For a first watch, use release order for The Conjuring movies and their core spin-offs. It preserves the order in which audiences encountered characters and connections. For a rewatch, chronological order follows the main events inside the fictional universe. Flashbacks and framing scenes mean chronology is not a perfect scene-by-scene sequence.
This guide covers the nine released core films through The Conjuring: Last Rites. It treats their supernatural events as dramatized fiction, not proof of the real-world claims used in their marketing.
What is the release order?
| Order | Film | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Conjuring | 2013 |
| 2 | Annabelle | 2014 |
| 3 | The Conjuring 2 | 2016 |
| 4 | Annabelle: Creation | 2017 |
| 5 | The Nun | 2018 |
| 6 | Annabelle Comes Home | 2019 |
| 7 | The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It | 2021 |
| 8 | The Nun II | 2023 |
| 9 | The Conjuring: Last Rites | 2025 |
Regal’s series programmed with Warner Bros. identifies the eight earlier core entries leading into Last Rites. The studio’s film page identifies the later installment.
What is the chronological order?
For the main narrative progression, use The Nun, Annabelle: Creation, The Nun II, Annabelle, The Conjuring, Annabelle Comes Home, The Conjuring 2, The Devil Made Me Do It, and Last Rites.
That sequence follows the principal events rather than every prologue, epilogue, or retrospective scene. Trying to intercut the films into a single continuous calendar would interrupt how each film reveals information. A chronological watch is a way of comparing the universe’s history, not a requirement for understanding it.
Can you watch only the main Conjuring films?
Yes. Follow The Conjuring, The Conjuring 2, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and The Conjuring: Last Rites. This is the more compact route for viewers interested primarily in the central film series rather than each spin-off branch.
The Annabelle and Nun films expand particular elements of the shared fictional world. They can add context, but a first viewer does not need to treat the entire franchise as a test of recall.
Where does The Curse of La Llorona fit?
It is often included in expanded fan lists because of its connection to the surrounding film world, but it is omitted from the core nine-film route used here. Regal’s studio-partnered retrospective did not include it among the eight films preceding Last Rites. That makes the scope of this guide explicit rather than silently changing the count.
If you choose to add it, treat it as optional adjacent viewing. Do not assume its fictional treatment supplies a general account of the cultural traditions surrounding La Llorona.
Which order is better for avoiding spoilers?
Release order is the simplest recommendation for a first viewing. Later-made prequels can assume that audiences recognize an image or character from an earlier release. Chronological order can change that experience, even when the dates line up.
What should you check before watching?
Match the complete title and year, especially when searching for sequels and spin-offs. Check the film’s content information and current availability in your region. Keep newly announced projects separate from released entries until there is an actual film to place in the viewing route. The permanent question stays the same even when another completed installment gives the guide something new to explain.