The Conjuring: Last Rites, the ninth and supposedly final installment in the sprawling Conjuring cinematic universe, arrives on HBO Max this Friday, November 21, 2025 (HBO Max), with a linear television premiere following on HBO on November 22 at 8 p.m. ET as the culmination of an all-day franchise marathon. Directed by Michael Chaves and written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, the supernatural horror film reunites Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren for their final case, loosely based on the real-life Smurl family haunting, alongside newcomers Mia Tomlinson as adult Judy Warren (replacing Sterling Jerins) and Ben Hardy as a mysterious figure. The film shattered theatrical box office records upon its September 5, 2025 release, earning a franchise-best $84 million domestic opening weekend and $493 million globally ($178M domestic, $315M international), establishing the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time while receiving mixed critical reception (59% Rotten Tomatoes, 54 Metacritic) praising the lead performances and emotional depth while criticizing reliance on predictable jump scares. With premiere rights to HBO Max, HBO linear, and physical media (Blu-ray/DVD November 25), Last Rites positions itself as the franchise’s emotional farewell—though post-theatrical success sparked reports of a prequel in development.
HBO Max Premiere and Release Strategy
After earning $493 million globally during its theatrical run, The Conjuring: Last Rites transitions to premium streaming on HBO Max, with exclusive global streaming premiere on Friday, November 21, 2025. The film will subsequently air on HBO linear television on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET, concluding an all-day franchise marathon celebrating the entire Conjuring universe.
HBO Linear Marathon Schedule (November 22):
– 7:35 a.m. ET: The Nun
– 9:15 a.m. ET: The Nun II
– 11:08 a.m. ET: Annabelle
– 12:50 p.m. ET: Annabelle: Creation
– 2:43 p.m. ET: The Conjuring
– 4:38 p.m. ET: The Conjuring 2
– 8:00 p.m. ET: The Conjuring: Last Rites
Plot and Premise: One Last Case
Last Rites follows paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren on their final supernatural case, loosely based on the real-life Smurl family haunting. The investigation strikes at the core of the Warrens’ entire paranormal mission while simultaneously attacking “the very heart of the Warren family”—their daughter Judy, whose previous supernatural encounters established her as psychically sensitive and spiritually vulnerable.
The film explores themes of aging, retirement contemplation, and marital devotion, leveraging over a decade of character investment between Wilson and Farmiga’s performances to craft an emotionally resonant final chapter despite mixed critical response to the horror elements themselves.
Cast and Characters
Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren (Returning Lead): Wilson reprises his iconic role with “delicate register” performance, bringing complementary skill sets to Lorraine’s investigations and physical resilience for confronting violent supernatural threats. Roger Ebert noted Wilson functions as “Dr. Watson to his wife’s Sherlock Holmes,” providing support while demonstrating the real-life Warren’s unique authority to perform Catholic-sanctioned exorcisms.
Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren (Returning Lead): Farmiga delivers the franchise’s emotional anchor, radiating “impeccable craft” and “a life force so specific and intense” that audiences believe her character’s supernatural perception. Roger Ebert compared her talent to roles Ingmar Bergman would commission, praising her ability to bring authenticity to underwritten material through sheer artistry.
Mia Tomlinson as Adult Judy Warren (New Casting): Tomlinson replaces Sterling Jerins as the adult Judy Warren (who appeared as the younger version). Tomlinson’s casting reflects the character’s aging following the franchise’s timeline.
Ben Hardy as Mysterious Figure (New): Hardy joins the cast in an undisclosed mysterious role, adding intrigue to the film’s ensemble.
Supporting Cast: Tony Spera, Steve Coulter, Rebecca Calder, Elliot Cowan, Beau Gadsdon, Kíla Lord Cassidy, John Brotherton, and Shannon Kook round out the ensemble.
Director and Screenwriter: Michael Chaves’ Final Entry
Director: Michael Chaves | Previous Conjuring Work: The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), The Nun II (2023) | Directorial Approach: “Appropriately terrifying,” emphasizing scare-by-scare effectiveness and returning to the franchise’s aesthetic roots
Screenwriters: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick | Story by: David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, James Wan | Characters Created by: Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes
Producers: James Wan, Peter Safran (franchise architects) | Production Companies: New Line Cinema, Domain Entertainment, The Safran Company | Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Critical Reception and Ratings
Rotten Tomatoes: 59% Certified Fresh (183 critics) | Metacritic: 54/100 (“Mixed or Average Reviews”) | IMDb User Rating: 6.2/10 (68,000+ ratings) | Critical Consensus: “Purportedly Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson’s final outing as the Warrens, Last Rites underwhelms as a climactic chapter for The Conjuring but solidly upholds the franchise’s spooky standards.”
Positive Reception: Critics praised the “emotional depth,” “emotional intelligence,” and the performers’ “warm chemistry” that “helps keep things afloat for the most part.” Meagan Navarro (Bloody Disgusting) wrote: “Last Rites is suitably nightmarish where it counts, bringing memorable chills that linger and spilling more blood than usual in a Conjuring film.”
Criticisms: Reviewers universally condemned reliance on predictable jump scares, lack of originality, failure to match early franchise intensity, and underwhelming horror elements. IMDb users noted “underwhelms as a climactic chapter,” “more exaggerated in its payoff,” and “jump scares too predictable” discovered on YouTube.
Theatrical Release Information
Theatrical Release Date: September 5, 2025 (United States) | International Early Release: September 3-4, 2025 (Philippines, Mexico, Indonesia) | MPAA Rating: R (bloody images, terror, and some language) | Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes (135 minutes) | Production Budget: $55 million | Filming Locations: London, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England
Box Office Performance: Franchise Record-Breaker
Domestic (US/Canada): $178 million | International: $315 million | Worldwide Total: $493 million | Opening Weekend (Domestic): $84 million (franchise-best, third-largest horror opening ever) | Thursday Previews: $8.5 million (franchise record) | First Day: $34.6 million (franchise record)
Last Rites shattered theatrical box office records, earning the best opening in Conjuring franchise history and the third-largest horror opening ever. The $493 million worldwide gross (on a $55M budget) established the Conjuring universe as the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time, surpassing all previous installments and generating $194 million in opening weekend globally.
International markets demonstrated exceptional strength, with the Philippines breaking horror film records (91% of opening weekend box office share), Indonesia achieving highest-grossing international horror opening, and India surpassing previous American horror records. The film marked Warner Bros.’ seventh consecutive $40+ million opening, a studio first.
Physical Media Release and Future Projects
Digital HD Release: October 7, 2025 | Physical Media Release: November 25, 2025 (DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray) | Future Projects: Conjuring prequel film in development (announced September 2025) | Producer Involvement Question: James Wan’s involvement in prequel uncertain due to reported pay dispute
Despite positioning Last Rites as the franchise finale, the film’s theatrical and streaming success sparked development of a Conjuring prequel exploring the Warren family origin story. However, reported pay disputes with franchise architect James Wan cloud the project’s trajectory, potentially affecting the prequel’s creative direction and Wan’s involvement.
