If you thought the demons were gone, think again. Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) return to face a new supernatural threat in THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT. Based on a true story, the film centers around the shocking 1981 murder trial of Arne Johnson (Ruairi O'Connor) in Connecticut.
The movie serves as the sequel to 2013’s THE CONJURING and 2016’s THE CONJURING 2, but throws new challenges at the experienced paranormal investigators, the likes of which they’ve never seen before.
“It’s pretty loaded with what this couple goes through both individually and then together. I think their relationship is supremely put to the test in this one,” Vera Farmiga said.
Patrick Wilson agreed: “The thing with these movies is, each time we come back, we have to put them even further down the line. We don’t just come back and retread the same ground. This movie really gets out of the haunted house genre and really into more of a thriller so it’s got a different feel than the other CONJURING movies."
People often assume that creating a supernatural horror film based on true events might lead to some scares for the cast and crew. Since this is the third installment of the series, however, Farmiga said they’re becoming quite experienced themselves in blocking out negative spirits.
“The spooky, odd, creepy, dark things happened on the first one. So we started doing this thing where we gathered everyone around and we started off with a sort of consecrating the space and the workplace and with a prayer of intent, and sort of pushing all that stuff away. Just wanting it to be a healthy, happy-go-lucky, safe experience so nothing happens any longer.”
As for the real characters portrayed in the movie, they truly believed in their mission. Ed and Lorraine not only fought against demons but also their detractors, and that battle is highlighted in this film.
“Ed was used to the skeptics and challenged the skeptics. I would probably argue just the same way that very devout people believe in the power of prayer and the power of God,” Wilson said.
“This was a man that, like many, believed that there were those other diabolical sides and they need to be dealt with. He was very studied in demonology. And at the time, was one of the very few people that was not an ordained minister that was able to give an exorcism because of his knowledge and dedication to demonology.”
Check out our full interview with the cast of THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT:
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT opens on June 4!
All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.