Have your tissues at the ready if you're a fan of The Conjuring universe! Lead actress Vera Farmiga took to her Instagram earlier today to post a heartwarming farewell tribute to her co-star, Patrick Wilson, in honor of the movie wrapping filming soon.
Based on the real demonologists of the same name, fans have lovingly embraced Farmiga and Wilson's portrayals of Lorraine and Ed Warren, who they have faithfully portrayed in The Conjuring Universe since it started in 2013. For more than a decade, we've fallen in love with the tender romance nurtured between the two actors on-screen in more than three films, and now we'll get to see the grand finale next year when The Conjuring: Last Rites releases in theaters.
In Farmiga's post, she noted that she and Wilson said "I do" to playing these characters in their initial Warner Bros. contract and have enjoyed their time together ever since. But the pair will soon part as they finish filming their final scenes. Wilson will take off the costume that makes him Ed Warren once and for all, meaning shaving off his trademark sideburns and bidding "adieu" to their fake marriage of 12 years.
The blockbuster horror franchise is one of the few to blow past the heralded $1 billion milestone. In fact, as a whole, the film series has made over $2 billion, which is quite impressive. Throughout the years, eight movies have been released within the cinematic universe, including three The Conjuring films, The Nun and The Nun II, and three Annabelle movies.
The Conjuring: Last Rites will be the final movie in the saga. While some have been skeptical about the word "final" getting tossed around, Farmiga's post seems to confirm it. At the very least, it is the end for the Warrens, and The Conjuring films wouldn't exist without them.
While the next movie has a release date, director, writer, and cast, there still hasn't been any confirmation regarding the storyline. We can guess that Last Rites will draw inspiration from one of (the real) Ed and Lorraine's previous investigations, similar to the previous three films. It's unclear which one, but "last rites" are prayers typically administered before someone is about to die, which...doesn't provide many hints for a series about demons.
Previous films have covered Annabelle, the Perron family haunting, the Enfield poltergeist, and the case of Arne Johnson. The second movie even references the Warrens' infamous investigation into the Amityville Horror.
Some fans theorize that the fourth and final film will either focus on the Smurl or the Snedeker family haunting. Shortly after moving into a historic home, the Snedekers reported experiencing paranormal activity, unaware the house was previously a funeral home. This case was the basis for the 2009 film The Haunting in Connecticut.
However, it seems more likely that the movie will center on the case of the Smurl family haunting because it's lesser-known. The Smurls were living in Pennsylvania when they reportedly started experiencing terrifying visits from ghosts.
The Conjuring: Last Rites will be released in theaters on September 5, 2025.