The Conjuring Universe Timeline
Every case. Every connection. All in order.
The Conjuring Universe weaves decades of hauntings, possessions, and cursed objects around the real-world investigations of Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Use this guide to explore the full story in chronological order, or revisit the franchise the way it was released. Either path leads to the same question: what will you watch next?
The quick answer
Chronological order
- The Nun · Set in 1952
- Annabelle: Creation · Set in 1955
- The Nun II · Set in 1956
- Annabelle · Set in 1967
- The Conjuring · Set in 1971
- Annabelle Comes Home · Set in 1972
- The Curse of La Llorona · Set in 1973
- The Conjuring 2 · Set in 1976–1977
- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It · Set in 1981
- The Conjuring: Last Rites · Set in 1986
First time watching? Release order is the safest default. Chronology is shown only when it materially changes the route.
The complete timeline
Annabelle: Creation
A dollmaker and his wife open their home to a nun and several orphaned girls.
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The Nun II
Sister Irene faces the demonic force again as terror spreads beyond the abbey walls.
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Annabelle
A vintage doll becomes a gateway for a malevolent presence inside a young family's home.
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The Conjuring
Paranormal investigators confront a dark presence in a Rhode Island farmhouse.
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Annabelle Comes Home
The Warrens lock Annabelle away, but one reckless night awakens the artifacts around her.
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The Curse of La Llorona
A grieving spirit stalks a family while seeking the children she lost long ago.
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The Conjuring 2
The Warrens travel to London to confront a violent presence in the Enfield home.
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The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
A murder trial leads the Warrens into a case of alleged possession and ritual violence.
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The Conjuring: Last Rites
Ed and Lorraine Warren face one final case that threatens everything they have built.
Read entryWhere La Llorona fits
The Curse of La Llorona shares an on-screen character and franchise references, but its official canon status has been described inconsistently. It is included as a loosely connected, optional chapter.
The Conjuring Universe Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between release order and chronological order for The Conjuring Universe?
Release order follows the sequence audiences saw the films in theaters, starting with The Conjuring in 2013. Chronological order follows the story’s internal timeline, which begins almost 20 years earlier with The Nun, set in 1952. The two diverge because several prequels, including The Nun and Annabelle: Creation, were released years after the mainline films they set up.
Should first-time viewers watch The Conjuring Universe in release order or chronological order?
Release order is the safer choice for first-time viewers, since it avoids spoiling characters and objects introduced later in the story, like Valak and the Annabelle doll. Chronological order opens with The Nun (1952) instead of The Conjuring (2013), which reveals story elements earlier than the films originally did. If preserving surprises matters more than watching the timeline unfold in order, start with release order.
How many movies are in The Conjuring Universe?
The Conjuring Universe includes 10 films: four mainline Conjuring movies, three Annabelle films, two Nun films, and The Curse of La Llorona, which connects through a shared character. The most recent entry, The Conjuring: Last Rites, released in 2025.
Where does The Conjuring: Last Rites fit in the timeline?
The Conjuring: Last Rites is set in 1986, making it both the most recently released film and the final chapter in the story’s chronological timeline. It closes the arc that began with The Conjuring (2013), which is set in 1971.
Is The Curse of La Llorona part of The Conjuring Universe?
The Curse of La Llorona connects to the universe through a shared character, but its official canon status has been described inconsistently by the filmmakers. HorroRated includes it as a loosely connected chapter rather than a core entry, placed at its in-story date of 1973.
Can I watch only the main Conjuring films and skip the spinoffs?
Yes. The four mainline Conjuring films tell a complete, self-contained story following Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cases. The Annabelle and Nun spinoffs add backstory and expand the universe, but skipping them won’t leave gaps in the main storyline.
Which Conjuring Universe movies are essential if you don't want to watch all ten?
By HorroRated’s verdicts, three films carry a Legendary rating: The Conjuring (2013), The Conjuring 2 (2016), and Annabelle: Creation (2017). The rest of the franchise sits at Recommended. If you’re watching a shortlist instead of the full ten, those three cover the franchise’s highest-rated entries.