The What Occurred to This Horror Film episode on The Nun was written by Jaime Vasquez:
The Conjuring Universe has given us haunted homes, cursed dolls, exorcisms, useless pets, and eerie music bins. And that’s simply the primary movie. To essentially heighten the scares in The Conjuring 2, the manufacturing launched a personality so unsettling that producers fast-tracked her into getting her personal film; particularly after that porcelain nightmare Annabelle had a profitable spinoff of her personal. The Nun premiered within the fall of 2018, simply in time to attract within the Halloween crowd. However of all of the mysteries surrounding the Conjuring Universe, one of many greatest is how The Nun turned one of many franchise’s greatest hits regardless of terrifying critiques. What made this creepy nun go viral? What are the mythological origins of the demon often known as Valak? And did having a priest bless the set really preserve the ghosts away? Seize your crucifix and flashlight, we’re heading deep into the castles of Romania to search out out what occurred to The Nun.
Screenwriter Gary Dauberman’s entry into horror turned out to be his ticket to the large leagues, rapidly making him one in all Hollywood’s most in-demand writers. His first main movie credit score was the screenplay for the very first Conjuring spin-off, Annabelle. Whereas the movie obtained dragged by critics, it nonetheless introduced in audiences, turning the evil doll right into a $257 million field workplace success. A sequel was inevitable, and Dauberman was introduced again to jot down it. Annabelle: Creation not solely outgrossed the unique with $305 million, nevertheless it additionally earned surprisingly strong critiques from critics and followers alike, proving that, sure, typically sequels actually may be higher than the unique… particularly when the unique set the bar about as excessive because the Annabelle doll itself. After two large wins with Annabelle, Dauberman co-wrote the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s IT, and it turned a full-blown phenomenon. The movie smashed data, changing into the highest-grossing R-rated horror film of all time… unadjusted for inflation, that’s. The creepy clown flick additionally scored with critics, cementing Dauberman as one of many go-to names in trendy horror.
Director Corin Hardy spent a lot of the 2000s and early 2010s directing music movies, every part from Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” to Devlin’s “Watchtower” that includes Ed Sheeran. His function debut, the British-Irish horror movie The Hallow, premiered at Sundance in 2015 to robust critiques. Although it didn’t make an enormous splash financially, it impressed studios sufficient to land Hardy a gig directing The Crow reboot with Jason Momoa, till each dropped out over artistic variations with the financiers. However not all was misplaced. Hardy quickly discovered himself working with Warner Bros. and obtained his arms on The Nun script by way of James Wan’s manufacturing firm, Atomic Monster. He stated he learn the script within the morning, Skyped with Wan that afternoon, and was on set the very subsequent day.
The story for The Nun was impressed by two real-life encounters shared by Lorraine Warren. She as soon as instructed James Wan that she was haunted by an entity that regarded like a swirling vortex with a hooded determine inside. And through an investigation at Borley Church in England, typically known as the “most haunted church in Britain,” she claimed to sense the presence of a nun. The primary recognized point out of Valak goes again a good distance, coming from The Lesser Key of Solomon, a medieval guidebook to banishing demons. The “Solomon” within the title refers back to the biblical king who supposedly captured and killed 72 demons. Valak is listed because the 62nd demon, however his unique look differs from the pale habit-wearing villainess we all know and like to be petrified of. Within the guide, Valak is described as a baby with angel wings driving a two-headed dragon, which appears like a fairly cool villain in itself. However James Wan stated Valak’s look got here from the thought of taking one thing that individuals know as sacred and holy and making it depraved and wicked to actually disturb audiences.
Taissa Farmiga performs Sister Irene, a novitiate despatched by the Vatican to Romania to analyze the mysterious suicide of a nun on the Abbey of St. Carta. Regardless of not but taking her ultimate vows, she’s chosen as a result of she has telepathic visions, which can assist unravel the abbey’s darkish secrets and techniques. Earlier than The Nun, Farmiga had constructed up a powerful horror résumé with recurring roles on American Horror Story and enjoying the lead within the comedic slasher movie, The Last Women. And whereas her sister Vera Farmiga could also be Conjuring Universe royalty as Lorraine Warren, Taissa proves she’s greater than able to carrying her personal chapter within the franchise.
Bonnie Aarons performs the title position of the nun, who’s possessed by Valak, an historic demon who haunts the darkened corridors of the Abbey. Aarons isn’t any stranger to offering spooks, as she has the excellence of being in one of many eeriest soar scares in cinematic historical past, in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. Aarons says she will get into the mindset of the character by searching for something round her that might make her offended and attending to play the position is an excellent launch.
Academy Award Nominee Demián Bichir performs Father Burke, who’s despatched to analyze the Abby of St. Carta alongside Sister Irene. Bichir works properly with Farmiga and so they correctly play the roles very significantly, with out exhibiting any dismissiveness to the fabric. In an interview with Selection, Bichir referred to his character as “the James Bond of souls” and “the Dirty Harry of demons.” And he felt very relaxed enjoying the position, as he has the help of the Holy Spirit behind him.
Jonas Bloquet performs Maurice Theriault, who goes by Frenchie. Bloquet performs an area villager who assists the investigating duo. He serves because the comedian aid in a movie that will or might not want it, however perhaps a wisecracking character delivering Marvel-like one liners isn’t the form of comedy it wants? Bloquet does have presence, regardless of the script letting his character down a bit.
The manufacturing determined to movie in Romania’s eerie Transylvanian panorama as a result of, the place higher to shoot a film a few demonic nun? Some filming was finished at Castel Movie Studios, one in all Romania’s greatest manufacturing amenities, however the actual standout areas had been the historic websites.
The graveyard scenes had been shot at Bethlen Fort, a Renaissance-style fortress that dates again to the 1500s, and sits, nearly eerily, on a hilltop. However the movie’s central setting, the fictional “Abbey of St. Carta,” was represented by the actual Carta Monastery, a former Cistercian abbey that positively ups the movie’s creep issue. However the manufacturing’s crown jewel was Corvin Fort, a large Gothic fortress that turned the primary backdrop for the Nun’s hauntings. Corvin Fort is situated in Hunedoara, Romania, and is understood for its spectacular towers and its immense and atmospheric courtyards. Solid and crew stated the citadel gave them a powerful sense of historical past, and that it nearly felt alive, particularly at night time. To set the temper (and perhaps preserve the demons at bay), Hardy even introduced in an Japanese Orthodox priest, Father Cosmin, to bless the set earlier than filming started. Even with the blessing, Hardy claimed to witness two eerie occasions on set. The primary was a handprint within the grime that appeared to seem out of nowhere. The second was even stranger. Hardy says he noticed two figures he believed had been the ghosts of Romanian troopers. He wasn’t scared, precisely, however he stated the spirits simply appeared “curious about the filming.”
Valak’s look was altered from her unique Conjuring 2 look for The Nun. Conjuring franchise make-up artist Eleanor Sabaduquia selected to make her seem barely extra human, holding her pores and skin pale, however not ghostly white. She additionally added pink and blue seen veins giving her a extra frail, pure high quality. Bonnie Aarons’ eyes had been left untouched, with the glowing impact added in post-production. Or perhaps these are simply her pure eyes, I don’t know. Talking of Valak’s look, one of many movie’s most notorious adverts might need been more practical at promoting earplugs than film tickets. The six-second YouTube clip confirmed a quantity icon dropping to “mute”… earlier than Valak abruptly appeared on display screen, letting out a horrifying scream that most likely despatched unsuspecting viewers flying out of their chairs. The advert rapidly went viral, racking up over 145,000 likes and 132,000 retweets on Twitter earlier than it was ultimately pulled after a number of complaints. And actually, I get it. It mixed two issues I can’t stand: low cost soar scares and unskippable YouTube adverts.
Valak’s fame took a flip for the higher as she turned a meme queen. Followers used stills and brief clips of her menacing stare expressing every part from judgment to annoyance to worry with captions like, “how you feel when you finally get the kids to bed and the doorbell rings,” or “when you hear a strange noise downstairs at 3 a.m. but you live alone.”
Whether or not you discovered Valak too loud otherwise you in the end discovered her… relatable, the viral advertising and marketing did its job: it obtained individuals speaking. The Nun premiered in early September 2018 and shocked everybody with the largest opening weekend within the Conjuring Universe on the time, pulling in $54 million and touchdown within the high spot on the field workplace. It went on to earn $117 million domestically and $248 million abroad, for a worldwide complete of $366 million, making it the highest-grossing movie within the franchise till The Conjuring: Final Rites took the crown in 2025. However whereas audiences had been exhibiting up in droves, critics had been… much less enthusiastic. The Nun holds a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas audiences rated it a extra forgiving 35%. IMDb customers gave it a 5.4/10 stars. Reviewers praised the eerie setting and dedicated performances however known as out the movie’s logic gaps, reliance on clichés, and wasted potential. Principally, it regarded superb, nevertheless it simply didn’t make plenty of sense.
The movie’s runaway success made a sequel inevitable. The Nun II premiered to a different robust field workplace, and whereas it didn’t fairly match the unique, $269 million worldwide ain’t nothing to sneeze at. This time round, the author and director didn’t return, however a lot of the principal forged was again. And this time, the movie was a lot better reviewed by each critics and audiences.
There’s been no official affirmation of a 3rd Nun movie simply but, however given the success of the primary two, nobody could be shocked to see Valak again and as much as her previous methods. Both approach, the character efficiently expanded the Conjuring Universe, and even introduced James Wan some private success. He met Romanian actress and movie producer Ingrid Bisu (who performs Sister Oana) whereas on the set, proposed to her in June of 2019, and the couple obtained married that November, proving that not every part about The Nun was horrific. However sufficient concerning the critiques.
The Nun is a placing character; menacing, otherworldly, and teleporting round like she’s The Conjuring’s reply to Physician Unusual. Sadly, audiences didn’t fairly join with the movie the best way the studio had hoped. Which is a disgrace, as a result of the performances are robust and the cinematography is totally beautiful, thanks in no small half to these historic Romanian areas. And Bonnie Aarons’ Valak has all of the makings of an enduring horror icon, in the identical league as Artwork the Clown or Candyman. However right here’s the factor. You’ll be able to have the fitting actors, the proper areas, and one of the best fog machines Dwelling Depot has to supply, however and not using a tightly woven script, Valak isn’t as terrifying as she needs to be. And he or she actually needs to be; she’s greater than as much as the duty. And that, my pals, is what occurred to The Nun.
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