Here’s a clear, up‑to‑date guide on what order to watch the Conjuring movies, plus why fans disagree a bit about the “best” order.

What order to watch the Conjuring movies

You can watch them in two main ways :

  • Chronological (story timeline order inside the universe)
  • Release order (the order audiences actually saw them in theaters)

Most horror fans say:

  • Chronological = best for lore and Easter eggs.
  • Release order = best for pacing, reveals, and avoiding spoilers for later twists.

Below I’ll give you both, including the newer titles like The Nun II and The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Chronological order (in‑universe timeline)

This order follows the timeline of the story , starting with the earliest demonic events and leading up to the later Warren cases. Exact in‑universe years differ a bit by source, but the sequence is broadly agreed on.

Recommended chronological watch order:

  1. The Nun (1950s – origins of Valak)
  1. The Nun II (still in the 1950s, shortly after The Nun)
  1. Annabelle: Creation (mostly 1940s–1950s; how the doll becomes cursed)
  1. Annabelle (late 1960s)
  1. The Conjuring (early 1970s – Perron family case)
  1. Annabelle Comes Home (early 1970s, shortly after The Conjuring)
  1. The Curse of La Llorona (early 1970s; loosely connected, but with recurring priest character)
  1. The Conjuring 2 (mid‑1970s – Enfield and the nun connection)
  1. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (early 1980s – Arne Johnson case)
  1. The Conjuring: Last Rites (latest chapter, set after the third Conjuring film)

Some guides swap the exact placement of La Llorona or treat it as optional canon since its connection is more of a crossover than a core story.

Release order (how they came out in theaters)

This is the order most people originally experienced the universe in, and a lot of fans on forums argue this is the safest “first watch” order because twists land better and lore expands naturally.

Release order:

  1. The Conjuring (2013)
  1. Annabelle (2014)
  1. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
  1. Annabelle: Creation (2017)
  1. The Nun (2018)
  1. The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
  1. Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
  1. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
  1. The Nun II (2023)
  1. The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

Quick comparison: chrono vs release

Here’s a simple side‑by‑side so you can choose what suits your mood.

[6][1] [7][9] [6][3] [9][7] [1][3] [7][9] [3][9] [9][7] [1][7] [7][9] [3][1] [5][7] [1][3] [5][7] [1][5] [5][7] [9][5] [5][7][9] [4][1] [4][1][7]
Chronological order (story timeline) Release order (theatrical)
The Nun The Conjuring (2013)
The Nun II Annabelle (2014)
Annabelle: Creation The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Annabelle Annabelle: Creation (2017)
The Conjuring The Nun (2018)
Annabelle Comes Home The Curse of La Llorona (2019)
The Curse of La Llorona (optional) Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
The Conjuring 2 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It The Nun II (2023)
The Conjuring: Last Rites The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)

What fans and forums recommend (mini “forum discussion” vibe)

If you browse horror forums and Reddit threads, you’ll see two main camps :

  • “Watch in release order first”
    • Argument: The movies were written to be seen this way , so reveals about Valak, Annabelle, and the Warrens feel more impactful.
    • Some viewers found a pure chronological watch made certain flashbacks and references feel confusing or spoilery for older titles.
  • “Watch in chronological order for a rewatch”
    • Argument: Once you know the big twists, seeing the universe unfold from The Nun onward makes the whole saga feel like one long cursed history.
* Great if you’re marathoning for Halloween or bingeing with friends and want all the lore neatly lined up.

There’s also a third, hybrid approach floating around in discussions:

Start with the core Conjuring trilogy,
then do the Annabelle films,
then the Nun films,
and treat La Llorona as a bonus side‑story.

This keeps the focus on the Warrens while still letting you expand outward into the side branches once you’re invested.

Quick recommendation depending on your vibe

  • If this is your first time and you like classic horror pacing:
    → Go with release order.

  • If you’re doing a big spooky‑season marathon or rewatch and love tracking lore:
    → Go chronological , starting with The Nun and ending with The Conjuring: Last Rites.

  • If you want just the “main saga” right now:
    • Watch in this order:
      1. The Conjuring
      2. The Conjuring 2
      3. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
      4. The Conjuring: Last Rites

TL;DR:
If you only want one clean answer to “what order to watch the Conjuring movies,” watch them in release order first, then revisit in chronological order later for a deeper, lore‑heavy run.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.