For a first viewing, watch The Conjuring Universe movies in release order because later films build on earlier reveals. For story chronology, start with The Nun and finish with The Conjuring: Last Rites. The universe links the Warrens' investigations with the Annabelle and Nun spin-offs. The Curse of La Llorona has crossover elements but disputed franchise status, so treat it as an optional tenth film.
Table of Contents
- Which order should first-time viewers choose?
- The complete release order
- The chronological story order
- How essential is The Curse of La Llorona?
- Streaming checklist before starting
Which order should first-time viewers choose?
Release order works best for newcomers. It introduces characters and supernatural threats as audiences originally encountered them, preserving callbacks and intended surprises. Chronological order suits returning viewers who want the fictional events arranged by year.
It creates a smoother historical timeline, but some revelations arrive before the films that originally established them. You can also watch each branch separately: the three Annabelle films, the two Nun films, and then the four main Conjuring films. That approach favors recurring characters over either release dates or strict chronology.
The complete release order
Watch the films in this order to follow the franchise as it expanded: Skipping The Curse of La Llorona does not interrupt the Warrens', Annabelle's, or Valak's central stories. Include it if you want every feature-length crossover commonly associated with the series.
- The Conjuring (2013)
- Annabelle (2014)
- The Conjuring 2 (2016)
- Annabelle: Creation (2017)
- The Nun (2018)
The chronological story order
this chronology uses each film's main storyline rather than its earliest flashback or prologue: Strict scene-by-scene chronology would be messier. Annabelle: Creation opens earlier than its main plot, while The Conjuring 2 and Last Rites contain material set before their principal investigations.
- The Nun — 1952
- Annabelle: Creation — 1955 main story
- The Nun II — 1956
- Annabelle — 1967
- The Conjuring — 1971
How essential is The Curse of La Llorona?
The Curse of La Llorona connects to Annabelle through Father Perez and related imagery. However, its place in the official universe has remained less clear than the direct Conjuring, Annabelle, and Nun entries. Treat it as a side story rather than required viewing.
In release order, place it before Annabelle Comes Home; chronologically, place it between Annabelle Comes Home and The Conjuring 2. The franchise therefore contains nine core feature films through Last Rites. Broader watchlists contain ten by adding La Llorona.
Streaming checklist before starting
Streaming rights change by country, service, and date, so a permanent platform list would quickly become unreliable. Check every title separately, especially similarly named entries such as Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation.
A service carrying one Conjuring movie may not carry the entire universe. Verify all nine core titles before starting if uninterrupted release-order viewing matters.
- Set the availability search to your country.
- Confirm whether each film is included, ad-supported, rental-only, or purchase-only.
- Search by the full subtitle to avoid selecting the wrong installment.
- Build a queue of nine core films, plus La Llorona if desired.
- Recheck availability shortly before the marathon.
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