The Conjuring series follows the cases of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are undoubtedly the most well-known names in their field. While many people question the Warrens’ accounts of their most famous cases, such as Amityville and Annabelle, the on-screen Warrens, played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, keep us hooked as they solve each supernatural case.

With eight films released since 2013 and two more in the works, the films have already explored many of their cases. While we wait to see where The Conjuring 4 takes us, here’s a look at what the franchise has already covered.

The Conjuring – The Perron Family

The Conjuring - Ed and the Witch
Warner Bros. Pictures

The first film takes place in 1971 when the Perron family relocated to a large, old farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. Unusual occurrences were reported shortly after parents Roger and Carolyn and their five daughters, Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April, moved in. Strange sounds, foul odors, floating beds, and even a possession due to a seance were reported.

Some believe that the house was once inhabited by an alleged witch named Bathsheba Sherman, who is buried nearby. In the film, the family and the Warrens fight to end Bathsheba’s terror and deathly hold on Carolyn.

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Despite the alleged haunting and several visits from the Warrens, the real-life Perrons remained on the property until 1980. The farmhouse and its surrounding 8 acres went up for sale in 2021 for $1.2 Million. What a bargain!

The Conjuring 2 – The Enfield Poltergeist

The Conjuring 2
Warner Bros. Pictures

The Conjuring 2 takes us across the pond to a house in Enfield, London, England, in 1977. After reporting strange occurrences to authorities, Peggy Hodgson and her four children, Margaret, Janet, Johnny, and Billy, rose to prominence as they were investigated by members of the Society for Psychical Research and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, as well as the Warrens.

Despite the fact that a policewoman and members of the organizations saw and heard moving objects, knocking, unknown voices, and levitation, the case is widely thought to be a hoax perpetrated by the older daughters. The theory of a prank is written into the film’s plot, but Lorraine discovers the dark presence behind the supernatural attacks.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – The Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson

The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It - The Conjuring 3
Warner Bros. Pictures

The third Conjuring film takes place in 1981 in Brookfield, Connecticut, and follows the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson. After Johnson murdered his landlord, the “Devil Made Me Do It” case was the first in the United States to feature demonic possession as a defense. However, the story does not begin with Johnson but with his girlfriend’s younger brother, David. Convinced that young David was possessed, the Warrens requested an exorcism from the Catholic Church, which allegedly drove the demon out of the boy and into Johnson, who was present.

After the crime was committed, the Warrens continued to argue that Johnson was not in control due to possession. Despite their support, he was convicted of first-degree manslaughter but only served five years.

Annabelle – Annabelle the Doll

Annabelle Creation
Warner Bros. Pictures

In a self-titled 2014 prequel film, the case of the possessed doll known as Annabelle made its on-screen debut. Given the Raggedy Ann doll’s less-than-scary appearance, it was given a creepy porcelain makeover for the big screen.

In the early 1970s, the toy was investigated following a nursing student’s claim of malicious supernatural activity. The Warrens claimed ownership of the allegedly possessed doll and famously locked it behind glass in their Occult Museum with a warning not to open.

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Two more films were released, establishing its own franchise. Annabelle: Creation, a prequel, was released in 2017, and Annabelle Comes Home, a sequel, was released in 2019.

The Nun – The Borley Nun

Warner Bros. Pictures

The Nun isn’t based on an actual case, but it bears similarities to a ghostly encounter Lorraine had in England. Ed and Lorraine’s son-in-law, Tony Spera, explained to Esquire that “The Nun’s ecclesiastical phantom bears resemblance to a ‘real’ spectral nun the Warrens encountered during a trip to the haunted Borley church in southern England in the 1970s.”

The Warrens traveled to the location with photographers to document reported supernatural activity, such as bells ringing and ghostly sightings. Lorraine told the group, “I feel the presence of a nun in this church,” as the photographers captured blurs with infrared film.

The inspiration has not been confirmed by Warner Bros., but as Spera explains, “I think Hollywood takes bits and pieces of different stories and puts them together… They couldn’t just come up with [The Nun] out of the blue.” The Nun 2, a direct sequel, is currently in production.


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