Annabelle films are a successful horror movie series in James Wan’s Conjuring universe. Here’s how to watch them all in order.

How to watch the Annabelle movies in order

Annabelle movies are a recent Conjuring series spin-off featuring three horror flicks exploring the origins and fate of the demonic doll Annabelle that’s been terrorizing the silver screen for the past five years.

An overview of the Annabelle series

Annabelle movies are a series of three Warner Bros films set in James Wan’s The Conjuring universe. There have been three Annabelle movie movies so far: Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019).

First Annabelle movie

The first movie, Annabelle, is technically a prequel to The Conjuring. It tells the origin story of Annabelle, the demonic doll known from the stories told by Ed and Lorraine Warren, a couple of paranormal investigators. The plot begins with John and Mia, a couple living together, bringing the strange doll into their home, not suspecting it’s possessed. The movie is directed by John R. Leonetti and stars Annabelle Wallis as Mia, Ward Horton as her husband John, and Tony Amendola as Father Perez.

Second Annabelle movie

The second movie, Annabelle: Creation, is another prequel taking place before the first movie. The story centers on Samuel Mullins, a dollmaker, and his wife, Esther, who are stricken with grief after their daughter’s passing. The couple allows Sister Charlotte and a number of orphan girls into their homes, but when one of the girls, Janice, finds a mysterious porcelain doll, she unwittingly summons a demon that begins terrorizing the house. It was directed by David F. Sandberg and stars Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Miranda Otto.

Third Annabelle movie

Chronologically, the third movie, Annabelle Comes Home, takes place after the events in the first one. It follows the Warrens, the aforementioned demonologists, who’ve brought the doll to their artifact room, not knowing that its presence there will lead to another battle against demonic possession as more and more spirits awaken to torment their family. The third movie is directed by Gary Dauberman and stars Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, Katie Sarife, Vera Farmiga, and Patrick Wilson. The movie met with mixed reviews, although it did decently well at the box office.

Were the Annabelle movies based on a book?

Annabelle is a horror film that gained immense popularity upon its release, often associated with the The Conjuring universe created by James Wan. While the storyline of the haunted doll has captivated audiences globally, it's a common misconception that Annabelle is directly based on a book. In reality, the film's inspiration is drawn from claims of real-life paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, concerning a Raggedy Ann doll believed to be possessed. While there have been books and articles that detail the alleged true story of the Annabelle doll, the movie itself is not an adaptation of a specific book but rather a cinematic interpretation of the supposedly real-life haunting incident.

In what order should I watch The Conjuring movies?

James Wan is responsible for some of the best horror movies this generation, with franchises such as Saw and Insidious under his belt, so it’s understandable that you’d want to check his other work out. The Conjuring universe is vast, and its story spans decades, so you’ll have to have a well-structured reading order if you want to see how the story evolved from the first movie, whose story reaches as far back as 1950s Romania.

The Conjuring movies in chronological order

1. The Nun (1952/1971) — The first flick in the series and the one featuring the now famous demonic nun takes the story to 1952 and stars Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, and Jonas Bloquet, with Bonnie Aarons coming back to play the of the nun, an incarnation of Valak we saw in The Conjuring 2.
2. Annabelle: Creation (1943/1952/1955/1967) — The second movie takes place in 1955. It stars Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, and Miranda Otto, and tells the story of how Annabelle the doll came to be.
3. Annabelle (1967) — The third movie in chronological order takes place in the late ‘60s and tells the story of John and Mia, a couple terrorized by the doll.
4. The Conjuring (1968/1971) — The first Conjuring movie follows the Warrens, a couple of investigators doing research on a series of disturbing events that took place in the early ‘70s in Rhode Island. Their story also inspired the Amityville horror movie. The movie stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
5. Annabelle Comes Home (1968/1969 or 1971/1972) — In the fifth movie, the Warrens confiscate the doll after reports of it committing violent attacks, but their actions only make things worse and invite more demons into their world. The movie stars Mckenna Grace, Madison Iseman, and Katie Sarife.
6. The Curse of La Llorona (1973) — In the sixth movie, we go to 1973 Los Angeles, where a mother is trying to save her children from a demonic presence. The movie stars Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, and Patricia Velásquez.
7. The Conjuring 2 (1976/1977) — In the late ‘70s, the Warrens go to England, to Enfield, to help the Hodgson family deal with a poltergeist.
8. The Conjuring 3, i.e., The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (1980/81) — In the eighth movie, we go to the early ‘80s and follow the Warrens as they investigate an exorcism in Connecticut tied to the Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson incident.

The conjuring movies in release order

If you want to experience the story as it came out, you can watch the Conjuring films according to their release date.

1. The Conjuring (2013)
2. Annabelle (2014)
3. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
4. Annabelle Creation (2017)
5. The Nun (2018)
6. The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
7. Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
8. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
9. The Nun 2 is coming out in 2023, directed by filmmaker Michael Chaves.

The Conjuring movies are available on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Max.

Audiobook collections like Annabelle Movies

The Conjuring series features some of the best horror movies of the last decade, and we’ve come to appreciate them during the last few Halloween parties thanks to their old-school takes on possession, exorcisms, and other kinds of demonic activities. But have you ever read horror novels? More precisely, have you ever listened to them? Horror is among the most popular genres when it comes to fiction, and there are countless stories just as spooky as those of Judy Warren and her family. If you’d like to experience horror literature in a whole new way, check out some horror authors such as Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, and H. P. Lovecraft on Speechify Audiobooks.

Listen to horror books with Speechify Audiobooks

For the most harrowing and bone-chilling experience, check out Speechify Audiobooks. Speechify Audiobooks is an audiobook service with tons of horror, techno-horror, and even children’s horror titles, such as those by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, and R. L. Stine. The app is available in all app stores, it’s pretty intuitive, and the narration quality is superb. Download Speechify Audiobooks today and enjoy your first premium listen for free.

FAQ

Where can I watch The Conjuring movies?

The Conjuring movies are available on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and HBO Max.

Will there be a movie about the Crooked Man?

No, the makers of The Conjuring have stated the Crooked Man will not get his own movie, although a spin-off was initially rumored.