The final chapter in the Warrens’ story, The Conjuring: Last Rites, hits theaters September 5. It marks the end of a 12-year run for Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren. This installment centers on the Smurl family haunting and introduces the adult version of their daughter, Judy.
Warner Bros. has released a first look at the final movie in the franchise with images and details.
A Final Performance for Wilson and Farmiga
Wilson and Farmiga are done with the Conjuring franchise. They’re moving on with other projects, but their connection to each other and the series runs deep. Their chemistry and shared history anchor Last Rites, making it less about demons and more about closure—both for the characters and the actors.
“I think that’s why when you say, ‘Can you imagine it being over?’ I actually can’t imagine it really because of her,” Wilson filled in EW.com. “It really meant the world to me. I didn’t think we’d be doing this for 12, 13 years. I only know this because I have a shirt from running a race in Wilmington. It says 2012, [which is] when we shot the first one. So, yeah, I get emotional. I can’t imagine not doing a movie with her.”
What the Movie Is About
Set in 1986, Last Rites picks up five years after The Devil Made Me Do It. Ed and Lorraine are mostly retired, still giving lectures but no longer chasing spirits—until they get pulled back into one of their most well-known cases: the haunting of the Smurl family in Pennsylvania.
The Smurls reported years of intense supernatural activity in their home. This included everything from strange smells and ghostly voices to physical assaults. The case attracted national attention and plenty of skepticism. Last Rites dramatizes these events with Rebecca Calder and Elliot Cowan playing Janet and Jack Smurl, while a supporting cast rounds out the extended family.
The Return of Judy Warren
Judy Warren, previously seen as a child, is now portrayed by Mia Tomlinson. Judy’s role is central this time, not just as a character but as an emotional anchor for the Warrens. She’s introduced with her boyfriend Tony, played by Ben Hardy, which adds a “meet the parents” angle to the supernatural storyline. Her inherited psychic sensitivity from her mother raises the stakes and deepens the family dynamic.
Real-Life Origins and Emotional Themes
The filmmakers decided against an over-the-top, demon-filled finale. Instead, director Michael Chaves and producers James Wan and Peter Safran focused on a personal, character-driven story. It’s not about bringing back every ghost in the franchise like an Avengers: Endgame—it’s about reckoning with the past and what it means to let go.
Flashbacks to a younger Ed and Lorraine, played by Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor, give context to their long relationship. At the same time, the movie reflects on parenthood, aging, and legacy. These ideas resonate through Judy’s arc and the toll this life has taken on the Warrens.
“The beating heart of this franchise is Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson playing Ed and Lorraine,” Wan, who directed the first two film, told EW.com. “The family dynamic, the faith the characters have, and the faith that they have in each other are really the things that drive this particular franchise. I do think that’s what people love about it. At least for me and Peter Safran, it’s really about finding a way to tell the stories of these characters and to wrap them up in a way that feels respectful to where we started with them.”
What Comes After
Though this is the end for the Conjuring movies, a Max streaming series is still in development. No further details are available other than Wan and Safran are producing. There’s also talk of future stories set in the Conjuring Universe, but Wilson and Farmiga won’t be part of them.
New Line has teased that Last Rites is the end of “Phase One,” leaving the door open for a Phase Two. But for now, this movie is the last stand for the original characters.
Closing the Book
The Conjuring: Last Rites aims to end the saga on a thoughtful note, grounded in the same family themes that made the original film stand out in 2013. For the actors, it’s a goodbye. For fans, it’s a final chapter that ties the series back to its roots—faith, fear, and family.
