James Wan Says Annabelle 3 Feels More Like A Conjuring Film Than The First Two

As James Wan’s DCEU debut Aquaman makes its way to cinemas this Friday, the Conjuring helmsman still has one foot in the cinematic universe he helped create, with the filmmaker serving as producer on the upcoming Annabelle 3.

Though the first two installments in the Conjuring spinoff trilogy journeyed progressively further back in the timeline, observing the demonic doll’s story before she came into the hands of Lorraine and Ed Warren, the recently wrapped third film sees Annabelle stir up trouble in the couple’s artifacts room, with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson reprising their roles as the two paranormal investigators.

In this respect, it certainly sounds like the movie has more connections to the Conjuring films than the previous two Annabelle flicks did, and when Bloody Disgusting asked Wan if this was the case, the producer seemed more or less in agreement.

“I think by the very nature of Patrick and Vera being in it, I would say somewhat, yes, because in Annabelle 3 the doll comes back to the Warren’s home,” Wan said. “It finally comes to the Warren’s home so by the very nature of it actually being in the home and the story takes place in the Warren’s home, it feels more like a Conjuring film in that respect.”

Though the story takes place in the home of Warrens, it won’t be Ed and Lorraine who serve as the film’s lead but rather their daughter Judy, played by 12-year-old Mckenna Grace, who takes over from Sterling Jerins in the role.

The film will see the young heroine trying to live through the night after Annabelle awakens the dormant evil lurking in the artifacts room, and for all the ways that the flick may overlap with the Conjuring movies, it’s unlikely anyone has described one of the Wan-helmed flicks as the horror version of Night at the Museum, which is reportedly how the third Annabelle was pitched.

In any case, you can find out how Annabelle 3 connects to the wider franchise when the film hits theaters on July 3rd, 2019, before The Conjuring 3 puts the spotlight back on Judy’s parents when it comes out on September 11th, 2020.