Demian Bichir To Star In The Conjuring Spinoff The Nun

The Conjuring spinoff has found a terrifying new lead.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, A Better Life actor Demian Bichir has signed on to lead the next film in the horror franchise, which will follow the evil nun featured in The Conjuring 2.

Bichir will play a priest named Father Burke who is sent to Rome to investigate the mysterious death of a nun, although there's no word on whether or not that's "the" nun. Plot details for the movie are being kept mostly under wraps, although it is slated to begin shooting in Romania this summer ahead of a planned July 13, 2018 release. Bichir is also known for Weeds, The Heat, The Hateful Eight, and Che. He can next be seen in Alien: Covenant, due out May 19.

The character of the nun was added to The Conjuring 2 at the last minute, when director James Wan decided that the demon nun would be scarier than the planned horned demon that had originally been stalking Patrick Wilson's and Vera Farmiga's paranormal investigators. The character was played by Drag Me to Hell's Bonnie Aarons, although it's unknown if she'll return for the spinoff.

The Nun will be the second spinoff of the Conjuring franchise, with creepy doll film Annabelle earning $200 million worldwide when it hit theaters in 2014. A sequel, Annabelle: Creation, will be released on Aug. 11, which THR notes could propel the franchise to more than $1 billion in box office sales worldwide. However, the franchise has been embroiled in some trouble, as a lawsuit from author Gerald Brittle could end up costing the studio $900 million.

Wan is too busy to direct the spinoff, as he is currently working on DC's Aquaman. However, THR notes that he is still heavily involved, and will produce The Nun, which Corin Hardy will direct based on a script from David Leslie Johnson. While we wait for the movie to be released, take a look at some horror roles that really messed with the actors' heads.