The Conjuring: Last Rites will bring the story of the Warrens on the big screen to a close, but that doesn’t mean that the Conjuring franchise is coming to an end. The head of New Line, Richard Brener, was eager to discuss the future of the series in a recent interview. This year’s sequel will mark the end of an era for the horror blockbuster hit. But Warner Bros. and New Line are aware that a continuous investment in the series could create profits for both parties for years to come. Here’s what Richard Brener had to say regarding what fans can expect out of The Conjuring after the release of Last Rites:

It’s testing through the roof and we’re only at the director’s cut, the 10-week part of the movie where you’re normally very, very scared about the status of your film. We’re very early in the process, have very preliminary visual effects, but it’s already through the roof. So while this is last of what we call phase one, we are hopeful that we can make more. (…) Phase two is TBD.

No details were given about which projects could take the Conjuring franchise into the future, but it’s not hard to imagine what the next steps of the series could look like. When Warner Bros. and New Line realized that they had a smash hit in their hands, the companies began working on the development of spinoffs for the main Conjuring installments. Annabelle and The Nun were some of the stories that were produced in order to reward audiences for their loyalty and patience. These tales kept viewers awake at night while they waited for the next installment of the main Conjuring films.

The Nun II was the last of these spinoffs to be released in theaters. Starring Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid, the sequel directed by Michael Chaves proved that there’s still plenty of demand for the Warrens and every evil spirit related to their career. The Nun II earned more than $269 million at the global box office. Another factor that has clearly turned the franchise into a success for Warner Bros. is how it’s cheaper to produce horror movies than blockbusters such as Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Superman.

The End of an Era

Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) have entertained audiences for more than a decade. Their journey will come to an end when The Conjuring: Last Rites takes over the big screen in a few months. Regardless of where Warner Bros. and New Line take the franchise next, these versions of the Warrens consolidated a pop culture juggernaut that has spawned nine movies and a television series that is currently in development at Max. James Wan and Peter Safran are working on the television title that will allow audiences to return to the Conjuring Universe one more time. A release window hasn’t been established for the television spinoff.

The Conjuring: Last Rites premieres in theaters on September 5.

via Collider