Usually, the announcement of a horror film sequel tends to be met with skepticism at best and frustration at worst. This usually stems from the fact that most horror movies struggle to capture the haunting feel of the original film, instead producing a more diluted version with far less scares. Combined with the abundance of sequels created to generate box office records rather than tell a good or compelling story, it’s little wonder that audience expectations for recent horror films are not the strongest. The Conjuring films, however, have managed to defy expectations and deliver critical success in its depiction of paranormal experts Loraine and Ed Warren’s “true experiences” with the supernatural.
With the equally positive critical reception of its sequel The Conjuring 2, the announcement of another installment in the Conjuring franchise should give fans cause to rejoice. While details of this third film have yet to be revealed, as well as the role of former director/producer James Wan, New Line Cinema has announced their hiring of David Leslie Johnson to head the movie’s script. Alongside his contribution to the script of The Conjuring 2, Johnson’s experience as a horror screenwriter has included the scripts for 2009’s Orphan and the 2010 reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street.
For his non-horror accomplishments, Johnson has also worked with Wan on rewriting the screenplay for the upcoming DCEU film Aquaman, featuring Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard. Other works have included the 2012 action-adventure fantasy Wrath of the Titans, 2011’s Red Riding Hood and a number of episodes for AMC’s The Walking Dead.
Alongside the Conjuring films, James Wan’s Conjuring universe also includes the spin-off film Annabelle, as well as its upcoming prequel Annabelle Creation. Currently in production are two prequels/spinoffs of The Conjuring 2: The Nun, which is set for a 2018 release date, and The Crooked Man, which is still in development.
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