The Nun 3 - Will It Ever Happen?

In 2018, horror fans might have gone into "The Nun" without realizing that the movie was part of a cinematic universe. The entire "Conjuring" universe is a bit difficult to get your head around, but the beauty of it is that you can enjoy all the spin-offs without being an expert on the franchise's complete timeline. Anyone who enjoyed themselves in 2018 can head into "The Nun II" feeling confident they know what's going on.

Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) returns for the sequel, which sees her once again facing off against the demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons). The sequel includes plenty of thrills and chills, and it also seemingly wraps up all the story's loose ends. Fans of the wider "Conjuring" franchise know that there's more to come, though, and they're wondering if another "Nun" sequel could finally make the connections between the two series crystal clear.

Considering how wildly successful "The Conjuring" franchise has become, there's no reason to imagine that the steady supply of spin-offs will be slowing down anytime soon. The franchise still has a bright future ahead of it, and as the most successful spin-off in the "Conjuring" universe, "The Nun" movies probably aren't done yet either. We've dug into the intricacies of the series on the screen and in real life to figure out if and when "The Nun 3" will ever happen.

The ending of "The Nun II" is still fresh in our minds, but that doesn't mean we have to hold back on thinking about "The Nun 3." There hasn't been an official announcement about "The Nun 3" just yet, though there are some positive signs for a potential sequel. Critics weren't big fans of "The Nun II," but audiences enjoyed the film, and "The Nun II" topped the box office in its opening weekend. It didn't have a bigger opening than the original "Nun," but at the same time, $32.6 million in a weekend isn't anything to sneeze at.

Unfortunately for fans, there's probably going to be a long wait for "The Nun 3." Right now, "The Conjuring: Last Rites" is the next movie on the docket for "The Conjuring" universe, and we probably won't hear more about "The Nun" until that movie's release. There's more than bad timing at play, though. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike is going to hold up production on another installment in "The Nun" series. At the same time, one of the franchise's stars is having a personal battle that could delay a new movie. Warner Bros. is in a legal battle with Bonnie Aarons, and the fate of "The Nun 3" could be tied to the result of that case. Of course, if Aarons ends up refusing to work with Warner Bros. again, the studio could always recast Valak, but die-hard fans of "The Conjuring" universe movies might not support that decision.

"The Nun 3" might not be in the works right now, but that doesn't mean the movie is a lost cause. "The Conjuring" movies have remained popular for more than a decade, so audiences still have an appetite for more. It may take time and several different pieces falling into the right place, but "The Nun 3" is very much still on the table. There's someone working behind the scenes who already has a few ideas about what could happen in the next movie. 

Michael Chaves is an expert on the extended "Conjuring" universe. He first joined the franchise in 2019 as the director of "The Curse of La Llorona," a "Conjuring" spin-off that has yet to get its own sequel. After that, he directed his first mainline entry in the franchise with 2021's "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It." Most recently he tackled "The Nun II," and he's already dreaming up where the story might go next. 

In an interview with Fangoria, Chaves talked about his thoughts on the future of "The Nun" franchise. "There's a line in the movie: 'Demons are infinite,'" Chavez said, adding, "I think that there's still more stories of Valak the demon nun to be told." Chavez went on to point out that there's still nearly a decade between the events of "The Nun II" and the original "Conjuring" movie. The next spin-off sequel might finally fill the gap between the two series, and maybe we'll get an answer to why Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) and Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) look so much alike.

The reason we've gotten so many movies set in "The Conjuring" universe is because the entire franchise is perfectly positioned for a million different spin-offs. Tiny threads connect "The Nun" series to the other "Conjuring" films, but for the most part, the only thing that links the movies together is the presence of various demons. Because of that, "The Nun" series just might be able to dig itself out of the hole created by "The Nun II."

At the end of the most recent "Nun" movie, Sister Irene managed to finally banish the demon Valak back to hell. Valak was the main enemy of the past two movies, and the demon also has some connections to the rest of "The Conjuring" franchise. Without having Valak around, "The Nun 3" would need to invent an entirely new threat for Sister Irene to address. There's no shortage of options for the next movie to choose from, but it would be a dramatic shift for "The Nun" series.

On the other hand, maybe we haven't seen the last of Valak. Other movies in the series have already told us that in the 1960s the Warrens would try to exorcize a demon from Maurice. Unless he has the deep misfortune of being possessed by two separate demons, it seems that Maurice may not be free from Valak at the end of "The Nun II." The next movie might show us how the demon manages to remain hidden inside Maurice for the best part of a decade.

There are several familiar faces that we've come to expect to see in "The Nun" movies. Taissa Farmiga is integral to the overall story. Her character Sister Irene is the protagonist of the spin-off series, and it's hard to imagine how any "Nun" movie could function without her. At this point Jonas Bloquet's character Maurice Theriault has become equally important, and one way or another he's bound to pop up in "The Nun 3."

Guessing who else might make an appearance in the sequel is a little bit more difficult. "The Nun II" introduced some new characters like Debra (Storm Reid) and Kate (Anna Popplewell). After their horrifying experiences in that movie, it seems likely those two characters would go on to fight more demons, and they might have major roles to play in the next movie.

There's also Bonnie Aarons. She's been playing Valak, who takes on the form of the titular nun, throughout the entire series. It's hard to imagine how a "Nun" movie could exist without her, but we might find out for ourselves in "The Nun 3." Within the world of the movies, Valak is supposedly no more, and in our real world, Aarons is still in the midst of a legal battle with Warner Bros. As strange as it might seem, there's a good chance that Aarons will be absent from the next movie.

One thing that all interconnected movie universes seem to have in common is the stinger scene. Ever since the credits in "Iron Man" stopped to reveal Nick Fury standing in Tony Stark's house, movie universes have turned to post-credits scenes to hype up their future installments. "The Nun" franchise is no different. The first movie had a stinger, and now "The Nun II" has included a scene that could give us a hint about "The Nun 3" — or it could mean nothing at all.

The credits in "The Nun II" eventually give way to the sound of a phone ringing. The camera reveals that the phone is in the Warrens' home. Lorraine and her husband Ed (Patrick Wilson) come to answer the call. We don't get to hear any specific details from the phone call, but it seems like someone is reaching out to get the Warrens to help with yet another possession case.

Sadly, that scene doesn't necessarily confirm that "The Nun 3" will happen. Director Michael Chaves has revealed that the stinger scene at the end of "The Nun II" is a piece of footage that was cut out of "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It." It's tempting to read the scene as an indication that the next "Nun" movie will include the Warrens coming up against Valak. That might end up being true, but for now, all the scene tells us is that "The Conjuring" franchise is far from finished.

"The Nun" series isn't just a spin-off. It's also technically a prequel, and that puts the series in a tough position. Fans of "The Conjuring" already know a bit about where some characters from "The Nun" end up. Because of that, "The Nun" movies always run the risk of feeling as though they have predetermined outcomes that rob the movies of any real tension. "The Nun II" managed to neatly sidestep this issue, and in the process, it might have changed the franchise forever.

"The Nun II" does two things that could dramatically change the course of the series. First, it introduces a handful of new characters like Debra and Kate, and it gives Maurice — previously known as Frenchie — a much bigger role to play in the story. Now the door is open for future movies to follow some of these characters, potentially getting further away from the events of the other "Conjuring" movies. Second, it kills off Valak, at least in theory.

With Valak gone, the next "Nun" could potentially introduce a serious retcon to the story of "The Conjuring." We think that just before the events of the original "Conjuring" movie the Warrens performed an exorcism on Maurice to free him of Valak. Now it seems possible that Maurice was possessed by a different being entirely. "The Nun 3" now has the chance to surprise audiences in a way that very few sequels ever do.

If there is a third entry in "The Nun" series, Maurice will likely play a big role in the story. The character was introduced as Frenchie in the first movie in the series, and he was one of the first people targeted by Valak. The demon possessed Frenchie in that movie, and in "The Nun II" we got to see the effect that Valak's possession had on Maurice. When it comes to Maurice and his demonic connection, though, "The Nun II" gave us more questions than it answered.

Of course, we're all wondering what happens to Maurice between the events of "The Nun II" and "The Conjuring" that lead him to needing help from the Warrens. If Valak was banished at the end of "The Nun II," then how does Maurice become possessed again? It might have something to do with Maurice's reaction to his original possession. Maybe coming face to face with Valak motivates Maurice to hunt down other demons to protect people like himself and his friend. Chasing down other demonic forces would give Maurice plenty of opportunities to become possessed once again.

It's easy to imagine another movie in "The Nun" franchise following Maurice's exploits after his first encounter with Valak. He could lean on Sister Irene and the other nuns for support when things get too hard. Eventually, Maurice could end up completely overwhelmed by the demons he's facing, and that's when the Warrens would finally get the call to come and help him, kicking off the events of the mainline series.

Fans might have to wait a long time to see "The Nun 3," but it won't be long at all before "The Conjuring" franchise returns to theaters. "The Conjuring: Last Rites" has been officially announced, but for the most part, the movie remains a mystery. We don't have a release date for the film, much less any plot details. That said, the enigmatic title might tell us quite a bit about what will happen the next time Ed and Lorraine Warren make their way to the big screen.

"Last Rites" could potentially have a double meaning. The title could refer to the Christian rituals performed for someone on their deathbed, but it could just as likely point to the end of the main "Conjuring" series. Nothing lasts forever, so the Warrens were bound to have their final adventure sooner or later. "The Conjuring" movies take place a decade or more after the events of "The Nun," though, so what could "Last Rites" possibly have to do with "The Nun 3?"

If "Last Rites" really puts an end to "The Conjuring" series, it will be more important than ever for "The Nun" franchise to fill the gap of years between the two series. After seeing how the Warrens' story ends, we'll all want a bit of clarification for how it began. That's where "The Nun 3" can step in to tell us how Maurice came to meet the Warrens and finally explain all the connections between "The Conjuring" and its many spin-offs.

"The Conjuring" franchise wouldn't exist without James Wan. He directed the first movie and has been deeply involved with the franchise as a producer ever since. Wan is famous for being the mind behind a handful of successful horror franchises, and he's just as good at crafting long-form stories as he is at designing terrifying moments. That's good news for fans of "The Nun," and there are two interviews that Wan has given which point to a deeper plan that might include "The Nun 3."

In 2017 Wan sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the upcoming release of "The Nun." At the time Wan said, "I do know where potentially, if 'The Nun' works out, where 'The Nun II' could lead to, and how that ties back to Lorraine's story that we've set up with the first two 'Conjurings' and make it all come all full circle." There's no doubt that the specifics of the story in "The Nun II" changed over the years, but Wan already had a rough idea of how Valak's story would ultimately reconnect with the Warrens.

By the end of "The Nun II," we still haven't seen that full circle moment. If the big payoff to Wan's plans is going to come, it will probably need to get here soon. Speaking with Collider in 2023, Wan might have let slip that "The Conjuring" series is "potentially wrapping up," with "Last Rites" being a possible endpoint. Nothing is set in stone, of course, but we'd love for "The Nun 3" to provide that full circle feeling if the franchise is going to end with "Last Rites."