All 10 Conjuring Universe Movies Ranked From Best To Worst
We rank all 10 Conjuring Universe movies from best to worst, including The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Nun and The Conjuring: Last Rites.
The Conjuring universe started with a haunted farmhouse in 2013, and since then it has evolved into a collection of movies involving demonic possessions, cursed dolls, hauntings and unsettling religious images.
The films are based on true events following paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. The inspiration for the original films was the Warrens’ real-life famous paranormal cases.
The franchise also has an Australian connection. Director James Wan grew up in Perth before studying at Melbourne’s RMIT, and Australian actress Lauren Esposito played Margaret Hodgson in The Conjuring 2. That’s a couple of interesting Australian links to a franchise that has become a global success.
The Conjuring films revived the ghost/horror genre with slow-burning dread, subtle shadows and terrifying jump scares. The Conjuring: Last Rites in 2025 brought the end of the chapter to the Warrens’ story.
Here are the movies ranked from best to worst…
[Rotten Tomatoes scores reflect critics’ reviews and may change.]
1. The Conjuring (2013)
Director: James Wan
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
The first instalment was James Wan’s The Conjuring in 2013. The original established the formula that would make the franchise one of modern horror’s biggest success stories.
Set in 1971, the first film follows the Perron family, who just moved into an old farmhouse in Rhode Island. Carolyn, Rodger and their 5 daughters start experiencing supernatural and unusual events leading to them contacting the Warren’s for their expert help. Later they discover their new home has a very sinister history and quickly descends into demonic possession.
The movie combines an alleged true story with subtle suspense, creaking floorboards and an unsettling atmosphere from the beginning.
Its huge success proved that audiences still wanted atmospheric horror rather than gory horror. The Conjuring securely takes the top spot to which the rest of the franchise is measured.
2. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Director: James Wan
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
James Wan returned to direct a sequel based on the Warrens’ real-life reported case in 1977, The Enfield Haunting.
The film is centred around a family in London. Peggy Hodgson and her four children are being terrorised by something demonic in their house. As the disturbances intensify, her youngest daughter Janet becomes the focus of increasingly terrifying events. Ed and Lorraine travel to Enfield to investigate the reported haunting and help the family. When they get there, they have to try and determine if the disturbances are actually real or a hoax.
The sequel matches the scale of the first film; James Wan creates an unsettling atmosphere, using dark corridors, creepy sounds and the figure of the demon Valak to build tension. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return to their roles as Ed and Lorraine and add a bit of emotion through their relationship, which gives the movie a bit of lightness among the ghostly chaos.
Australian actress Lauren Esposito also appears as Margaret Hodgson, adding another Australian connection to a franchise directed by a filmmaker who grew up in Perth.
It’s not quite as new and fresh as the first film was, but it is really close; it fully earns the number 2 spot.
3. The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)
Director: Michael Chaves
Rotten Tomatoes: 57%
This is the fourth and last main series instalment and the most recent release. After years of confronting demons and investigating hauntings, Ed and Lorraine Warren return for another major case in The Conjuring: Last Rites. Directed by Michael Chaves.
The story is set in 1986 in Pennsylvania and centres on the Smurl family, who reported increasingly disturbing supernatural activity in their home. As the Warrens become involved, the investigation turns out to be more dangerous than they originally thought.
Last Rites is in the third position because it feels more like a homecoming and finale of the franchise. The familiarity of the formula of the first two movies makes this one seem comfortable and recognisable. The soundtrack matches the year the film is set in, just like the first two movies.
It doesn’t quite capture the atmosphere of James Wan’s original films, but the leading characters making a return for the final movie is quite satisfying to watch. It does have some truly terrifying moments and jump scares and feels a bit full on and stressful at times.
Interestingly, its worldwide gross of almost $500 million (USD) also shows the incredible staying power of the franchise, even when critics are less enthusiastic.
4. Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
Director: Gary Dauberman
Rotten Tomatoes: 64%
In Annabelle Comes Home, Ed and Lorraine Warren lock the cursed doll inside their artefacts room in their house, believing the special glass case will keep its evil contained. The Warrens leave their daughter Judy with a babysitter overnight, and they are left to deal with the supernatural entities that escape the room.
Directed by Gary Dauberman, the third Annabelle film changes the focus towards a contained, almost haunted-house experience. This time the Warrens are not investigating a single case; they are actually hardly in the movie.
The film is a lot more light-hearted than the other films in the series; it is scary, but at times it is also quite fun. The younger cast brings energy to the movie. It doesn’t have the emotional weight or absolute terror compared to the main Conjuring films. Nevertheless, its creative use of the artefacts room makes it one of the more entertaining spin-offs.
Annabelle Comes Home is at number four; it might not be the franchise’s most frightening entry, but it’s one of its most enjoyable.
5. The Nun (2018)
Director: Corin Hardy
Rotten Tomatoes: 24%
The Nun unfortunately doesn’t score high with critics but the spin off is visually one of the best movies, on location in Romania gives this movie the unsettling atmosphere even before the story has started to unfold.
The demonic nun Valak was introduced to the audience in The Conjuring 2, and in 2018, the character was developed into a spin-off directed by Corin Hardy.
Set in 1952 Romania, the film follows Father Burke and novice nun Sister Irene, who are sent by the Vatican to investigate the mysterious death of a nun at a remote abbey. The investigation leads them to an evil entity hiding within the convent, which threatens their lives.
The Nun is at number five on the list because it is a visually striking spin-off, has likable characters and has a memorable villain.
6. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
Director: Michael Chaves
Rotten Tomatoes: 56%
The third main-series film is a bit different from the usual Conjuring films because it involves a murder and demonic possession case based on a real-life event. The Warrens are not investigating houses this time.
Inspired by the case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, the story begins when a young boy named David Glatzel who experiences an alleged demonic possession. During an exorcism, Arne becomes involved in the events, and a murder leads them to believe that demonic possession was responsible for the crime.
Directed by Michael Chaves, the film feels more like a crime story than the usual Conjuring formula. It loses the tension and the scares that made the first two movies so successful. At number six, it’s a step down from the other main-series movies. It’s entertaining and worthwhile, but the emphasis on investigation makes it less of a ghost story.
7. The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
Director: Michael Chaves
Rotten Tomatoes: 26%
The Curse of La Llorona is technically not a spin-off, but it’s loosely connected to the Conjuring Universe and deserves to be ranked.
The film is based on the Latin American legend of La Llorona, the weeping woman said to haunt waterways while searching for her children, this entry takes the franchise into a different cultural tradition which is interesting.
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the story follows social worker Anna Tate-Garcia, whose involvement in a family case brings her into contact with the weeping woman. As her own children become targets, she gets help from a priest with experience confronting this specific paranormal entity.
The film has an intriguing premise and draws on a legend with great storytelling. The idea of a grieving, ghostly figure who threatens children is disturbing and the sudden appearances and jump scares are effective.
The Curse of La Llorona sits at number seven as it introduces a cultural legend and is a perfectly good horror movie. The critics reviews are unfortunately low but the premise is really good and feels more like the main-series movies but without the Warrens of course.
8. Annabelle: Creation (2017)
Director: David F. Sandberg
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Annabelle: Creation is the prequel to the first Annabelle film. It has a stronger sense of atmosphere and more effective scares.
The story follows dollmaker Samuel Mullins and his wife Esther, who open their home to a nun and several orphans years after the tragic death of their daughter. When one of the children enters a forbidden room, she encounters a doll that appears to be connected to something extremely evil.
The second Annabelle movie is at number eight because it just doesn’t compare to the others further up the ranking list. It’s a lot better than the original Annabelle, but it just doesn’t follow that same Conjuring formula, which leaves it feeling quite flat.
It has quite a good audience review score on Rotten Tomatoes, but it sits much lower in this particular ranking; Annabelle: Creation remains a good example of how a sequel can improve.
9. The Nun II (2023)
Director: Michael Chaves
Rotten Tomatoes: 51%
The demon Valak returns in The Nun II. The story is set in France in 1956. A priest is murdered, and a supernatural evil begins spreading; Sister Irene finds herself drawn into another confrontation with the demon.
The sequel expands the story directly from the first film; Taissa Farmiga returns as Sister Irene. The setting offers some atmospheric locations, and the film also gives the central characters more opportunities to confront the demon rather than just react to it.
The sequel struggles to make Valak feel as frightening as the character did in The Conjuring 2 or even The Nun. The story becomes quite complicated, and the film feels predictable.
The Nun II is at number nine as a watchable film, but maybe not necessary. It has moments of effective horror, but it doesn’t offer enough to justify its place above the franchise’s stronger spin-offs.
10. Annabelle (2014)
Director: John R. Leonetti
Rotten Tomatoes: 28%
The film that launched the franchise’s first major spin-off also lands at the bottom of this ranking. Annabelle takes the creepy doll introduced in the original The Conjuring and gives her a story of her own. However, it struggles to recreate the suspense that made her brief appearance so effective. Annabelle was actually scarier in The Conjuring than in her own movie.
The film follows John and Mia Form, a young couple preparing for the arrival of their first child. After a violent attack involving members of a satanic cult, Mia begins experiencing disturbing events connected to a doll her husband has given her.
The film rarely builds the sustained atmosphere that James Wan achieved in the original films. The Annabelle’s presence is creepy, but the film doesn’t do as much as it should.
The 28% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score shows the difficulty of turning a memorable supporting character into a compelling standalone story.
Final verdict
The Conjuring universe has produced some of modern horror’s most memorable supernatural stories. The original film remains the best, with The Conjuring 2 close behind thanks to its atmosphere, story and performances. Last Rites earns 3rd place among the strongest entries by bringing the Warrens back for another major case.
The weaker films seem to share the same problem as they have good concepts and terrifying villains, but don’t develop their stories and characters properly.
The franchise’s continued box-office success shows that audiences remain fascinated by ghosts, horror and demonic entities. The Conjuring universe has definitely left a lasting mark on contemporary horror.
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