Over two official films and a universe of ghastly nasties, the cinematic versions of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) have given Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema quite the profitable horror franchise: The Conjuring Universe. After 2019's entries, The Curse of La Llorona and Annabelle Comes Home, Warner Bros. and New Line have announced the official title for 2020's return to the main series. On September 11, 2020, we will all get spooked by The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.
This subtitle ain't just a cheeky expression. It refers to a legitimate legal argument. Like the first two Conjuring films, The Devil Made Me Do It takes its inspiration from a real life Warren case, one that put the married couple at the center of a bonkers legal situation. For the first time ever, an American murder suspect argued that they couldn't be found guilty of the crime, as they were demonically possessed at the time. How will the Warrens figure into this? While James Wan will not be directing this entry (the first official Conjuring film he hasn't helmed), he still returns as a producer, and collaborated on the story with The Conjuring 2 screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Michael Chaves, fresh off The Curse of La Llorona, will be directing, using returning Conjuring-verse vets like incredible DP Michael Burgess and incredible composer Joseph Bishara.
I'm very excited about this film! I love the damn Conjuring-verse, I love that we're getting another entry in the official series, and I capital L Love that we'll be stepping into legal thriller territory, as I love that genre about as much as I love the horror genre (read: a lot!). However, I must say: On its face, especially for a series dedicated to a more grounded verisimilitude in its depictions of horror, The Devil Made Me Do It is an impossibly silly subtitle. I worry it might turn off both newcomers to the franchise and vets who demand something a little more serious. Still -- they've got me right where they want me, silly title notwithstanding.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It comes to theatres September 11, 2020. Check out the official synopsis below. For more on the Conjuring-verse, check out the intel about a new horror franchise coming from their writers. Plus, an exclusive making-of clip from Annabelle Comes Home. And here's what Wan's busy with next.
“The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.