The Conjuring: Last Rites director says Annabelle is "almost the mascot of The Conjuring," so it was "important" to bring her back: "It would be a mistake to do this final movie without some element of Annabelle"

The Conjuring: Last Rites director Michael Chaves says it was important to bring back Annabelle for the final movie, even though she isn't a central part of the story.

"It was important to bring back Annabelle, she's almost the mascot of The Conjuring," Chaves told IGN. "It would be a mistake to do this final movie without some element of Annabelle, so she definitely plays a part in here, even though she isn’t our big bad, there's another entity that takes that role."

The Conjuring: Last Rites marks the final outing for Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who have starred as the late Ed and Loraine Warren for four movies now. The film sees the couple take on their final case, which involves vanquishing a demon from a family's home – though it ends being a bigger task than either one could have ever imagined. The movie cast incldues Mia Tomlinson as Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, Judy Warren, Ben Hardy as her boyfriend, Tony Spera, and Steve Coulter, who returns as Father Gordon.

Last Rites is based on a real-life case known as The Smurl Haunting. The Warrens finally paid a visit to the family in 1986, the same year that the film takes place. Annabelle is arguably the most famous case of the Warrens, with the real-life doll (who is actually a Raggedy Ann doll) sitting in a museum in their home (which is now owned and preserved by their son). The doll got her own movie in 2014, and a sequel in 2019.

The Conjuring: Last Rites hits theaters on September 5, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or our guide to all the upcoming horror movies heading our way.