At the end of May, broke the news that producers James Wan and Peter Safrian were developing another spin-off of The Conjuring films based upon The Conjuring 2‘s lanky menace, The Crooked Man. There was no word at the time as to how soon such a side movie would happen, but based on today’s development, we won’t be waiting long. THR is reporting that screenwriter Mike Van Waes has been hired to pen the picture.
The Crooked Man will mark the fourth spin-off tale of The Conjuring cinematic universe. It will follow 2014’s Annabelle, this summer’s Annabelle: Creation, and next year’s The Nun. There’s no word on a specific story for this fright-filled side excursion, but producer Safrian tosses out a few possible ideas in the interview that I linked above. Be sure to check it out. I have little doubt that creature performer extraordinaire Javier Botet will return to play the titular role. His eerie appearance as the fiend in The Conjuring 2 was so otherworldly that many assumed the character was CGI-created, when in fact he was entirely practical!
An actual Conjuring 3 is also in development, of course, but currently has no projected release date. One wonders if they might actually be waiting for James Wan to return to the director’s chair for it or if they’re simply taking their time. Whenever it does finally arrive, it is expected to tell a tale from that of the first two and avoid a traditional haunting/possession narrative. It is also expected to be .
As for when The Crooked Man will shamble into theaters? Your guess is as good as mine. If this project comes together as quickly as the other three spin-offs, however, don’t be surprised if he’s peering down at you from the big screen in late 2018 or early 2019.
