The Conjuring Series: Their long-lasting cinematographic history of a horror franchise

The Conjuring came out in Jul. of 2013 to positive critical and audience reception; as a result, the series continued in 2014 with the story of Anabelle the doll, an antagonist of sorts from the first film. Seeing Anabelle in theaters for the first time when I was 12 years old was amazing; I loved everything horror and The Conjuring amassed an even greater love for such stories.

The series’ genres consist of horror, supernatural thriller, and mystery. Director James Wan also fronted Saw and Insidious, two other big names in mainstream horror. The Conjuring follows the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who assist people in getting rid of their demonic possessions, and the characters are also based on real people.

Now, my recommendation for the first-time watcher is to follow the release dates, just like you would with a series like Star Wars. The watchlist would flow as follows in order of release date: The Conjuring (2013), Annabelle (2014), The Conjuring 2 (2016), Annabelle Creation (2017), The Nun (2018), Annabelle Comes Home (2019), and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021).

Watching in this order will mimic the authentic feeling of waiting for the series to continue at the time they were released, now. Another option is to watch in chronological order: The Nun, Annabelle: Creation, Annabelle, The Conjuring, Annabelle Comes Home, The Conjuring 2, and finally, once again, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.

Die-hard fans often prefer to follow the release dates exactly, while some might prefer to watch them in chronological order; though, the latter will cause first-time viewers to miss some plot twists that the chronological viewing accounts for. Seasoned fans who re-watch the series in this order will pick up small details—for example, the slide show the Warrens present to the student in The Conjuring features a main character from The Nun. There are little rewarding moments that take a bit to pick up on, but watching them in order can make the experience much more enjoyable.

I would also recommend finding a friend who hates horror movies, bringing snacks and drinks, and having some fun with this franchise.