One of the most interesting aspects about The Conjuring and its sequels, prequels, and spin-offs is that there is an intricate timeline to follow. Each installment in the series ties into one another in unique, interesting ways and span several decades while doing so. With this in mind, it’s become important to understand just when the timeline for The Conjuring: The Devil Takes Me Do It aka The Conjuring 3 is set. As it turns out, the upcoming sequel is actually going to bring the franchise into the 1980’s.
As revealed in the film’s new trailer, the timeline for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is actually set in the year 1981. While there have been other installments in the series that have gone further back in time, this is so far the chronologically most current installment. When you consider how well known The Conjuring is for utilizing the 1970’s as a massive part of its aesthetic, it’s more than interesting to see this new film take advantage of its 1980’s setting. Specifically, the first film was actually set in 1971 – so this makes The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It take place exactly one decade later.
This means Ed and Lorraine Warren, the paranormal investigator couple played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, will now be aged 55 and 54. As a result, there’s plenty that can be done with this established timeline – and filmmakers will certainly take advantage of the film being set in the 1980’s. With nostalgia, especially for the 1980’s, being more popular than ever these days – this third Conjuring film is sure to make the best of it. This also means that the franchise now spans from The Nun which takes place in 1952 all the way to this upcoming installment, which is again set in 1981. That’s nearly three decades of ghostly horror. And it seems like we’ll probably be getting even more in the future.
In the new film…
“The Devil Made Me Do It reveals a chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense.”
The next horrifying film in the franchise, The Conjuring 3, was directed by Michael Chaves, who previously directed The Curse of La Llorona. The screenplay was written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick based on a story he wrote with James Wan. It was produced by James Wan and Peter Safran. The executive producers were Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Victoria Palmeri, Michael Clear, Judson Scott, and Michelle Morrissey.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will be returning as main characters Ed and Lorraine Warren, with newcomers Ruairi O’Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, and Julian Hilliard joining the cast.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is scheduled to hit theaters and HBO Max on June 4, 2021.