’s chair and directing from his own script. The film brings the Annabelle story back to the Warrens. It takes place after they have acquired the doll and locked her away in their artifacts room. Ed and Lorraine take an overnight trip for an investigation and ask Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) to babysit their daughter, Judy (McKenna Grace). Mary Ellen’s friend, Daniela (Katie Sarife) tags along and beings to explore the items in the artifacts room. Of course, she lets a bunch of supernatural creatures loose and the girls have to contain the disaster before Ed and Lorraine return home.
The film is a bit of a departure in tone from the rest of the series. It certainly has some scary moments, but it is all done with a sense of fun. This film is a scary sleepover that invites the audience along for the festivities. While Annabelle is definitely our main antagonist, she’s not the only thing the character have to contend with. A werewolf, a spectral ferryman and an evil bride all make appearances, adding to the supernatural chaos of the story and potentially offering up new villains for future installments.
The decade might be winding down, but The Conjuring Universe certainly isn’t. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson are set to return to the series in 2020 with The Conjuring 3, a sequel to The Nun has been announced, and a film focusing on The Crooked Man from The Conjuring 2 is also in the works. As long as audiences continue to have an interest in supernatural horror, these films will continue to lead the pack and the universe will continue to expand to include more stories, more supernatural villains, and more scares.