The Conjuring: Last Rites is now out in theaters. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return for their fourth film as Ed and Lorraine Warren, the real-life demonologists and paranormal investigators who inspired the film franchise. When The Conjuring was released in 2013, it brought haunted house horror back to a novel new place, and kicked off an entire franchise universe that is now 9 films strong. With so much history and content behind it, The Conjuring: Last Rites saves a very special and nostalgic finale for its ending sequence and credits scene, including one final post-credits scene surprise.
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(WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!)
Ending Explained: A Celebration of Gratitude
A big part of The Conjuring: Last Rites‘ story has to do with Judy Warren (Mia Tomlinson) being an adult who is starting to move on from her parents with her boyfriend, Tony (Ben Hardy). The demonic presence in the film is one that’s been hunting Judy all her life, and it requires her to tap into her true potential as a medium to help her parents finally exorcise the evil spirit. The movie ends with Judy and Tony getting married, and the wedding celebration contains an extensive guest list, with some very special guests.
The Conjuring: Last Rites‘ final wedding sequence brings back main characters from all the previous films – specifically members of the families that the Warrens saved in each movie. That includes Lili Taylor as Carolyn Perron and matriarch Mackenzie Foy as her daughter Cindy Perron, from the first film; Frances O’Connor and Madison Wolfe as matriarch Peggy Hodgson and her daughter Janet Hodgson from the second film; and Julian Hilliard as David Glatzel from the third film, as well as James Wan, who pops up in a shot or two.
The cameos are sweet, as they are done in tandem with a final monologue Lorraine gives. She sees a vision of the future, and the happy life she and Ed would lead; she also expresses that faith and love were the power against evil that allowed them to do the good they’ve done. It’s also wild to see the younger cast members of The Conjuring films now older and more grown-up. There’s also a final crawl that explains how the Warrens lived out their lives, and how they inspired the larger field of paranormal study.
End Credits Sequence Explained
The end credits of The Conjuring: Last Rites continue the familiar franchise trend of showcasing real-life video footage, news articles, and photos of the real-life Ed and Lorraine Warren. This time, however, the archived material spans the entirety of the franchise (not just the case featured in the movie) and beyond, to other cases the Warrens worked on, which were not included in the film. It’s an overall pastiche that includes freaky Easter eggs like footage of alleged paranormal events, and long quotes from the Warrens, showcasing now-iconic lines of dialogue that were incorporated into the films.
It gives the fans an extra deep chill, as it confirms the real-world ties between what we saw in these movies and what the Warrens actually experienced during their lives.
The Conjuring: Last Rites Post-Credits Scene Explained
The Conjuring: Last Rites ends with one last reveal: a picture of the possessed mirror that is one of the film’s big MacGuffins. A picture of Ed Warren in theatrical dress standing in front of the mirror; a crawl set to the Annabelle theme song explains that the cursed object resided in the Warren Occult Museum for years, where it was used in performative rituals.
The Conjuring: Last Rites is now in theaters.
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