The Conjuring 3 is currently filming.
With shared cinematic universes being the golden territory for various studios, allow us to pitch something. The MCU vs The CU: The Demonic Endgame.
Basically, demons get unleashed at the Avengers’ compound and despite Captain America’s shield, Iron Man’s incredible tech, The Hulk’s raw strength, and Hawkeye’s, erm, bow and arrow, they all get torn to shreds by the demons Bathsheba and Valac in a gruesome bloodbath.
Granted, we might not get 23 films from this particular shared universe, but damn will we watch that film!
Anyway, one man that has been very busy of late is Patrick Wilson because not only is he starring in Midway – reviewed on this week’s episode of The Big Reviewski – but he’s also filming The Conjuring 3 and after that, he’s starting work on Aquaman 2.
As fans of The Conjuring series will know, Wilson plays Ed Warren – the real life paranormal investigator who along with his wife Lorraine (Vera Farmiga), investigate demonic occurrences and hauntings.
With The Conjuring 3 currently filming, Wilson gave an update to The Hollywood Reporter about what fans can expect now that the director of the original two films, James Wan, has stepped away from the director’s chair to concentrate on the top secret horror Malignant and Aquaman 2.
FYI, Michael Chaves is the new director on The Conjuring 3 with Wan and Peter Safran returning to co-produce the project.
“Overall, the filming was fantastic. I knew going into it that James had a real strong hand in the story and script, and I talked to him a lot about it,” says Wilson.
“Then, once I met [director] Michael Chaves, his energy, his skillset and his passion for it was really infectious. I knew that he was gonna take the reins, both with great respect, but still as its own passion. The process was fantastic, and it’s a much different feel. It’s still the same bones; it’s still very much Ed and Lorraine. Again, we are pushing our characters to places they haven’t gone, but the film will be a really nice addition because it’s definitely a different beast. Pun intended,” he added.
In terms of its plot, The Conjuring 3 will be breaking new ground because it’s going to focus on a murder trial where demonic possession was used for the very first time as a legal defense.
Happy first day #Conjuring3, Mr. Warren, my PWilz, 🖤🖤🖤@patrickwilson73 @michaelchaves @creepypuppet @newlinecinema @wbpictures @EleanorMakeup @TheConjuring pic.twitter.com/7xSJNMP9Pv
— Vera Farmiga (@VeraFarmiga) June 3, 2019
Of course, the first two Conjuring films were based on the real-life paranormal events that the Warrens investigated – the Amityville haunting, the Perron family haunting, and the Enfield poltergeist all featured – but in an interview with Bloody Disgusting, Wan confirmed that the next film will be taking a new terrifying approach.
“It’s not necessarily based on an artefact but it’s based on one of the Warrens’ case files… It’s this guy who was on trial for committing a murder. I think it’s the first time in America’s history where the defendant used possessions as a reason, as an excuse.”
Based on that information, it seems that The Conjuring 3 will revolve around the trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson.
On November 24, 1981, in Brookfield, Connecticut, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the killing of his landlord, Alan Bono.
According to testimony by the Glatzel family, 11-year-old David Glatzel had allegedly played host to the demon that forced Johnson to kill Bono. After witnessing a number of increasingly ominous occurrences involving David, the family, exhausted and terrified, decided to enlist the aid of self-described demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren in a last-ditch effort to “cure” David.
The Glatzel family, along with the Warrens, then proceeded to have David exorcised by a number of Catholic priests.
The exorcism continued for several days, concluding when, according to those present, a demon fled the child’s body and took up residence within Johnson. Several months later, Johnson killed his landlord during a heated conversation.
We can’t wait.
The Conjuring 3 is scheduled to be released on 11 September, 2020.
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