Where Does The Nun II Fit in The Conjuring Universe?

The latest chapter in the Conjuring Universe is heading to theaters this weekend with the debut of The Nun II. This marks the return of the terrifying force of evil that debuted in The Conjuring 2, and earned a solo prequel/spinoff back in 2018. As popular as the Conjuring Universe can be, however, it’s also a little confusing to follow when it comes to the overall franchise timeline. These movies are all over the place in terms of where they’re set in the overall franchise, never being released in any sort of chronological order. Some are prequels to spinoffs, others are sequels to prequels. It can be a bit confusing.

That said, we took some time to make sense of the Conjuring Universe timeline, and where The Nun II fits into it. This new Conjuring Universe entry takes place in 1956, making it the third film in the series from a chronological perspective. It follows the events of The Nun but takes place a year after Annabelle: Creation. 

If you’re looking to watch through the entire franchise in chronological order, we’ve got you covered. You can check out the official order below, along with some info about when each movie takes place.

The Conjuring Movies in Chronological Order

• The Nun (2018): Even though The Nun was released five years after the first Conjuring movie, it’s film with the earliest setting in the entire franchise. The Nun takes place in Romania in 1952.
• Annabelle: Creation (2017): The second Annabelle film is actually a prequel to the first, taking place in California in the year 1955.
• The Nun II (2023): The Nun‘s sequel is set four years after the first movie, meaning it followes the story of Irene in 1956.
• Annabelle (2014): Annabelle was the second movie ever released in the Conjuring Universe, and it acts as both a prequel and a spinoff to The Conjuring. Following the terrifying doll that had a brief scene in that film, Annabelle turns back the clock to 1967, four years before The Conjuring and 12 years after Annabelle: Creation.
• The Conjuring (2013): The film that started it all. James Wan’s first journey with Ed and Lorraine Warren is set in Rhode Island in 1971.
• Annabelle Comes Home (2019): In The Conjuring, the Warrens keep Annabelle locked up in their artifact room for safekeeping. Annabelle Comes Home deals with the consequences of the evil being kept in that room finding a way to break out. The story takes place in 1972, just a year after the first Conjuring film.
• The Curse of La Llorona (2019): While not technically part of the Conjuring Universe, The Curse of La Llorona does share some connective tissue with Annabelle (and even briefly shows the doll on-screen) so many count it as part of the franchise. The film is set in Los Angeles in 1973.
• The Conjuring 2 (2016): The Conjuring 2, James Wan’s second and final directorial effort in the franchise, continues the story of the Warrens after the events of the original film. This movie sees Ed and Lorraine taking on a new case in 1977, six years after the case featured in The Conjuring. 
• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021): The third film about Ed and Lorraine Warren brings them to the year 1981, as they work a case in Connecticut.

The Conjuring Movies in Release Order

If you don’t feel like following the story of the Conjuring Universe chronologically, and would rather just watch the films in the order they were release, here’s how you’d do that:

• The Conjuring (2013)
• Annabelle (2014)
• The Conjuring 2 (2016)
• Annabelle: Creation (2017)
• The Nun (2018)
• The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
• Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
• The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
• The Nun II (2023)

Are you looking forward to checking out The Nun II in theaters? Let us know in the comments!