“The Conjuring: Last Rites” closes the long-running horror series with a blend of conventional scares and a family-focused emotional arc and opened at No. 1 at the box office on Friday, taking in $34.5 million on its first day, according to The Numbers.
The ninth film in the Conjuring universe reunites Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as real-life paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren. Set in the Pennsylvania suburbs in 1986, the story pairs a new case of violent possession with the Warrens’ personal life, including the presence of their daughter Judy. Screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick returned to the series with writing credits alongside Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing, and the film ties into the broader franchise that includes spinoffs such as The Nun and Annabelle.
Studio tracking and industry estimates projected a strong weekend for the film, with Deadline estimating a potential three-day total of about $75 million. The film’s opening day placed it ahead of the filmed version of the Broadway musical Hamilton, which returned to theaters Friday after its 2020 release on Disney+. Hamilton was in second place on Friday and was forecast to earn up to $10 million for the weekend. The indie film Weapons remained in third place, bringing in about $1.5 million on its fifth Friday in theaters.
Critics offered mixed assessments of the franchise send-off. ABC News described Last Rites as a "decent final cinematic prayer" that mixes familiar horror set pieces — creaking floors, moving swing sets and sudden shocks — with the emotional throughline of the Warrens’ family life. The New York Times called the film "a disappointing send-off; more an eccentric family drama than a real chiller," noting that the movie privileges character and sentiment over sustained terror.
Plot elements in Last Rites follow established conventions of the franchise: a suburban family is tormented by an escalating supernatural presence that culminates in physical manifestations, possession and ritual confrontations. Reviewers noted that the screenplay weaves moments of domesticity and hope — including a wedding sequence — into the genre scaffolding, producing a tonal mix that some critics found moving and others found uneven.
The Conjuring universe has been among Warner Bros.’ most durable horror properties since the original film’s release more than a decade ago. Loosely rooted in reported investigations by the Warrens, the series expanded into a shared horror franchise with several spinoffs and standalone installments that explored individual cases and origins of the supernatural antagonists. Last Rites is marketed and discussed as a concluding chapter for the central Warren storyline.
On the technical side, returning cast chemistry and production design were highlighted by several reviewers as strengths, while the film’s reliance on familiar jump-scare mechanics and one-note set pieces drew criticism. The screenplay’s attempted balance between family drama and supernatural spectacle prompted discussion about whether the film functions better as a character piece or as a finale meant to deliver sustained horror.
Box office analysts will continue to track weekend grosses to confirm early projections, and the film’s performance will be measured against previous franchise entries and the strength of concurrent releases. For now, Last Rites’ opening day triumph marks a commercially successful debut even as critical reaction remains mixed on whether the film provides a definitive and satisfying conclusion to the Warrens’ cinematic story.
For audiences invested in the Conjuring universe, Last Rites offers familiar atmospherics, franchise callbacks and a final focus on the Warrens’ family, while mainstream moviegoers will weigh its scares against its sentimental beats as weekend box office totals finalize.
