The Annabelle series, a spin-off from the acclaimed Conjuring universe, has captivated horror fans with its eerie tales of a demonic doll. The three films—Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019)—offer a spine-tingling look into the origins and misadventures of Annabelle, terrifying all who come into contact with her.

Unraveling the Annabelle Series

Annabelle begins the series with a haunting introduction to the doll that terrorizes a young couple expecting their first child. The narrative dives deep into the sinister forces enveloping the doll, setting a chilling tone for the saga.

Annabelle: Creation, the second installment, takes us back to the doll’s origins. Here, a dollmaker and his wife, grieving the loss of their daughter, unknowingly invite a malevolent presence into their home when they open their doors to several orphans.

The trilogy concludes with Annabelle Comes Home, where the possessed doll targets the daughter of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, leading to a night of intense terror.

Watching the Movies in Order

To fully appreciate the storyline and its development, watching the movies in chronological order of events within the universe can be more engaging:

  1. Annabelle: Creation (Origin of the doll)
  2. Annabelle (The doll’s first known terror)
  3. Annabelle Comes Home (Continued hauntings linked to the doll)

Branching Into Horror Audiobooks

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The Conjuring movies in chronological order

  1. The Nun (1952/1971) — The first flick in the series and the one featuring the now famous demonic nun takes the story to 1952 and stars Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, and Jonas Bloquet, with Bonnie Aarons coming back to play the of the nun, an incarnation of Valak we saw in The Conjuring 2.
  2. Annabelle: Creation (1943/1952/1955/1967) — The second movie takes place in 1955. It stars Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Miranda Otto, and tells the story of how Annabelle the doll came to be.
  3. Annabelle (1967) — The third movie in chronological order takes place in the late ‘60s and tells the story of John and Mia, a couple terrorized by the doll.
  4. The Conjuring (1968/1971) — The first Conjuring movie follows the Warrens, a couple of investigators doing research on a series of disturbing events that took place in the early ‘70s in Rhode Island. Their story also inspired the Amityville horror movie. The movie stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
  5. Annabelle Comes Home (1968/1969 or 1971/1972) — In the fifth movie, the Warrens confiscate the doll after reports of it committing violent attacks, but their actions only make things worse and invite more demons into their world. The movie stars Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, and Katie Sarife.
  6. The Curse of La Llorona (1973) — In the sixth movie, we go to 1973 Los Angeles, where a mother is trying to save her children from a demonic presence. The movie stars Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez.
  7. The Conjuring 2 (1976/1977) — In the late ‘70s, the Warrens go to England, to Enfield, to help the Hodgson family deal with a poltergeist.
  8. The Conjuring 3, i.e., The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (1980/81) — In the eighth movie, we go to the early ‘80s and follow the Warrens as they investigate an exorcism in Connecticut tied to the Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson incident.

An overview of the Annabelle series

Annabelle movies are a series of three Warner Bros films set in James Wan’s The Conjuring universe. There have been three Annabelle movie movies so far: Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019).

First Annabelle movie

The first movie, Annabelle, is technically a prequel to The Conjuring. It tells the origin story of Annabelle, the demonic doll known from the stories told by Ed and Lorraine Warren, a couple of paranormal investigators. The plot begins with John and Mia, a couple living together, bringing the strange doll into their home, not suspecting it’s possessed.

The movie is directed by John R. Leonetti and stars Annabelle Wallis as Mia, Ward Horton as her husband John, and Tony Amendola as Father Perez.

Second Annabelle movie

The second movie, Annabelle: Creation, is another prequel taking place before the first movie. The story centers on Samuel Mullins, a dollmaker, and his wife, Esther, who are stricken with grief after their daughter’s passing. The couple allows Sister Charlotte and a number of orphan girls into their homes, but when one of the girls, Janice, finds a mysterious porcelain doll, she unwittingly summons a demon that begins terrorizing the house.

It was directed by David F. Sandberg and stars Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Miranda Otto.

Third Annabelle movie

Chronologically, the third movie, Annabelle Comes Home, takes place after the events in the first one. It follows the Warrens, the aforementioned demonologists, who’ve brought the doll to their artifact room, not knowing that its presence there will lead to another battle against demonic possession as more and more spirits awaken to torment their family.

The third movie is directed by Gary Dauberman and stars Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Katie Sarife, Vera Farmiga, and Patrick Wilson. The movie met with mixed reviews, although it did decently well at the box office.

Were the Annabelle movies based on a book?

Annabelle is a horror film that gained immense popularity upon its release, often associated with the The Conjuring universe created by James Wan. While the storyline of the haunted doll has captivated audiences globally, it’s a common misconception that Annabelle is directly based on a book. In reality, the film’s inspiration is drawn from claims of real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, concerning a Raggedy Ann doll believed to be possessed. While there have been books and articles that detail the alleged true story of the Annabelle doll, the movie itself is not an adaptation of a specific book but rather a cinematic interpretation of the supposedly real-life haunting incident.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will there be a movie about the Crooked Man?

No, despite initial rumors, the makers of The Conjuring universe have decided not to proceed with a Crooked Man spin-off.

Where can I watch The Conjuring movies?

The Conjuring movies are available on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Max.