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Some fairytales end with a royal wedding. Season 2 of “Maxima” – about reigning Queen Maxima of the Netherlands – will start with one.

“These moments are still in our collective memory. We’ve all seen them on TV,” admitted producer Rachel van Bommel. “In the first season, we used archive footage. We’ll do it again, especially for the scenes of the wedding.”

The show, produced by Millstreet Films and sold by Beta Film, is expanding the second time around, she assured Variety during a set visit in Hague. Beta is bowing a first-look photo ahead of its London Screenings showcase on Feb. 25.

“It’s much bigger because we’re in palaces, in big U.N. buildings. Then there’s life and death: children being born, funerals taking place. We still have this royal couple that’s really engaging and we’ll keep a light tone, but there’s drama in their life.

Here’s everything we know about the third part of Nun ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The buzz is palpable: The Nun 3 could be on its way! Fans are excitedly splitting up after The Nun 2 raked in $101.7M worldwide. Warner Bros. hasn’t officially confirmed it yet, but that eerie anticipation’s hard to ignore! Let’s hope for more ghostly thrills soon!

Valak: The Demonic Star

The franchise’s thrived, spinning out from the spine-tingling Conjuring series. Anticipation for The Nun 3 just hit the roof! Director Michael Chaves teased fans last month, hinting that the next film might connect the dots between the original Conjuring (2013) and The Nun 2. Sounds like we’re in for some spooky timeline twists! This connection offers a fresh twist on the chilling universe fans adore. Chaves remarked, “I wouldn’t want to give anything away, but this is continuing the timeline.”

He pointed out...

The first behind-the-scenes photos from the set of The Conjuring: Last Rites have surfaced online, featuring the first look at the main casts return. The upcoming movie serves as the final installment in James Wans blockbuster horror franchise.

Shared on Instagram, the set photos show franchise vets Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as they reprise paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren for the last time. This comes after over a decade since Wilson and Farmiga portrayed the famous couple in the first installment, which centered around haunting experiences of the Perron family. In addition to leading the main franchise, Wilson and Farmiga have also made brief appearances in other Conjuring spinoffs, including Annabelle Comes Home and The Nun II. At the moment, Wan or New Line Cinema has yet to reveal if there would be plans for Wilson and Farmiga to continue making cameos in future The Conjuring Universe projects.

The Conjuring: Last Rites will be the final film in the horror franchise based on the real-life supernatural cases of Ed and Lorraine Warren. As the film prepares for its 2025 release, two new actors have joined the cast.

Per Deadline, Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson will appear in the film in undisclosed roles, alongside Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga who return to the franchise as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Hardy is known for his work in the Netflix drama Unicorns and Love at First Sight. He has also appeared in Bohemian Rhapsody as Roger Taylor and X-Men: Apocalypse as Angel. Tomlinson previously appeared in the Britbox series The Beast Must Die and Netflix's The Lost Pirate Kingdom.

Related 10 Best Ghost Story Horror Movies Of All Time

Ghost stories are a tried and true horror subgenre, but paranormal plots, found in movies like The Conjuring, hit harder than the rest!

Michael Chavez...

Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson have joined Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga on the cast of ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites.’

Plot details are being kept locked up safe in the Warren’s evil relic room for now.

Wilson and Farmiga are reprising their roles as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life husband and wife evil spirit warriors ‘The Conjuring’ franchise is based on.

Michael Chaves returns to take the helm on the sequel, Chaves previously directed ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ and ‘The Nun II.’

Also in news – Colman Domingo in talks for Steven Spielberg untitled event project

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2; The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) wrote the screenplay with current revisions by writing team Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing (The Nun II) based on a story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and James Wan. Wan is also returning to produce with Peter Safran.

Exclusive: Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson have joined Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in New Line’s The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Wilson and Farmiga are reprising their roles as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in the Michael Chaves directed sequel. Chaves previously directed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and The Nun II. New Line’s Conjuring Universe counts $2.25B at the global box office.

The Conjuring films are based on the real-life case files of the Warrens. However, the exact case for The Conjuring: Last Rites is being held closely under wraps.

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2; The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) wrote the screenplay with current revisions by writing team Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing (The Nun II) based on a story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and James Wan. Wan is also returning to produce with Peter Safran; the duo...

One of movie history's most often quoted lines is Jesse Ventura's famous phrase in the 1987 movie Predator: "I ain't got time to bleed." Most fans probably couldn't imagine that line not being in the film, but it came very close to being nixed without even getting filmed.

In a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Ventura was joined by pro wrestler Karrion Kross, who recently went viral for impersonating Ventura's voice. Ventura and Kross both quoted the line, and that led to the story of how it was almost axed from Predator. As the former governor of Minnesota explained, he was really looking forward to filming that scene, given the special military connection he had in real life with co-star Richard Chaves. Unfortunately, the decision was made to scrap filming that scene due to budgetary concerns, and Ventura remembered how disappointed he was at the time.

Related Next Predator Movie Reportedly Begins Filming,...

General Hospital (Gh) spoilers suggest that Nicholas Chavez, who once played Spencer Cassadine on the soap, is a very busy bee.

It was recently announced that fans would be able to catch him on FX in a new thriller series from Ryan Murphy called Grotesquerie. The show is set to debut on Wednesday, September 25, and Chavez will be playing ‘Father Charlie’.

More recently, Chavez offered a sneak peek into another Murphy production, set to air on Netflix.

General Hospital Spoilers – Nicholas Chavez Previews “Monsters” On Social Media

Chavez hopped on Instagram to provide fans a first look at his next project. Nicholas posted a video trailer of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Instagram, with a caption that reads, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menedez Story. September 19. Only on Nexflix. (So excited holy heck!)”

Last year around this time, news hit that Chavez was cast in Monsters, Season...

Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) are suiting up to investigate what could be their final case. Warner Bros. has set a September 5, 2025 release date for The Conjuring 4, which is said to be the final installment of the main series.

The untitled Conjuring movie is set to be directed by Michael Chaves, who is no stranger to the franchise. He helmed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, as well as The Nun II. Chaves also directed The Curse of La Llorona, which is often mistakenly included in the franchise. While the film has several notable connections to The Conjuring Universe (including an Annabelle easter egg and Tony Amendola reprising his role as Father Perez), Chaves confirmed last year that it’s not part of the franchise.

“There’s so much debate about it and I think I’ve played coy in the past,” Chaves said.

Ed and Lorraine Warren are returning to us in the fictional universe of The Conjuring. According to Variety, Warner Bros. has confirmed the date of the fourth film in the popular horror franchise, and it's set for release in theaters and IMAX on September 5, 2025.

Supposedly, this will also be the "final" film in The Conjuring film series, though I don't necessarily believe that. Even if the mainline films are finished after The Conjuring 4, I'm assuming we'll still see additional installments in the franchise in the form of its spinoff series like The Nun and Annabelle. But we'll see what happens.

Variety says The Conjuring 4 hasn't been officially titled yet, but I've seen conflicting reports indicating it will be called The Conjuring: Last Rites, which would fit with the finality of it all. Still, September 2025 is a long way off, so I wouldn't be surprised if the name undergoes changes between now and then.

A much talked-about title at the London TV Screenings and Canneseries, sparking inevitable comparisons with “The Crown,” Beta Film Dutch royal family love story “Maxima,” has clinched another major territory sale, with Atresmedia TV acquiring exclusive broadcast rights in Spain.

Based on the life of Maxima of Holland before she became queen, and especially her whirlwind romance with a young tongue-tied Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, “Maxima” has already sold to networks in Latin America, Israel and across Europe.

These include Rtl for Germany, Italian public broadcaster Rai, Hot in Israel, Warner Bros. Discovery networks across Latin America, plus Croatia’s Hrt, Austria’s Orf and Latvia’s Ltv and Hong Kong’s Now TV.

The essence of royal family drama is how personal passion impacts an institutional figure, and how royal families in some ways aren’t that different from the non blue-blood. Tabled down the generations in “The Crown...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"You can't count it!" That's what producer Peter Safran said to Entertainment Weekly in 2023 about "The Curse of La Llorona" being part of The Conjuring Universe. Safran, who has helped to spearhead the very successful horror franchise alongside James Wan since 2013, did not leave any room for interpretation there. Yet, director Michael Chaves' successful 2019 feature directorial debut contains characters from "Conjuring" films, as well as overt references to events in those stories. Be that as it may, this movie now exists as both an unquestionable hit and a film that narratively exists in The Conjuring Universe but, for technical reasons, actually doesn't.

In the era of cinematic universes, it's an almost unprecedented situation. Why provide connective tissue if the plan isn't to connect these dots?...

Germany’s Beta Film is bringing the love story between a Dutch prince and a beautiful Argentinian financier to the Croisette. The world premiere of “Máxima” screens out-of-competition at Canneseries on April 9 after being teased at the London TV Screenings in late February.

The six-hour-long episodes chronicle the whirlwind romance between the Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, played by Martijn Lakemeier (“Goodbye Stranger”) and bubbly financier Máxima, played by Argentinian breakout Delfina Chaves (“The Secret of the Greco Family”). Directed by Saskia Diesing alongside Joosje Duk and Iván López Núñez, the series is adapted from Dutch journalist Marica Luyten’s biography on Queen Máxima, “Máxima Zorreguieta: Motherland.”

Speaking to Variety ahead of the “Máxima” premiere at Cannes, Chaves says she feels “extremely lucky” for the opportunity to play the titular Queen onscreen, not only because of the role itself but also because of the scale of the production, which saw the...

The Conjuring 4 will be the final installment comprising the primary part of the film franchise. Michael Chaves is currently in negotiations to direct the horror movie. At the 2023 CinemaCon in Las Vegas, The Cojuring 4's title was revealed as The Conjuring: Last Rites by Warner Bros.

The Warrens will investigate one more supernatural case before calling it quits in The Conjuring 4. And while both Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine Warren respectively, no other acting talent is officially attached to the project yet. But, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Michael Chaves is currently negotiating to become the director. The Conjuring 4 is also said to be the final installment comprising the primary part of the film franchise.

Chaves directed Ed and Lorraine’s last go-round on the Silver Screen in 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. And Chaves is well-versed with...

THR reports that Michael Chaves is in negotiations to serve as the director of The Conjuring 4, which is expected to be the final installment of the main series.

Michael Chaves is no stranger to The Conjuring franchise as he was the director of the last installment, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and also helmed The Nun II. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who penned the screenplay for the third installment, will return to write this final sequel. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are naturally expected to return as Ed and Lorraine Warren, with production looking to start shooting this summer in Atlanta. Plot details are being kept under wraps at this point, but a few ghostly apparitions and demonic possessions are a good bet.

Related The Devil on Trial trailer: Netflix documentary on true crime case that inspired The Conjuring 3 coming soon

Prior to officially joining The Conjuring franchise with the third movie,...

The Conjuring franchise may have plenty of spin-offs in the works, but the mainline series has been given its last rites — for now — with the announcement that Michael Chaves, the director behind the series' previous chapter, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It from 2021, is in talks to lead what is anticipated to be the concluding chapter, currently just using the working title of The Conjuring 4. Chaves is no stranger to the Conjuring Universe, having also directed the recent spinoff, The Nun II, establishing him as a key figure in the wider world of Ed and Lorraine Warren and their demonic dealings.

The hugely successful Conjuring Universe is getting a brand new installment with The Conjuring 4, and THR reports tonight that Michael Chaves is on board to direct.

Chaves just directed Conjuring Universe installment The Nun II, and he also previously directed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the main series’ third movie.

The Conjuring 4 is said to be the final installment in the main series, THR notes.

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2) wrote the screenplay for the fourth movie.

THR adds, “Plot details are being kept six feet under but once again supernatural investigators Ed and Lorrain Warren will face creaky doors, shadows in the windows, inverted crosses, and a demonic possession or two. Stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are expected to return and the feature is eyeing a summer shoot in Atlanta.”

Also returning to produce are franchise mainstays James Wan and Peter Safran.

The Conjuring...

New Line’s The Conjuring movie series is coming back for one last ride. Or one last rite, as it were.

The project, operating currently under the simple title of The Conjuring 4, has been in the works since early last year but has finally landed on a director. And it’s a familiar visage.

Michael Chaves, who helmed the previous installment, 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, is in negotiations to direct what is being eyed as the fourth and final outing. The move makes Chaves a true Conjuring Universe player as he also directed last year’s spinoff, The Nun II.

David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, who co-wrote the third installment with franchise creator James Wan, penned the screenplay.

Wan is producing with Peter Safran.

Plot details are being kept six feet under but once again supernatural investigators Ed and Lorrain Warren will face creaky doors, shadows in the windows,...

Director Michael Chaves confirms the connection between Sister Irene and Lorraine Warren in The Nun II, tying the two characters together. Chaves wanted to deliver a clear announcement of the connection, making it a bigger part of the story rather than just an Easter egg. The idea of connection to family resonates with audiences and adds emotional depth to the characters' relationship.

With the movie's Easter egg seemingly confirming the fan theory, director Michael Chaves has opened up about The Nun II's Sister Irene and Lorraine Waren connection. The latest chapter in The Conjuring Universe saw Taissa Farmiga's Sister Irene tasked with investigating a series of murders of priests in France seemingly tied to the demon Valak, despite having defeated the entity in the prior movie. During her confrontation with Valak in the finale, the demon tries to light Irene on fire, with her successfully remaining unburned and a...

“The Nun II” is more evidence that “The Conjuring Universe” is among the most consistent and bankable franchises in Hollywood. It’s a straight-up sequel to “The Nun,” with both films now serving as prequels to “The Conjuring 2.” The Michael Chaves-directed entry earned $268 million worldwide on a $39 million budget. That was up from Chaves’ $197 million-grossing “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” released in the Covid/Project Popcorn summer of 2021. It’s also more than the $200 million DC superhero tentpole “The Flash.”

The eight films, begun in 2013 with James Wan’s “The Conjuring,” have earned over $2.25 billion on a combined budget of $71 million. Well, $2.37 billion if you count Michael Chaves’ “The Curse of La Llorona.” That early 2019 flick earned $123 million in early 2019 and contained a handful of “Conjuring” universe treats.

“The Nun II” (Credit: Warner Bros.)

Amusingly, even though it came from the same studio, with the...

Fun fact: “Emily in Paris,” which films all across the city of Paris and throughout France, was originally slated to film in New York. The idea was to shoot the majority of the Netflix series in the U.S. and head to France for a few weeks to film exteriors of iconic locations. Upon discovering showrunner Darren Starr’s plans, director and executive producer Andy Fleming exclaimed, “This is crazy, you have to shoot [in Paris].”

Referencing the charmingly worn doors in Parisian apartments that would be difficult to recreate in the States, Fleming talked about how he pushed for production to cross the ocean. “I thought, if the writers go over there, they will get in a taxicab going the wrong way around the Louvre, and they will be embarrassed in a restaurant and they will do all of the things that Emily would do, and [that] will inform the writing,” said Fleming.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the mid-credits scene of The Nun 2.

Director Michael Chaves reused footage from The Conjuring 3 in the mid-credits scene of The Nun 2, thinking he had fooled everyone. Chaves believed that no one would recognize the reused footage and thought he was being clever by including it in the scene. The mid-credits scene features main characters Ed and Lorraine Warren receiving a call from Father Gordon, known for facilitating their paranormal investigations.

The origin of the mid-credits scene from The Nun 2 has been explained by director Michael Chaves. The new movie is the eighth title in The Conjuring Universe, and the second directed by Chaves after The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, which was the third entry in the main branch of the franchise. The mid-credits scene of the movie sees the main Conjuring characters Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine...

The Nun II director Michael Chaves reveals multiple Easter eggs hidden throughout the movie, including Valak's name spelled out in one scene. The film expands on Valak's terrifying presence in France during the 1950s and humanizes Maurice, setting the stage for the future of The Conjuring franchise. With plenty of secret details and a unique exploration of Valak's history, The Nun II is worth re-watching for viewers who want to catch all the hidden elements.

The Nun II director Michael Chaves has revealed a multitude of Easter eggs hidden throughout the movie, which viewers can pause to find now that it's available to stream. Another entry in The Conjuring universe, the film follows the return of Valak, who is still possessing Maurice from the previous movie. The villainous entity was first introduced in The Conjuring 2 before its backstory was further explored in its own set of films.

Speaking with SlashFilm,...

The ending of The Nun II for Maurice was intentionally bittersweet, as it sets up his later fate in The Conjuring universe's timeline. Director Michael Chaves wanted to give Maurice a happy ending in the movie, knowing that it wasn't truly the end of his story due to his eventual death. Maurice's death is an important element in the shared horror universe, as his possession by Valak sets important events into motion and showcases the power of the demon.

The Nun II director Michael Chaves has revealed the film's devastating ending for Maurice was intentional, due to his later fate in the universe's timeline. The horror film ends with its antagonist, Valak, seemingly defeated, with Maurice no longer possessed and able to build a life with Sophie and Kate if he chooses. However, the character is destined to die later in The Conjuring universe, as the demon still latches onto...

This post contains spoilers for "The Nun II."

It's difficult to encapsulate just how huge The Conjuring Universe truly is. The third successful horror franchise launched by James Wan (following "Insidious" and "Saw") has expanded into three distinct tracks of horror stories: "The Conjuring" films, following Ed and Lorraine Warren; the "Annabelle" films, centered on the titular doll; and "The Nun" films, centered on the demon Valak. "The Nun II" is the latest addition to the series, a massive hit at the box office and a film that laid the groundwork for what feels like the inevitable climax of the decades-spanning story. It feels like we're heading toward a final chapter like The Avengers, but with demons, possessed artifacts, and Patrick Wilson singing Elvis songs.

"The Nun II" is currently available on Digital and is coming to 4K Uhd soon, and in honor of its release, I was fortunate enough...

There are definitely some benefits to watching horror movies at home. For one thing, it's easy to hide under the covers when jump scares get overwhelming, or to pause for popcorn if you need to break the tension (or just really want some popcorn). In the case of the self-referential and foreshadowing-heavy Conjuring Universe, though, catching the latest movie on digital and home media also comes with one extra added benefit: the potential for frame-by-frame Easter egg hunting.

There are Easter eggs aplenty hidden throughout the interconnected franchise that began with "The Conjuring" in 2013, and apparently "The Nun II" is no exception. /Film's Bj Colangelo recently spoke with the director of the latest Conjuring-verse chiller, Michael Chaves, to get the scoop on some of the movie's most rewarding hidden references. Fair warning if you haven't seen "The Nun II" yet: Chaves talks about some of these hidden references in detail,...

The Nun II will be available on Max before Halloween night, adding to the selection of horror films on the platform. The film has earned $257.6 million worldwide and ranks as the fifth highest-grossing installment in The Conjuring franchise. Chaves decided to include more violence and gore in The Nun II after test screenings revealed that audiences wanted a greater level of blood and guts.

Sister Irene will do battle with Valak on Max before All Hallows' Eve. Director Michael Chaves' The Nun II is still haunting 2,128 movie theaters, at the time of this writing, and it’s available on all the usual VOD platforms. But the sequel to 2018’s The Nun will also drop on Max before Halloween night. Beginning Friday, October 27, fans of The Conjuring Universe can stream or binge the latest installment to their heart’s content.

Before celebrating The Nun II’s release on Max, check out...

A cosplay artist on Instagram recreates the creepy look of Valak from The Nun, wearing holy robes and using black-and-white makeup. Valak, played by Bonnie Aarons, has made recent appearances in The Nun II and has the potential to appear in future films of The Conjuring franchise. Director Michael Chaves has hinted at more stories involving Valak, stating that there are endless possibilities for how the demon nun could manifest in future films.

The Nun’s Valak is recreated in creepy cosplay that replicates the horror villain. Valak is a key character in The Conjuring universe, first making her appearance as the antagonist in 2016’s The Conjuring 2. More recently, Valak has been re-established as the Demon Nun in the spinoff franchise The Nun.

From the_variant_, a cosplay artist recreates the demonic nun with a scarily-accurate Valak costume.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Variant...

The Nun II is an gothic supernatural horror film directed by Michael Chaves and released in 2023. The screenplay is written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and Akela Cooper, based on a story by Cooper. This movie serves as a sequel to the 2018 film, The Nun, and is the eighth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise. The cast includes Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, and Bonnie Aarons, who reprise their roles from the first film, along with Storm Reid and Anna Popplewell joining the cast.

As a good sequel, “The Nun II” once again focuses on the elements that made the first one successful: lots of scares and a gothic atmosphere (they say now) with a photography style that emphasizes light and shadow.

Caravaggio’s tenebrism seems to still have its followers, as similar themes are combined, although this time with fewer distorted angles and more scares.

“The Nun II” is one...

Warning: The following contains spoilers for The Nun and The Nun II.

Of all the supernatural beings in The Conjuring Universe, few are as purely evil as the Nun (Bonnie Aarons). This supernatural entity is a demon known as Valak who takes different forms in order to exploit the weaknesses of its targeted victims. The sinister Nun first appears in The Conjuring 2 as a harbinger of death. As the franchise has spiraled, Valak has turned out to be the root cause of much of the underlying possessions connected to the Warrens and their paranormal investigations.

The Nun, a 2018 prequel directed by Corin Hardy, gives this haunting image a harrowing origin story dating back to 1952. A gothic monastery in Cârța, Romania becomes the site of unspeakable evil as Valak takes the form of a pale-faced nun and roams the halls at night. A young novitiate called Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga...

The Nun II's new goat demon steals the show alongside Valak's return. The mysterious goat demon mirrors the devil's image and wreaks havoc on innocent children as it helps Valak gain power. The Conjuring-Verse could benefit from a spin-off exploring the untapped potential of the violent goat demon.

The following contains spoilers for The Nun II, now in theaters.

One of the most intriguing components of the Conjuring-Verse has always been how the slew of movies introduce new characters in side arcs. Whether it's the main films or spinoffs, the horror journey James Wan started often does this, laying the groundwork done for prequels and future flicks. It's why the Annabelle franchise came to life, and now, why The Nun II has another precursor chapter unfolding at present.

Interestingly, The Nun II follows suit, bringing a harrowing new being to light. This is none other than the mysterious goat...

The audience score for The Nun 2 on Rotten Tomatoes is much higher than the original, showing that fans find it better and scarier. The success and positive reactions of The Nun 2 suggest that another installment in the Conjuring Universe is likely. The post-credits scene in The Nun 2 hints at a possible crossover with the Conjuring series, sparking speculation among viewers.

Audience scores for The Nun 2 are a huge improvement from those of the original Conjuring prequel. Directed by Michael Chaves, the film follows Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) as she seeks to help Maurice (Jonas Bloquet), who is affected by the events of the first film, and prevent the demon Valak from spreading any more evil. In addition to Farmiga and Bloquet, the Nun 2 cast includes Storm Reid, Anna Popplewell, Katelyn Rose Downey, and Bonnie Aarons as the titular villain. While the movie had a weaker...

The Conjuring universe has managed to elevate the heights of the horror genre to a new level, without excessive bloodshed on-screen.

However, with the recent release of The Nun II, this is about to change, according to the film's director Michael Chaves. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he opened up about the amount of violence and gore in the upcoming film. Discussing how the previous films in the Conjuring franchise were prominently focused on supernatural suspense rather than graphic content, Chaves recognized the audience's evolving tastes, revealing that only their reviews during the test screenings resulted in additional photography to satisfy their craving for more intensity.

Related: The Nun II Director Teases ‘Great Finale’ to The Conjuring 4

He explained, "There was already a good degree of violence and gore in the movie, but people wanted more of it. So, we did a little bit of additional photography and we ramped that up.

The Nun II offers a more violent and intense horror experience that go beyond the previous Conjuring films. The Nun II makes its main villain a relentless and formidable force to be reckoned with. The Nun II showcases a nuanced approach to horror in ways that raise the bar for the horror genre.

The following contains spoilers for The Nun II, now in theaters.

One of the most interesting facets of The Nun II is how the Conjuring universe has opted to continue the story of Valak. It's yet another prequel tale, following the Annabelle route, and surely whetting the appetites for when The Conjuring 4 eventually rolls out. Still, many were skeptical, wondering if this horror universe was milking Valak for all she's worth.

With The Nun II, director Michael Chaves does a great job in telling his own story. He especially excels at making his film stand out from...

The Nun II director, Michael Chaves, connects the timeline of The Nun and The Conjuring by referencing a failed exorcism performed on Frenchie, which ultimately leads to his death. Chaves suggests that Valak's return to Frenchie's body is "open to interpretation," but points out a significant look shared between Irene and Frenchie at the end of the movie that implies a lingering spirit. The post-credit scene in The Nun II, featuring Ed Warren receiving a call from Father Gordon, suggests a deeper connection between The Conjuring and The Nun II, hinting at possible links in future movies.

According to The Nun II director Michael Chaves, one of the movie's final Frenchie scenes intentionally weaves in The Conjuring's timeline. Released in 2018, the original Nun acts as a prequel to The Conjuring and sees Father Burke (Demián Bichir), Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), and Romanian local Frenchie (Jonas Bloquet) investigate a demonic presence in an abbey.

As someone who actually likes "The Nun" (insert "There are dozens of us!" gif here), I'm pleased to see the sequel to the Conjuring Universe spin-off doubling down on its predecessor's approach of, to paraphrase /Film's Jacob Hall, feeling like the greatest Hammer Horror tabletop role-playing game that's never been made. Directed by Conjuring Universe veteran Michael Chaves, "The Nun II" sees the titular demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons) getting back in the habit of terrorizing the world of the living. Taissa Farmiga is also back as Sister Irene, though Demián Bichir is noticeably absent as Father Burke, a character who we learn sadly died from cholera in between films early on in the "Nun" sequel.

Not bringing Burke back for "The Nun II" makes sense enough from a creative perspective. Between the character's relatable trauma from the events in his past and Bichir's compelling, understated performance, a grounded protagonist like...

This article contains major spoilers for "The Nun II."

Has "The Nun II" signaled the start of a fresh, new subgenre of films? After the success of the Russell Crowe-starring "The Pope's Exorcist," maybe we ought to welcome our newest overlords: supernatural-themed horror movies following associates of the Vatican who investigate paranormal events. Call me crazy, but I know a pattern when I see one!

Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch (as much as we'd love to see that happen!), but there's no hiding the fact that audiences simply can't get enough of anything related to filmmaker James Wan's "The Conjuring" universe ... including movies that are lacking the involvement of fan-favorite characters Ed and Lorraine Warren. The opening weekend box office haul of "The Nun II" speaks for itself, even as the overall critical reception indicates there's still room for improvement. (You can check out my mixed-positive review for /Film here.

Bonnie Aarons brings a scary energy to the set of The Nun 2, according to director Michael Chaves. Chaves describes the energy once she gets into makeup and steps on set as "scary." Aarons is known for her defining role as Valak, but she has a long history in the horror genre that prepared her for the role.

The Nun 2 star Bonnie Aarons brought an incredible scary energy to set, according to director Michael Chaves. Aarons has played the demon Valak, whose preferred form is an evil nun, since the entity's first appearance in 2016's The Conjuring 2, reprising the role in a photographic cameo in 2017's Annabelle: Creation and lead antagonist roles in 2018's The Nun and the newly released The Nun 2. The Nun 2 sees Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) arriving at a French boarding school to face off against Valak once more after it emerges from inside...

Director Michael Chaves treats each movie in The Conjuring Universe as its own, highlighting the unique personalities and stories of each installment. Chaves appreciates the pressure from fans to connect the movies in the universe, as it adds to the sense of a bigger story and weight to the films. Despite some lower ratings from critics, Chaves' projects have been well-received by audiences, with high approval ratings for both The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It and The Nun II.

With two chapters already under his belt in the series, The Nun II director Michael Chaves has opened up about the pressures in expanding The Conjuring Universe. First launched by James Wan with the 2013 namesake horror hit, the franchise has become one of the most profitable not only for the horror genre, but Hollywood in general, having amassed a combined $2.1 billion against its combined $178 million budget. The Nun II...

Director Michael Chaves has recently shared an update on The Conjuring: The Last Rites, the ninth installment in the successful franchise, following the release of The Nun II. Chaves, who took over directorial duties from Corin Hardy for the follow-up, is no stranger to the genre, having previously helmed The Curse of La Llorona in 2019 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It in 2021. The Conjuring: The Last Rites remains a work in progress, with the writing process ongoing, leaving room for different creative directions.

During an interview with SlashFilm, Chaves delved into the post-credits scene of The Nun II and its connection to the upcoming film. He expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating that it could take various narrative paths. While he refrained from revealing specific plot details, Chaves teased a "great finale" being planned for The Conjuring: Last Rites, suggesting that fans can expect an exciting conclusion...

Usually, it’s the director looking to push the boundaries on a given film. With The Nun II, it was the audience who demanded a more extreme version of the movie.

“People wanted more violence,” director Michael Chaves told EW, with a laugh. “There was already a good degree of violence and gore in the movie, but people wanted more of it. So, we did a little bit of additional photography and we ramped that up. It just goes to show how audiences are always changing, evolving. Even in the earliest version, it was more [violent] than what was in your traditional Conjuring movie. I think horror audiences have been on this journey, this horror renaissance, where they’ve seen a lot of horror movies, they’ve seen a lot of violence. It’s something they wanted more of and we gladly gave it.”

Looks like the extra work paid off.

Michael Chaves, the director behind “The Nun 2,” revealed in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly that he made the film even gorier after a test screening proved that audiences craved a higher level of violence.

“People wanted more violence,” Chaves said. “There was already a good degree of violence and gore in the movie, but people wanted more of it.”

The film, which had its theatrical release on Sept. 8, follows Sister Irene (Taissa Fargima) as she faces supernatural forces following the murder of a priest in 1956 France. Chaves explained how the crew behind the film, which is a part of the long-running “The Conjuring” franchise, put in extra work to increase the carnage.

“So, we did a little bit of additional photography and we ramped that up. It just goes to show how audiences are always changing, evolving. Even in the earliest version, it was more [violent] than what was in your traditional ‘Conjuring’ movie,...

Bonnie Aarons brings a chilling energy to her role as Valak, the Demon Nun, on set, which both the crew and actors respond to. Despite her terrifying portrayal, Aarons is actually a lovely and easy-to-work-with person off-camera, showing great professionalism. The Nun II may not impress critics, but fans are enjoying Valak's malevolent presence even more this time, as evidenced by its improved audience score.

The Nun II's Valak is modern-day horror iconography personified — well, demonized, at least. There are those killer characters populating the scary movie genre who are instantly recognizable: Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th), Michael Myers (Halloween) and Leatherface (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre), among others. And then there are those whose personalities are almost entirely informed, through their make-up, by the genius of the actor: Freddy Krueger (Robert England) and Pinhead (Doug Bradley). Today, though, there’s Bonnie Aarons' Valak. And the actress is absolutely “chilling” on set,...

The Nun 2 underwent changes after test screenings, with audiences wanting more violence and gore, prompting additional footage. Director Michael Chaves explained that the movie's original cut already had violence and gore, but they ramped it up to satisfy audience demand. Audiences' ever-changing preferences and evolving tastes influenced the decision to include more violence in The Nun 2.

One element of The Nun 2 was changed significantly following a series of test screenings. The movie is the ninth entry in The Conjuring Universe and a direct sequel to 2018's The Nun. It follows Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga), now living in a secluded convent, as she is forced to return to face off against the demon Valak, who typically uses the guise of an evil nun (Bonnie Aarons), when the entity emerges from its hiding place in the body of her former guide Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) at a French boarding school.

Warning: Spoilers lie ahead for The Nun II!

Director Michael Chaves considered bringing back Father Burke as a zombie in The Nun II, but ultimately decided against it. Burke's absence in the sequel allowed for a focus on new characters and fresh storytelling. Valak taking on the form of Burke wouldn't have fit well with Irene's character growth and emotional journey in the sequel.

Despite being a key player in its predecessor, director Michael Chaves has explained why The Nun II didn't bring back Demián Bichir's Father Burke. The latest installment in The Conjuring Universe brought back the horrifying demon Valak as it enacted a series of brutal killings of priests and nuns across Europe in search of a mysterious and powerful artifact. Taissa Farmiga returned to lead The Nun II's cast along with fellow franchise alum Bonnie Aarons as the eponymous entity, though Conjuring Universe...

Now that we're nine films into the Conjuring Universe, the series has more or less established a groove for itself, especially where the films' scares are concerned. For the main "Conjuring" films, the scares are "Exorcist" and "Poltergeist"-esque, built around the demon ghosts that Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) encounter as they try to vanquish them. For the spin-off series like the "Annabelle" movies and "The Curse of La Llorona," the titular demon characters act much like franchise slasher villains like Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, stalking and murdering their prey through various means.

"The Nun" films are no exception to this rule, as the latest entry, "The Nun II," features the Demon Nun (Bonnie Aarons) stalking and killing her innocent victims using everything from good old-fashioned neck-breaking to spontaneous combustion. Yet these "kill scenes" are only a portion of the whole film, as every...

The Nun II director Michael Chaves provided a new update regarding the current development of the upcoming fourth installment to The Conjuring movies.

Before signing onto The Nun II, Chaves first served as the director of 2021’s The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, making him the only filmmaker besides franchise creator James Wan to helm two movies in The Conjuring Universe. Even though it's unclear if there are also plans for him to potentially take over The Conjuring 4 as well, Chaves does have an idea on what fans should expect from the fourth installment titled as Last Rites, seemingly hinting at the main series’ impending conclusion. Speaking with /Film, Chaves confirmed that prior to the WGA strike, the project’s script was still being written and developed. From what he knows, Wan and the rest of the creative team are planning a "great finale" for Last Rites.

Related:...

When taken together as a whole, the various movies included within the confines of The Conjuring Universe are clearly building towards something. While the spin-off films "Annabelle" and "The Nun" have fleshed out the origins of demonic entities that factored into the mainline movies starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, they've also created a sense of momentum that the franchise is steadily moving forward to a grand and epic climax of sorts. But even as fans can't help but look ahead to what's coming next, the release of "The Nun II" this weekend (check out my review here) further emphasizes the fact that we've yet to see one incredibly crucial moment that's been teased ever since the first "The Conjuring" in 2013.

Of the many twists and turns featured in 2018's prequel/spin-off "The Nun," arguably the biggest was saved for last. In the concluding moments,...

This article contains spoilers for "The Nun II."

Michael Chaves' new film "The Nun II" takes place in 1956, four years after "The Nun" and one year after "Annabelle: Creation" but about 11 years before "Annabelle." It's also a direct prequel to "The Conjuring 2"; one might recall the first appearance of Valak the Nun (Bonnie Aarons), as seen by Elaine Warren (Vera Farmiga), during a séance at the infamous Amityville house. It seems that Valak had been wreaking demonic havoc for decades prior to that event, and the "The Nun" movies cover those 1950s shenanigans. In both "The Nun" movies, Valak faces off against Sister Irene Palmer (Taissa Farmiga), an inexperienced novice in the first film but now a go-to Vatican special agent in its sequel.

Irene -- no relation to Elaine Warren -- spends the bulk of "The Nun II" investigating a series of suspicious demonic murders taking place in churches across Europe.

Valak returns in The Nun II with heavy-handed horror and more clues that tie the films' characters to the broader Conjuring Universe.

Director Michael Chaves says The Nun II feeds on a renewed obsession for procedural horror movies as it builds new and deeper ties to the first Conjuring. He's also goading viewers to look out for clues deliberately dropped or lurking throughout the film. The director admitted to /Film there was an intentional buildup that circles back to the Conjuring movies, but they're still hashing out the details of that culmination. "I think that they're still writing it. They're still working on it. There's definitely Conjuring: Last Rites is coming," he confirmed, but also confessed there's more than one way to approach that ending.

Related: The Nun II Scares Up $3.1 Million in Thursday Previews, Debuts to Mixed Reviews

Chaves also entertained the possibility that all the pivotal plots in...