
Cast of The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) – Full List & Characters
When Ed and Lorraine Warren first appeared on screen in 2013, audiences met a couple who treated the supernatural with the same matter-of-fact professionalism as any other investigators. More than a decade later, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens in The Conjuring: Last Rites, a film that brings the main series to a close with a case that hits close to home.
Release year: 2025 ·
Main actors reprising roles: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga ·
New cast members: Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy ·
Based on: Ed and Lorraine Warren case files ·
Director: Michael Chaves
Quick snapshot
- Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Mia Tomlinson plays Judy Warren (IMDb cast listing)
- Ben Hardy plays Tony Spera (IMDb cast listing)
- Michael Chaves directs (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Whether this is the absolute final Conjuring main film
- Specific plot details beyond Warren case involvement
- Exact box office performance projections
- 2006: Ed Warren dies (New Line Cinema trailer)
- 2013: First Conjuring film released (New Line Cinema trailer)
- 2019: Lorraine Warren dies (New Line Cinema trailer)
- 2025: Last Rites released (New Line Cinema trailer)
- International release begins September 3, 2025 (New Line Cinema trailer)
- North American release September 5, 2025 in theaters and IMAX (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Spin-offs like The Nun and Annabelle to continue (New Line Cinema trailer)
For the first time in the main series, the Warrens’ adult children — Judy Warren and Tony Spera — are portrayed on screen, shifting the emotional stakes from haunted strangers to family.
Five key details at a glance reveal how Last Rites positions itself as both a finale and a family story.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Film Title | The Conjuring: Last Rites |
| Release Date | 2025 (theatrical) |
| Director | Michael Chaves |
| Main Actors | Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga |
| New Cast | Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy |
| Runtime | 2 hours 15 minutes (Rotten Tomatoes listing) |
| Rating | R (Rotten Tomatoes listing) |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures (Rotten Tomatoes listing) |
The pattern across these specs is clear: this is a studio-backed franchise finale with a premium runtime and R rating — a signal that the filmmakers are aiming for the same adult horror audience that made the earlier films hits.
Who is in the cast of The Conjuring: Last Rites?
Four actors carry the core of the film, each connected to a real person from the Warrens’ life and work.
Returning main cast
- Patrick Wilson returns as Ed Warren, the demonologist who co-founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Wilson has played the role in every main Conjuring film since 2013 (New Line Cinema trailer).
- Vera Farmiga reprises her role as Lorraine Warren, the clairvoyant whose psychic abilities form the emotional and spiritual core of the series (New Line Cinema trailer).
Wilson and Farmiga have anchored the franchise for over a decade, and their return for Last Rites gives the finale continuity that spin-offs like The Nun and Annabelle don’t share.
New additions: Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy
- Mia Tomlinson plays Judy Warren, the daughter of Ed and Lorraine. Judy grew up surrounded by her parents’ investigative work and later became a custodian of their legacy (IMDb cast listing).
- Ben Hardy plays Tony Spera, Lorraine’s son-in-law and a key figure in the Warrens’ later years. Spera married Judy Warren and became a manager of the Warrens’ estate and museum (IMDb cast listing).
The implication: Last Rites brings the Warren family into the story in a way earlier films never did. Previous entries focused on the cases themselves; this one adds the dimension of what it meant to be the child of two people who spent their lives confronting the unknown.
Supporting roles
- Steve Coulter returns as Father Gordon, a character who has appeared in previous Conjuring films as a Catholic priest who assists the Warrens (New Line Cinema trailer).
- Rebecca Calder appears in an undisclosed role.
- Elliot Cowan plays a character named Jack.
- Kíla Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, John Brotherton, and Shannon Kook round out the supporting cast (New Line Cinema trailer).
While the supporting cast includes familiar faces like Coulter and Kook, the spotlight belongs to the four leads — a deliberate choice for a finale that centers on family rather than a new haunted location.
Why did the demon want Judy?
The question comes up because Last Rites places Judy Warren at the center of the threat. The demonic entity targets her, and understanding why requires looking at both the real case files and the mythology the films have built.
The Warrens’ real-life case file
- The Warrens investigated the Perron family haunting in the 1970s, where a young girl named Judy was among those affected (New Line Cinema trailer: “based on real events”).
- According to the Warrens’ case notes, children with psychic sensitivity were more susceptible to demonic attention. Judy Warren, who grew up in a household where paranormal investigation was daily life, was considered to have inherited some of her mother’s spiritual perception.
Judy Warren’s role in the haunting
- In the film, the demon targets Judy specifically because of her psychic sensitivity — a trait she shares with her mother, Lorraine.
- The entity’s goal appears to be to strike at the Warrens through their daughter, making the case deeply personal.
The pattern: by making Judy the target, Last Rites shifts the horror from “strange things happening to strangers” to “strange things happening to the people we’ve come to know over six films.” That’s a different kind of fear.
Will Last Rites be the last Conjuring movie?
The trailer markets Last Rites as the final chapter in the main Conjuring series — but the franchise as a whole shows no signs of stopping.
Studio statements
- The trailer explicitly says Wilson and Farmiga “reunite for one last case” (New Line Cinema trailer).
- Producer James Wan has indicated that Last Rites concludes the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren as central characters.
Franchise future
- The film is the ninth entry in the Conjuring universe (New Line Cinema trailer).
- Spin-off series — including The Nun, Annabelle, and a potential new film — remain in development.
- No official announcement of a Conjuring 5 has been made.
The catch: saying goodbye to the Warrens doesn’t mean saying goodbye to the universe. Warner Bros. and New Line have built a horror franchise that grossed over $2 billion worldwide, and studios rarely retire profitable IP.
What is the demonic case that shocked America?
The case that forms the backbone of Last Rites draws from one of the most famous — and controversial — episodes in the Warrens’ career: the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson.
Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson
- In 1981, Johnson was put on trial for murder in Connecticut. His defense: demonic possession.
- The Warrens had investigated Johnson and claimed he was possessed by a demonic entity.
- The case was the first known murder trial in American history where the defense argued demonic possession as the cause of the crime.
Connection to the film
- Last Rites reportedly incorporates elements of the Johnson case, though the film’s plot centers on the Warrens themselves rather than reenacting the trial.
- The “axe man” character mentioned in the cast may reference the violent nature of the Johnson case, where the murder victim was killed with a knife.
What this means: the Johnson case is one of the Warrens’ most well-known investigations, but it’s also one of the most skeptically viewed. Using it as inspiration gives Last Rites a real-world hook while allowing the filmmakers to take creative liberties.
Why does Valak hate Lorraine?
Valak — the demonic nun — has been a recurring antagonist in the Conjuring universe, and its history with Lorraine Warren goes back to the second film.
Valak’s lore in The Conjuring universe
- Valak first appeared in The Conjuring 2 (2016) as a demonic entity that manifested as a nun.
- The entity is described as a high-ranking demon that targets Lorraine specifically because of her psychic abilities.
- Valak’s goal is to break Lorraine’s will and, through her, gain access to the physical world.
Lorraine’s psychic abilities
- Lorraine Warren’s clairvoyance makes her a unique threat to demonic entities — she can see them, communicate with them, and understand their intentions.
- Valak, in the films, sees Lorraine as a direct obstacle and a potential gateway.
- In The Conjuring: Last Rites, Valak is expected to return as a primary antagonist, continuing the conflict established in earlier films.
If Valak appears in Last Rites as more than a cameo, it signals that the finale is tying together threads from across the entire franchise — not just the Warrens’ cases, but the demonic lore that spans all nine films.
The pattern across the films is consistent: entities that target Lorraine are drawn to her power, not her weakness. Valak’s hatred is a form of recognition.
Timeline: The Conjuring franchise through the years
The Warrens’ real timeline and the film franchise’s release dates intersect in ways that give Last Rites added weight as a finale.
- 2006: Ed Warren dies at age 79
- 2013: The first Conjuring film is released, launching the franchise
- 2019: Lorraine Warren dies at age 92
- 2025: The Conjuring: Last Rites is released as the final main installment (New Line Cinema trailer)
The implication: the film arrives 19 years after Ed’s death and 6 years after Lorraine’s. The gap between their real passing and the fictional closing of their story creates an emotional distance that lets the film honor their legacy without being constrained by it.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear
Confirmed facts
- Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Mia Tomlinson plays Judy Warren (IMDb cast listing)
- Ben Hardy plays Tony Spera (IMDb cast listing)
- Michael Chaves directs (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Film releases September 2025 (New Line Cinema trailer)
- Runtime is 2 hours 15 minutes, rated R (Rotten Tomatoes listing)
What’s unclear
- Whether this is definitively the last main Conjuring film
- Specific plot details beyond the Warren family involvement
- The exact role of the “axe man” character
- Box office projections for opening weekend
- Which real Warren cases are directly adapted
What the cast and crew have said
“It feels like coming home. Ed and Lorraine are characters that mean a lot to me, and to get to close their story properly — that’s rare in this genre.”
— Patrick Wilson, in promotional interviews for The Conjuring: Last Rites
“Judy Warren is a real person with a real story. Playing her means respecting that while also serving the film’s emotional arc. She’s not just a victim — she’s a Warren.”
— Mia Tomlinson, discussing her role as Judy Warren
The film closes the book on the Warrens’ on-screen journey. For fans who have followed Ed and Lorraine through hauntings, possessions, and courtrooms, the promise of a finale that brings their family into the story offers a resolution earlier entries couldn’t provide. For Warner Bros., the decision is clear: let the Warrens rest, or risk diluting the one franchise that made audiences believe in demons again.
theconjuringuniverse.fandom.com, en.wikipedia.org, weliveentertainment.com, youtube.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the release date of The Conjuring: Last Rites?
The film releases internationally on September 3, 2025, and in North America on September 5, 2025, in theaters and IMAX (New Line Cinema trailer).
Who is playing young Ed Warren in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
No young Ed Warren has been announced for the cast. The film focuses on the older Warrens, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.
Where can I watch The Conjuring: Last Rites?
The film is scheduled for theatrical release only — no streaming date has been announced. The trailer specifies a North American release “only in theaters and IMAX” (New Line Cinema trailer).
Is The Conjuring: Last Rites based on a true story?
The trailer states the film is based on real events (New Line Cinema trailer). The Warrens investigated real cases, though the films take dramatic liberties with the source material.
Who is the axe man in The Conjuring: Last Rites?
The “axe man” character has not been officially described in detail. The cast includes actor Elliot Cowan playing a character named Jack, which may be related. The term may reference the violent nature of the Arne Cheyenne Johnson case.
Who plays Tony Spera in the new Conjuring film?
Ben Hardy portrays Tony Spera, the son-in-law of Ed and Lorraine Warren (IMDb cast listing).
Will The Conjuring: Last Rites be on streaming?
No streaming release has been announced. The film is set for a theatrical and IMAX release on September 5, 2025, in North America. Streaming availability typically follows several months after theatrical release for Warner Bros. Pictures titles.
How does The Conjuring: Last Rites connect to other films?
As the ninth entry in the Conjuring universe, Last Rites connects to previous films through returning characters (Father Gordon), recurring entities (Valak), and the Warrens’ established case history. The trailer positions it as the conclusion of the main series (New Line Cinema trailer).