Horror films are a massive industry, frequently outperforming high-budget films at the box office. 2025’s “The Conjuring: Last Rites” is one such example, breaking a new global box office record for a horror movie. During its opening weekend starting on September 5, the movie earned an impressive $194 million worldwide, surpassing the previous record of $179.2 million set by 2017’s “It.” The exciting news for horror enthusiasts is that the film will be available digitally sooner than expected, with an official release date of October 7th.

“Rites” marks the ninth installment in the “Conjuring” universe, which also includes the related “Anabelle” series known for its own chilling tales. This movie once again presents a fictional depiction of real-life paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga). This time, they are assisting the Smurl family, who are haunted by a group of supernatural entities, and believe they are victims of demonic possession. The movie draws inspiration from the real-life 1986 Smurl Haunting in Pittston, Pennsylvania.

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” received much admiration from audiences, and our review praised it as “a heartfelt swan song” to the franchise. Its forthcoming digital release is perfectly pitched for audiences eager to enjoy their Halloween movie marathons at home.

The subtitle “Last Rites” naturally leads viewers to suspect this might be the final installment of the “Conjuring” series. Indeed, series creator James Wan referred to its production as “the end of an era” in a 2024 GameRant interview, fueling speculation that it might be the concluding chapter.

In many aspects, the film seems like a finale. It progresses the timeline significantly, portraying Ed and Lorraine Warren in the later stages of their careers as ghost hunters. The real-life Smurl Haunting was, indeed, the last paranormal case they investigated, suggesting that if the series continues to parallel reality, their tale may have reached its conclusion. Yet, given the franchise’s financial success, it is challenging to believe the studio would easily part with it.

There is speculation that “The Conjuring” series might evolve in a different direction. This could involve focusing on a new group of investigators, exploring unrelated hauntings, or even revisiting the past with a prequel story. There are countless ways the universe could progress post-“Last Rites,” either with or without the Warrens. These options appear to be under consideration by New Line, with studio head Richard Brener mentioning to The Hollywood Reporter that, “… while this is the last of what we call phase one, we are hopeful that we can make more.”