The Ending Of The Conjuring: Last Rites Explained

Contains spoilers for "The Conjuring: Last Rites"

The Conjuring Universe is among the most successful horror franchises in Hollywood history. The films don't always get the facts right when it comes to the true story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, but, taken with a grain of salt, they're fantastically entertaining. If you covered your eyes to shield yourself from the scariest moments in 2025's "The Conjuring: Last Rites," or you were left a little confused when the credits started rolling, then you should check out Looper's explainer video above for a full breakdown of the film's finale.

"Last Rites" is being touted as the final film in the primary "Conjuring" timeline, but, as Hollywood has proven time and time again, there's always a way to keep a franchise going. If this is indeed the last time we see Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren and Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren, then they at least went out with a bang (Looper's review of "The Conjuring: Last Rites" calls it a "heartfelt swan song"). From family drama to spooky mirrors, here's everything you need to know about the ending of "The Conjuring: Last Rites."

"The Conjuring: Last Rites" begins in 1964 with younger versions of Ed (Orion Smith) and Lorraine (Madison Lawlor) investigating a seemingly haunted mirror. Lorraine goes into labor and gives birth to Judy, who isn't breathing at first but miraculously comes back to life. Later in life, Judy (Mia Tomlinson) is shown to possess her mother's supernatural ability of clairvoyance, allowing her to sense when spirits are near. But Lorraine teaches Judy to shut out these visions and simply ignore them, not wanting her to carry the same burden that she does.

In 1986, the Smurl family comes into possession of the same haunted mirror and begins to experience ghostly occurrences. It turns into a media circus, but the Warren family isn't interested in checking it out, deciding to enjoy their retirement and help Judy prepare for her upcoming wedding to Tony (Ben Hardy). Father Gordon (Steve Coulter), a friend of the Warrens, checks on the Smurl family independently and dies due to demon intervention. Judy wants to learn more about what happened to Gordon, so she visits the Smurls on her own, leading to her parents following her into their most perilous possession case yet.

Lorraine discovers that there are three spirits haunting the Smurls, but they're more of a front for something much darker within the mirror that ends up possessing Judy. The only way to stop it is to take the mirror back to the Warrens' house. Ed and Jack Smurl (Elliot Cowan) attempt to move it from the attic to the street, but the demon grows in power, causing the mirror to spin and assault the family, injuring Tony in the process. 

Despite Lorraine having previously told her daughter to shut out her visions, she now informs a no-longer-possessed Judy to tap into what makes her special. Ed, Lorraine, and Judy work together to banish the demon from the mirror, stopping its attack. Once it's no longer a threat, they pack it up and put it in the same room that houses all of the other haunted artifacts they've amassed over the years. 

Judy and Tony get married, and, during the reception, Lorraine tells her husband about a new vision she had in which they grow old and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren. As a final epilogue, text appears on the screen to inform viewers of how Ed and Lorraine stayed married until his death, and how, even after that, Lorraine never remarried.

The ending of "The Conjuring: Last Rites" represents the end of an era for the franchise, both on and off the screen. Co-stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are walking away from roles that they've inhabited for over a decade, and filming the finale of "Last Rites" was emotionally taxing. Speaking to Dread Central, Farmiga revealed that the reality hit home once Wilson's scenes were done and he was no longer on set. "My nervous system just packed its bags after that," she said. "My favorite thing about this, it always has been, is embodying Ed and Lorraine's unwavering bond. And I had just the most perfect scene partner."

If one word can sum up the ending of "The Conjuring: Last Rites," it's "family" — not only does it drive home how strong the bond between Ed and Lorraine Warren is, but the finale serves as a passing-the-torch moment. According to director Michael Chaves, that's why they decided to lean into Judy learning how to harness her abilities and eventually getting married. "I think that it felt like a great metaphor," the filmmaker told We Live Entertainment, adding that the film "really was designed to be a final chapter."

"The Conjuring: Last Rites" may be the end of Ed and Lorraine Warren's story on the big screen, but it doesn't have to be the end of the franchise. "The Conjuring" already has a slew of spin-offs like "Annabelle" and "The Nun" (we've ranked every Conjuring Universe movie from worst to best if you're interested in seeing how they all stack up), and it's possible that "Last Rites" could spawn another one. Director Michael Chaves has even said that the MacGuffin from "Last Rites" could feature in future stories. "I think something could be done with the mirror, and I believe that the trick lies in the face of the mirror," he told Dread Central.

Producer James Wan, who directed the first two "Conjuring" movies, has also spoken about having future films focus on Judy Warren. When Bloody Disgusting asked him about that possibility, he said, "I don't want to jump the gun, but if there is a phase two, something like that does not seem out of place. Actually, it feels very organic, if you will." Wan's "phase two" statement refers to something said by New Line Cinema CCO Richard Brener, who hinted that "Last Rites" could be the end of "The Conjuring" phase one. Mia Tomlinson is clearly game for returning to this world. She told Screen Rant, "I'd love to come back to work with Ben [Hardy] and see more creepy stuff. Let's do it!"