The ninth instalment in The Conjuring universe is set to hit the big screen in just a few days, with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson returning for one final time as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Conjuring: Last Rites, releasing on September 5, revolves around the notorious Smurl Family Haunting that sent shockwaves through Pennsylvania in the 70s and 80s.
Janet and Jack Smurl, the couple at the centre of the haunting, enlisted the help of the Warrens after they became convinced their home was possessed by a demon. They claimed their family had endured 12 years of torment – and even assault – at the hands of this entity.
Their harrowing experience was later adapted into a book, The Haunted, and a 1991 TV film bearing the same title, which served as The Conjuring creator James Wan’s first introduction to Ed and Lorraine.
Given the alleged real-life hauntings that the films delve into, it’s hardly surprising that rumours have been circulating about The Conjuring cast and crew encountering strange phenomena. In fact, star Vera even reported that she sustained a cross-shaped bruise on her leg during the filming of Last Rites, reports the Daily Star.
In an interview with the Express’ Screen Time team, two stars of the film have now shared their own peculiar experiences both on and off the Last Rites set.
Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor, who portray younger versions of Ed and Lorraine in flashbacks in the upcoming release, recounted having sleepless nights after landing their roles.
“I don’t know if I had any explicitly paranormal things happen to me while we were shooting but I did have crazy insomnia and I was like ‘Is this just because I’m freaked out because of the story we’re telling and my mind can’t stop racing?’ I had a lot of trouble sleeping while we were there,” Madison revealed.
Her confession encouraged co-star Orion to recount his own experience of an unusual bout of insomnia that struck after delving into the Warrens’ past cases.
“I was reading up on their cases and everything and that night, more than any other time in my life, I could not sleep,” he disclosed. “Maybe tapping into this thing… people talk about not messing with it [the paranormal] too much.”
He went on: “So there was a night that I could not sleep for the life of me and I held my little Rosary close and I was like ‘It’s going to be ok I’m going to make it through this.'”
The duo also recalled a “strange” incident whilst filming, where a door swung open on its own, forcing crew members to use sandbags to prevent it recurring.
“There’s this door and totally unscripted, like while we were filming, at the most opportune moment, it just opened by itself. Straight out of a horror movie, the creaking and everything,” Orion explained. “Everyone on set was like that was weird, that was strange.”
Madison remarked: “It was the first take too.”
Last Rites is set to be the final instalment in The Conjuring series. Filmmaker James Wan explained the decision to conclude the series, stating: “We don’t want to be doing this 20 movies down the line, where we’ve driven the franchise into the ground.
“We love the idea that we’re going out with a big bang whilst everyone’s still loving the world, loving the movies, and loving the characters. It just feels right.”
The Conjuring: Last Rites releases in cinemas on September 5