The Conjuring is easily one of the most successful and well-known horror franchises to make its mark on the horror genre. New Line seems to have struck paranormal gold with the original film, titled The Conjuring, and its disparate spin-offs and sequels. In total, the franchise has generated over two billion dollars in revenue and doesn’t show signs of slowing down any time soon.
The first film was met with unexpectedly wide acclaim and was quickly dubbed a modern horror classic. The movie’s atmosphere was engrossing, the camera angles unnerving, and the frights seemed to wait around every corner. Since the original film’s release in 2013, the franchise has spawned two hair-raising sequels and a slew of spin-offs, including Annabelle and The Nun, which is expecting a sequel of its own.
Now, the franchise is set to pick up another entry in The Conjuring 4. A recent report from Deadline confirmed that David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick will return to write the screenplay for the upcoming film. Having penned the second and third installments in the franchise, Johnson-McGoldrick’s inclusion was the logical and natural choice as the series continues to evolve and expand.
Few other details are currently known for the return of world-famous demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. As yet, there is no release date for the film. Additionally, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who play Ed and Lorraine Warren, have not been confirmed to be returning for the sequel. While it’s all but certain the pair will eventually reprise their iconic demonologist roles, the central plot of the next film remains the biggest mystery that won’t be solved anytime soon.
Still, the tales of horror depicted in The Conjuring franchise are alleged to be based on true events. Regardless of the validity of such claims, fans can be sure that the case history of Ed and Lorraine Warren will be highly scrutinized for the upcoming sequel. Let’s take a look at some of the scariest cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren that could become the next nightmare-inducing entries in the Conjuring franchise.
The Story of the Snedeker House Could Be Retold
The inspiration behind 2009’s The Haunting in Connecticut is the alleged true experiences of the Snedeker family. The family moved into an old house in Southington, Connecticut, in 1986, only to come to the disturbing realization that the home had once served as a funeral parlor. Much of the activity the family claimed to have experienced centered around Philip, one of the four Snedeker siblings. Philip began to hear voices and even see people others could not.
In a disturbing turn of events, Philip eventually moved his bed into a sealed-off room that once was used for embalming. The family's horrific experiences continued to escalate until Ed and Lorraine Warren were asked to investigate the case.
The Smurl Haunting Would Introduce Terrifying New Spirits
Flood damage forced the Smurls out of their home and into a duplex on Chase Street in West Pittson, Pennsylvania. Jack and Janet Smurl lived in one half of the duplex with their young daughters, while the other section was occupied by Jack’s parents, John and Mary.
The family claims early encounters with the paranormal were relatively banal. Tools would go missing, stains would reappear after painting, and terrible odors would suddenly fill a room only to disperse moments later. Soon, the family’s experiences intensified. Voices were heard that seemed to mimic other members of the family. Terrifying black masses would drift throughout the house. Janet even reported being abused by an evil spirit.
Eventually, all hell seemed to break loose within the home. The family dog was thrown against a wall while the family continually suffered from a never-ending series of mental and physical attacks. Ed and Lorraine Warren were contacted and determined the house to be home to four different spirits -- an innocuous elderly woman, a young and potentially dangerous girl, a man who had passed away in the home, and lastly, a demon that manipulated and controlled the other three.
Amityville Could Be Revisited Yet Again
George and Kathy Lutz and their three children moved into 112 Ocean Avenue in December 1975. The family felt they had gotten the deal of a lifetime on a Dutch Colonial home that should have been well above their price range. The family would soon learn of the home’s dark history. Almost exactly a year before the Lutz family moved in, Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his six family members with a rifle at close range in the very same house. What transpired over the next 28 days would become one of the most famous cases of paranormal activity ever documented.
Ed and Lorraine Warren would visit the house early in 1976 and would claim the house was occupied by malevolent spirits. A modern film adaptation could use the historically accurate events of the Amityville Horror to create a truly chilling addition to one of the creepiest franchises to date.