The Warrenverse Movies Only Hardcore Conjuring Fans Know About
The year was 2013, and little did Warner Bros. realize, it was about to release one of its biggest productions in recent memory. From director James Wan, The Conjuring hit theaters that July, loosely based on the true story of the late Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren's (Vera Farmiga) famous Perron family paranormal investigation. The feature turned out to be a home run in no time, grossing nearly $320 million over the course of its theatrical tenure and winning over audiences across the globe. In response, the studio took a bold next step and introduced the world to the Conjuring Universe, or Warrenverse, of shared horror movies.
In the eight trips around the sun since The Conjuring graced the big screen, the franchise it spawned has grown exponentially. Not only did the original film receive one sequel — soon to be two — but it launched a handful of other series, including titles such as The Nun, Annabelle, and The Curse of La Llorona. Considering the enduring popularity of horror and this saga's generally high quality, viewers continue to flock to every new installment. But, even some of the most die-hard Conjuring Universe devotees likely haven't seen every piece of media it has to offer.
Here are the Warrenverse inclusions that only the most committed Conjuring fans have checked out.
The "My Annabelle Creation" contest greatly expanded the Warrenverse
As a part of the promotion for Annabelle: Creation, Warner Bros. opened the door for indie filmmakers to leave their mark on the franchise. Known as the "My Annabelle Creation" competition, the event challenged fans around the globe to make short films that "feel like they could exist within the established Conjuring world." The winners not only had the chance to meet director David F. Sandberg in Los Angeles, California, but their projects earned an official place in the Warrenverse canon. Five films were ultimately chosen, with each one representing a different country.
From the United States came the just-under-two-minute film, The Nurse, from filmmaker Julian Terry. The story follows a girl named Emily (Aria Walters) who has lost her vision temporarily and is heavily bandaged yet still tries to escape a demonic nurse (Hannah Palazzi). Liam Banks from the United Kingdom also won out with his over-120-minute film, titled The Confession. This tale focuses on a frantic and mentally fractured woman (Esmee Matthews) who seeks out her local priest (Charlie Clarke) to confide in him about her paranormal encounters. Try as she might, she can't quite escape these dark entities.
Mexico's Raùl Bribiesca made waves with his one-take film, What's Wrong With Mom? This family-centric narrative highlights a father (Fabián Hurtado) and daughter (Carina Pámenes) who seek divine intervention to help the family's mother (Perla Corona). Given her concerning behavior, they believe that she has been possessed by a demon known as Marifer. Rounding out the winner's circle are Alejandro López from Colombia, who created Innocent Souls, and the Swedish duo of Amanda Nilsson and Magda Lindblom, responsible for Blund's Lullaby.
Next time you decide to binge the entire Conjuring Universe, make sure not to miss out on these remarkable pieces of independent cinema.