The Conjuring 4: Last Rites (2025): Cast, Content, and Plot Twists in a Haunting Finale

As the clock strikes 10:20 AM +07 on Monday, July 21, 2025, anticipation builds for The Conjuring 4: Last Rites, set to release on September 5, 2025. This supernatural horror film, directed by Michael Chaves, marks the ninth installment in the billion-dollar Conjuring Universe and the fourth mainline entry featuring paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. With a chilling trailer that opens on an old, isolated church shrouded in weeds and circled by ominous crows, accompanied by the haunting whisper, “The last rites have been pronounced, but the evil remains,” the film promises a terrifying conclusion to the Warrens’ saga. Starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, alongside new additions Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson, Last Rites blends familiar scares with fresh twists. This article explores the cast, content, and plot twists that define this eagerly awaited finale.

The Cast: A Blend of Veterans and New Faces

Patrick Wilson returns as Ed Warren, the steadfast demonologist whose gruff determination has anchored the series since The Conjuring (2013). At 52, Wilson brings a seasoned intensity to the role, his physicality and emotional depth honed over three prior films. His performance, marked by a reflective tone in the trailer as he surveys cursed artifacts, suggests a man facing his final battle. Vera Farmiga reprises Lorraine Warren, the clairvoyant medium whose ethereal presence has been the franchise’s emotional core. At 51, Farmiga’s portrayal evolves with a mix of vulnerability and resolve, her trance sequences promising to deliver the series’ signature chills.

Joining the veteran duo are Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson, injecting fresh blood into the narrative. Hardy, known for Bohemian Rhapsody, plays an undisclosed role, speculated to be Tony Spera, Judy Warren’s husband and a real-life figure in the Warren legacy. At 34, Hardy’s rugged charm could add a dynamic ally or antagonist. Mia Tomlinson, recognized from The Beast Must Die, portrays the grown-up Judy Warren, Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, a role previously handled by Sterling Jerins and McKenna Grace. At an undisclosed age, Tomlinson’s casting hints at a pivotal family storyline, her presence bridging past and present.

Supporting actors enhance the ensemble. Rebecca Calder and Elliot Cowan play Janet and Jack Smurl, the Pennsylvania family central to the film’s inspiration, bringing authenticity to their real-life counterparts. Kíla Lord Cassidy, Beau Gadsdon, Tilly Walker, and Molly Cartwright portray their daughters, adding youthful terror. Shannon Kook returns as Drew Thomas, while Steve Coulter, John Brotherton, Peter Wight, Kate Fahy, Orion Smith, and Madison Lawlor round out the cast, their roles shrouded in mystery but likely tied to the haunting’s community impact. The real Judy Warren and Tony Spera are rumored for cameos, offering a poignant nod to the Warrens’ legacy.

Content: A Haunting Conclusion Rooted in Real Events

Last Rites opens with an eerie establishing shot of an old, isolated church, its weathered structure overtaken by weeds, as crows circle ominously. The trailer’s whispered line, “The last rites have been pronounced, but the evil remains,” sets a foreboding tone, suggesting a case that defies closure. Set in 1986, five years after The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), the film draws inspiration from the Smurl family haunting in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, a real-life case investigated by the Warrens in 1986. The Smurls reported foul odors, disembodied voices, and violent attacks, including alleged demonic assaults, claims met with skepticism but etched into paranormal lore.

The narrative follows Ed and Lorraine, now older and contemplating retirement, as they are drawn into this final case. The trailer shows Ed reflecting on their 1,000 cases, surrounded by cursed artifacts like Annabelle and Valak’s painting, hinting at a personal connection to the evil they face. The Smurl family’s ordeal—portrayed with Calder and Cowan—escalates from minor disturbances to life-threatening encounters, testing the Warrens’ faith and resilience. Flashbacks to their youth, teased in promotional materials, suggest a demon from their past resurfaces, adding a layer of history to the terror.

The film’s 129-minute runtime, filmed in Atlanta and London, leverages Michael Chaves’s direction to blend jump scares with atmospheric dread. Cinematography by Michael Burgess captures the church’s decay and the Smurl home’s claustrophobic tension, while Benjamin Wallfisch’s score amplifies the suspense. With a speculated $50 million budget, Last Rites aims to conclude the Warrens’ arc, though the Conjuring Universe will continue with spin-offs. The content explores faith versus evil, family protection, and the personal cost of confronting darkness, earning a 70% anticipation rating on early platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, though its reliance on past elements risks repetition for some fans.

Plot Twists: Unraveling a Sinister Legacy

Last Rites promises several plot twists to keep audiences on edge. The first twist emerges early when the Warrens discover the church’s “last rites” were performed not for a human but for a demon, sealed by a failed exorcism decades ago. This revelation, hinted at by the trailer’s opening, suggests the evil persists due to a ritualistic error, tying the church to the Smurl haunting.

The second twist involves Judy Warren’s endangerment. The trailer’s focus on Tomlinson’s character, combined with Ed’s funeral scene, implies the demon targets her, possibly as revenge for the Warrens’ past victories. This personal stakes twist, speculated from posts found on X, could see Judy confronting the entity, adding emotional weight and a potential sacrifice.

The climactic twist centers on the demon’s identity. Promotional materials suggest it’s a figure from the Warrens’ early career, possibly linked to Annabelle or Valak, now possessing a vendetta against their lineage. The trailer’s tagline and Ed’s warning about cursed artifacts point to a final exorcism where one Warren—likely Ed, given Wilson’s comments on retirement—may perish, rewriting their peaceful real-life ends (Ed died in 2006, Lorraine in 2019) for dramatic effect. This departure, debated on Reddit, could end with Lorraine surviving to pass the torch, aligning with the franchise’s new phase.

Reception and Anticipation

With no official release yet, Last Rites garners mixed early sentiment. The May 2025 teaser trailer, released by Warner Bros., has generated buzz, with posts found on X calling it “creepy” and “one of the best entries,” though some lament Chaves’s direction over James Wan’s. The Smurl case’s real-life skepticism—critics citing Jack Smurl’s impaired judgment post-1983 brain surgery—adds intrigue, with the film balancing fact and fiction. Its September 5 slot, competing with Saw XI, tests its box office pull, but the franchise’s $2 billion legacy ensures strong interest. A Max debut is expected by December 2025 or January 2026, per industry patterns.

Conclusion

The Conjuring 4: Last Rites unites a talented cast, a chilling content rooted in the Smurl haunting, and gripping plot twists to deliver a haunting finale for Ed and Lorraine Warren. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga lead with seasoned prowess, supported by Ben Hardy, Mia Tomlinson, and others, while the narrative’s eerie church setting and persistent evil promise terror. From a botched last rite to Judy’s peril and a demon’s vendetta, the twists elevate the stakes, potentially ending with a Warren’s sacrifice. As the Conjuring Universe prepares for a new era, this film stands to be a spine-chilling capstone, blending legacy with innovation.

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