The 2019 Conjuring Universe movie is Annabelle 3

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Last week, it caught our attention that New Line Cinema had added a mystery "Conjuring Universe" project to their release schedule. Now The Hollywood Reporter has revealed what that film is – and it comes as a surprise to me.

Although a script for a spin-off from THE CONJURING 2 that would focus on the supernatural character called The Crooked Man has been in the works for a year, THE CROOKED MAN is not the Conjuring Universe movie New Line will be releasing on July 3, 2019. Instead, the summer 2019 release is another entry in the ANNABELLE series.

Gary Dauberman, who wrote the first ANNABELLE (a spin-off from THE CONJURING) and its prequel ANNABELLE: CREATION, is writing and will be making his directorial debut on the film that we'll call ANNABELLE 3 for now.

ANNABELLE was directed by John R. Leonetti, with David F. Sandberg taking over for ANNABELLE: CREATION. ANNABELLE 3 is already setting itself apart from the others in one way: we don't know Gary Dauberman's middle initial.

Dauberman's other writing credits include IT, WOLVES AT THE DOOR, and another Conjuring Universe film, THE NUN. (Which New Line will be releasing on September 7th.)

The plot of ANNABELLE 3 is being kept secret for now, but you can be sure it involves that creepy doll Annabelle causing more demonic trouble for a new group of people.

I didn't like the first ANNABELLE, but I did enjoy ANNABELLE: CREATION. I wasn't clamoring for a third ANNABELLE movie, but if the doll is coming back again, sure, I'll sit through another one.