After six long years, the sequel to The Curse of La Llorona is finally coming to life, sparking excitement and curiosity among horror fans everywhere. But here’s where it gets interesting: despite the original film’s mixed reviews, its financial success clearly paved the way for this follow-up, which has just begun filming in Buffalo.
Titled The Revenge of La Llorona, the new movie will feature Jay Hernandez, known for his role in Magnum P.I., and Monica Raymund from Chicago Fire as the stars. Returning from the first movie is Raymond Cruz, who will reprise his character Rafael Olvera — a former priest turned curandero, a traditional healer. Alongside them, you'll also see Edy Ganem (9-1-1), Martín Fajardo (Griselda), and the Porto siblings, Acston Luca (Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado) and Avie (Bob Hearts Abishola), joining the cast.
While the original film was directed by Michael Chaves — who later directed major horror titles like The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, The Nun II, and The Conjuring: Last Rites — he will not be back for this sequel. Instead, Santiago Menghini, known for No One Gets Out Alive, takes the director’s chair, working from a script written by Sean Tretta of 12 Monkeys fame.
The plot continues the chilling tale of the vengeful spirit La Llorona, also called the Weeping Woman. This time, a fractured family must face their troubled pasts and unite with their estranged grandfather, the curandero, to fight against ancient malevolent forces before the spirit takes their children forever. This storyline hints at even deeper emotional and supernatural conflicts, raising the stakes significantly from the original.
Now, here’s the part most people miss: although the first movie was not critically acclaimed and often received harsh reviews, it still managed to earn over $123 million globally on a surprisingly low budget of just $9 million. This fact makes you wonder — why did it take so long for the sequel to get moving?
And the big, contentious question surfaces once more: Is The Curse of La Llorona officially part of The Conjuring Universe? Fans have spotted some connections, like an Annabelle easter egg and the return of Tony Amendola as Father Perez, linking it to the larger franchise. However, Peter Safran, one of the key producers behind The Conjuring films, has firmly stated that it isn’t officially included. Two years ago, he said, ‘You can’t count it!’ explaining that despite sharing creative talent like Michael Chaves and the production company Atomic Monster, it stands apart from the true Conjuring saga.
Even Chaves himself acknowledges the debate, sharing that the Annabelle cameo was meant to be a subtle nod for viewers to discover rather than a firm storyline link. He also pointed out that The Curse of La Llorona didn’t have Peter Safran as a producer, which is crucial since Safran and James Wan remain the core figures keeping The Conjuring Universe intact.
So, are you ready to dive back into the haunting world of La Llorona with this new installment? Does the promise of a deeper family drama combined with supernatural horror excite you, or do you see this sequel as unnecessary? And what do you think about the franchise debate — should this film be embraced as part of The Conjuring Universe or seen as a separate entity? Share your thoughts and let’s get the conversation started!
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Favorite Movies: Alien, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Braveheart, The Bridge on the River Kwai, City of God, Cloud Atlas, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Edge, The Fifth Element, Galaxy Quest, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Godfather Parts I & II, Goodfellas, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Magnificent Seven, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, The Prestige, Prisoners, Psycho, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Rear Window, The Shining, Sorcerer, The Talented Mr. Ripley, There Will be Blood, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Zodiac
Likes: Drawing, cooking, watching movies, and the ongoing challenge of finding new interests to add to the list.
