Director James Wan’s Horror Franchise Expands With ‘The Conjuring 2’

Dyan James

In ‘13, horror filmmaker and director James Wan brought us “The Conjuring,” the terrifying, true account of how a family’s farmhouse was overtaken by a supernatural presence. Set in ‘70, the farmhouse was examined by paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson) who helped the family through grim, demonizing events. (The real-life Warrens were also associated with 1979’s “The Amityville Horror.”)

Now Wan, who also directed “Saw” and “Insidious,” is back with “The Conjuring 2.” It’s now ‘77 and Lorraine and Ed (again played by Farmiga and Wilson), after taking a long furlough, travel to north London to help a single mother of four, Peggy Hodgson (Frances O’Connor), who believes her home is possessed by demons. Reminiscent of “The Exorcist,” Peggy’s story is confirmed by signs that evil spirits also inhabit her daughter. But it’s personal this time as the demons begin to terrorize the Warrens as they try to help Peggy and her daughter.

James Wan broke ground in the terror genre when he debuted his film “Saw” at the Sundance Film Festival. “Saw” was so popular it became its own franchise, which included six sequels. Then in ‘11, Wan and his writing partner Leigh Whannell created yet another franchise with the release of “Insidious,” which has a fourth sequel due out next year.

“I kind of joke that creating franchises is a lot like directing pilot episodes of TV series,” Wan said in an interview. “You set a look and feel and kind of pass it on.” His involvement in franchises isn’t limited to just the horror genre; Wan also earned a credit in the “Fast and Furious” empire when he directed “Furious 7” in ‘15.

Having heavy hitter Warner Bros. behind him (together with a $20 million budget) on “The Conjuring 2” helped Wan accomplish his mission of getting horror films the appreciation they garnered back in the 70s and 80s.

“I really wanted to try and bring the kind of respect back to studio horror filmmaking – ‘Jaws,’ ‘The Exorcist,’ ‘Poltergeist,’ ‘The Amityville Horror’ – these were big studio films. Real movies with real budgets.”

O’Connor, who starred in Steven Spielberg’s “A.I.,” herself has great respect for the movie as well the true story it’s based on.

“I always found it a terrifying case,” she told one interviewer. “When you look at some of the images of the kids levitating . . . . They have documented pictures, whether you believe them or not is another matter. It’s slightly daunting, playing a real person, but playing a real person involved in something so scary also makes it terrifying . . . .”

“The Conjuring 2” opens nationwide June 10.