All 9 The Conjuring Universe Movies, Ranked By How Scary They Are

Since the first movie came out in 2013, The Conjuring Universe has become one of the most terrifying and successful franchises in cinema. The Conjuring Universe is a defining facet of modern horror movies, and has produced some of the scariest moments the genre has ever seen. With its mix of the supernatural, real-life haunting cases, and ancient curses, The Conjuring is a franchise that consistently places audiences on the edge of their seats.

It’s important to note that every single movie within The Conjuring Universe is scary in some way, shape, or form. Some of these movies do this in a better way than others, creating long-lasting suspense and build-up, while others rely on jump scares that don’t necessarily have the same effect. What sets some of the installments in The Conjuring apart is their ability to break away from traditional horror tropes, creating a true sense of psychological dread.

9 Annabelle (2014)

Plays It Safe With The Scares

The first Annabelle film is often seen as one of The Conjuring‘s weakest, both in terms of narrative and its ability to scare audiences. In fact, some people believe The Conjuring franchise is better off without it. As a spinoff of the first movie, Annabelle follows the story of the titular doll as she becomes possessed by a satanic demon and torments a young couple. It serves as an interesting entry into the franchise, but ultimately fails to invoke the same sense of true horror that other Conjuring movies have been able to.

​​​​​​Annabelle is heavily reliant on jump scares and familiar scary tropes, making the movie fail to stand out among the rest. This is particularly harmful when one considers that Annabelle was released just a year after The Conjuring itself, a movie that completely reshaped the modern horror landscape. However, a notable scary moment in Annabelle that is executed well is the basement scene, which sees Mia (Annabelle Wallis) being tormented and chased by the demonic force that is possessing the doll.

8 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)

Sacrificing Its Scariness

The third installment in the main Conjuring series, The Devil Made Me Do It certainly tells a compelling and unique story. The movie focuses more on the legal implications of claiming that possession by the devil makes one unaccountable for one’s crimes, and it makes for interesting viewing. However, this tonal shift means that The Devil Made Me Do It sacrifices some of the more spine-chilling moments that make the franchise so great.

The plot centers around Arne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor) as he faces trial for murder, and enlists the help of the Warrens to plead his case. The Devil Made Me Do It is actually based on the first trial in US history in which demonic possession was claimed as a defense, but this doesn’t always make for scary viewing. Nevertheless, the movie’s opening scene in which a nine-year-old boy is exorcised is one of the most harrowing and grotesque moments of the entire franchise, and certainly elevates the scariness of The Devil Made Me Do It.

7 The Curse Of La Llorona (2019)

Formulaic Jumpscares

This movie is a unique entry in the Conjuring Universe, as The Curse of La Llorona exists completely outside the franchise’s overarching narrative. Drawing inspiration from Mexican folklore, the movie introduces the tale of La Llorona, also known as The Weeping Woman, to the universe. La Llorona is a vengeful spirit who preys on children, making the premise of the movie intriguing, but ultimately, The Curse of La Llorona falls flat in providing genuine horrific scares for audiences.

The movie does have some particularly terrifying highlights, but fails to keep this consistency throughout it. The Curse of La Llorona often resorts to jump scares to scare viewers, which, while effective in the short-run, ends up detracting from the eeriness of the overall story. Nevertheless, a particularly harrowing and unsettling moment comes when Anna (Linda Cardellini) is attacked by La Llorona in her pool as she attempts to save her daughter from the demon.

6 The Nun II (2023)

Stronger Than The First, But Not As Scary

The latest entry in the Conjuring Universe, The Nun II builds on the groundwork laid by the original Nun movie. In many ways it is similar to its predecessor, being set in 1950s France as the tale of the demonic Valak continues to unfold. Taissa Farmiga returns as Sister Irene, the only person to have faced Valak in the previous movie and survived, as she is called to investigate a series of deaths attributed to the demon.

Like the original, The Nun II makes heavy use of the gothic atmosphere to bring fear to the big screen, and certainly builds on the narrative set by its predecessor. However, the scares are short-lived and don’t really hold up to what audiences have come to expect from the Conjuring Universe, with there being a notable lack of sustained tension throughout the movie. Narratively, The Nun II is an improvement over its predecessor, but it never quite reaches the heights of fear that the franchise has become so renowned for.

5 Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

Chaotic And Tense

The third movie in the Annabelle series is one of the most interesting premises of the entire Conjuring Universe. It tells the story of the Warrens as they decide to bring the infamous Annabelle doll back to their house. However, once the doll has been returned to the Warrens’ haunted artifact room, it begins to unleash the other evil spirits that are trapped inside.

This rather chaotic premise means that Annabelle Comes Home does invoke a sense of constant tension throughout. The claustrophobic setting of the Warrens’ house and artifact room gives the movie unique room to scare its audience. However, it has to be said that the occasional comedic relief and somewhat lighter tone makes it impossible for Annabelle Comes Home to truly scare audiences in the same way as other movies in the Conjuring Universe have done.

4 The Nun (2018)

Held Back By Its Weaknesses

While The Nun received a mixed to negative reception from critics and audiences alike following its release, it’s impossible to criticize the movie for its scare factor. The Nun is a spinoff story revolving around Valak, the terrifying demon who appeared in The Conjuring 2. It is set in 1950s Romania as Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) is sent to a convent to investigate a mysterious death at the hands of the demonic nun.

The gothic setting, the religious iconography, and the terrifying presence of Valak all combine to make The Nun a terrifying addition to the Conjuring Universe. The movie’s opening scene has become as iconic as it is terrifying, as a scared nun chooses to die by suicide rather than let Valak possess her. However, the narrative weaknesses of The Nun mean that some of the scares have a diminished impact, as they fail to fit into the story in a cohesive or sound way.

3 Annabelle: Creation (2017)

A Truly Terrifying Origin Story

The prequel to Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation is often regarded as one of the best movies in the Conjuring Universe. It breathed new life into the franchise while exploring the terrifying origins of Annabelle herself. It follows the story of a dollmaker and his wife, as they take a nun and orphaned girls into their home. When one of the girls discovers Annabelle locked away in a closet, a powerful demon is released that begins to torment the characters.

A major step up from its predecessor, both narratively and scare-wise, Annabelle: Creation excels at building tension and allowing these scares to pay off. The sheer malevolence of the doll and its demonic possession manages to invoke a true sense of horror, particularly concerning the character of Janice (Talitha Bateman). One of the movies scariest scenes is when the demon targets Janice for her soul, injuring her severely and leaving her in a wheelchair.

2 The Conjuring (2013)

The Beginning Of Something Terrifying

The Conjuring was the first in the Conjuring Universe, and remains to this day as one of the scariest supernatural horror films in modern cinema. The Conjuring introduces audiences to demonologists Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) as they investigate the haunting of the Perron’s family home. It’s a masterful blend of tension and dread that invokes a true sense of horrifying, unbearable fear.

Rather than just relying on jump scares, The Conjuring crafts an unsettling atmosphere through unnerving silences, creaking floorboards, and off-screen noises. Every scene feels possessed by the demons that the Warrens are trying to catch, all culminating in the movie’s climactic exorcism scene. One of the most brilliantly horrifying moments of The Conjuring is the infamous “hide and clap” scene, when Carolyn (Lili Taylor) is led into the basement, before a pair of hands reaches out and claps, extinguishing her only source of light.

1 The Conjuring 2 (2016)

Heart-Stopping Scares

The Conjuring 2 is undoubtedly the scariest movie in The Conjuring Universe. Set in London in 1977, the Warrens are sent to investigate the infamous real-life Enfield haunting. What puts The Conjuring 2 so high up above the rest is its sheer intensity. It introduces the demonic Valak, and builds tensions through atmospheric dread, unsettling noises and religious iconography.

Undoubtedly the most iconic and terrifying scare in The Conjuring 2 comes when Ed is staring into a zoetrope toy with the figure of a crooked man walking round. The figure disappears from the toy, before Ed looks up and sees the Crooked Man has materialized in front of him and begins to chase him. Unsettling beyond belief, and with a solid narrative and incredible performances, The Conjuring 2 is a truly terrifying masterclass in how to scare your audience.