The Warrens are coming to television.
HBO Max has taken a significant step forward with its planned “The Conjuring” series, tapping accomplished showrunner Nancy Won to lead the project that will expand the supernatural horror franchise beyond its theatrical origins.
Won, whose impressive television credits span from Netflix’s “Jessica Jones” to Apple TV+’s “Sunny,” will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner for the series. Joining her writing team are Peter Cameron and Cameron Squires, both Marvel veterans who have worked on projects ranging from “WandaVision” to “Moon Knight” and “Agatha All Along.”
The announcement comes at an opportune moment for the franchise. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” just delivered a seismic box office performance, pulling in $194 million worldwide and claiming the title of best theatrical opening for any film in the series. The success underscores the continued audience appetite for Ed and Lorraine Warren’s paranormal investigations, making the HBO Max series development particularly timely.
From Screen to Small Screen
While specific plot details remain under wraps, the series will continue the story established in “The Conjuring” film franchise, which has dramatized the supposed real-life cases of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Peter Safran remains attached as executive producer, with James Wan’s Atomic Monster producing and Warner Bros. Television serving as the studio.
The transition from film to television represents a natural evolution for a franchise that has already demonstrated remarkable versatility. Since the original 2013 film starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, “The Conjuring” universe has expanded to include multiple spinoff franchises—”Annabelle” and “The Nun”—that have produced five additional films collectively grossing nearly $2.5 billion worldwide.
This makes “The Conjuring” the highest-grossing horror franchise in cinema history, a success that HBO Max clearly hopes to translate to the streaming landscape.
The Creative Powerhouse Behind the Project
Won brings a wealth of genre experience to the project. Her work on “Supernatural,” the long-running CW series about paranormal investigators, provides particularly relevant background for tackling the Warren mythology. Her recent credits demonstrate range across multiple genres and platforms, from the intimate drama of Hulu’s “Little Fires Everywhere” to the superhero noir of “Jessica Jones.”
The addition of Cameron and Squires signals HBO Max’s serious commitment to the project. Cameron’s work on Marvel’s supernatural-adjacent “Werewolf by Night” special and multiple Disney+ series showcases his ability to blend horror elements with broader storytelling. Squires’ portfolio spans from “The Boys” spin-off “Gen V” to “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” demonstrating versatility across different franchise universes.
This creative team suggests a series that will honor the franchise’s horror roots while potentially expanding its thematic scope and character development possibilities that the episodic format allows.
Perfect Timing for Horror Television
The timing couldn’t be better for a Conjuring television adaptation. Horror has found new life on streaming platforms, with series like “The Haunting of Hill House,” “Midnight Mass,” and “Wednesday” proving that audiences crave sophisticated supernatural storytelling beyond the theatrical experience.
“The Conjuring: Last Rites” box office performance provides additional validation. The film’s $187 million opening weekend represents not just franchise success, but the second-biggest global debut for a horror movie ever, trailing only 2017’s “It.” The $83 million domestic haul paired with a record-breaking $104 million international take demonstrates the global appeal that HBO Max hopes to capture for television.
The IMAX success—$14.3 million representing the biggest September IMAX opening ever—also suggests audiences are hungry for premium horror experiences, something a high-budget streaming series could provide.
The Challenges of Adaptation
Converting a successful film franchise to television presents unique challenges. The Conjuring films have relied heavily on carefully constructed scares and the charismatic chemistry between Wilson and Farmiga’s Ed and Lorraine Warren. Television’s episodic nature will require different storytelling approaches, potentially focusing more on character development and ongoing supernatural mythology.
The series will also need to differentiate itself from both the existing films and the crowded horror television landscape. Shows like “Evil,” “Supernatural,” and “The X-Files” have already explored similar paranormal investigation territory, though none with The Conjuring’s specific blend of period detail and religious horror elements.
Won’s experience with long-form character development and the Marvel writers’ expertise with interconnected storytelling suggest an approach that could expand the Warren universe while maintaining the intimate, personal horror that has defined the franchise.
Franchise Future
The HBO Max series represents just one part of The Conjuring universe’s continued expansion. Given “Last Rites'” box office success, additional theatrical releases seem inevitable, creating a multi-platform approach that could sustain the franchise for years to come.
The television format also offers opportunities to explore cases and characters that might not support full theatrical treatment, potentially developing supporting characters and expanding the mythology in ways the films cannot.
With production moving forward and this accomplished creative team in place, The Conjuring television series appears positioned to bring the Warrens’ supernatural investigations to a new medium while honoring the elements that have made the franchise a horror phenomenon.
For fans of the films, the series promises to deliver the same blend of period atmosphere, religious horror, and paranormal investigation that has defined the franchise, while potentially offering deeper character exploration and expanded mythology that only television’s episodic format can provide.
