Charles Parnell, Marta Kessler and Caleb Dolden have joined the cast of New Line’s “The Conjuring: First Communion,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.
They join a cast which includes Garrett Wareing and Amanda Fix, who are are set to star as the younger versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the ghost-hunting couple popularized by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the other “Conjuring” movies (and its related spinoffs). Matthias Schweighöfer also stars.
The most recent film, “The Conjuring: Last Rights,” was released last summer and made nearly $500 million on a budget of $55 million.
Rodrigue Huart is directing the prequel from a screenplay by Richard Naing & Ian Goldberg, with Huart being hired off of the strength of a short film. Peter Safran is producing, with John Rickard, Natalia Safran and Romel Adam executive producing.
“The Conjuring” began with James Wan’s original film in 2013, which was inspired by the cases of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The couple investigated alleged hauntings and other paranormal phenomena and later lectured about their experiences.
The franchise now includes four mainline “Conjuring” films and several successful spinoffs, including three “Annabelle” movies centered on the haunted doll and two “Nun” films focused on the demonic entity Valak. (Other films set in the Conjuring Universe include “The Curse of La Llorona.”)
There are also plans for a “Conjuring” streaming series, with Nancy Won installed as writer, executive producer and showrunner last fall.
Together, the films have made over $2.7 billion at the global box office, enough to make it the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time. It continues New Line’s legacy of top-tier horror filmmaking, which began with the success of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and its sequels and has continued with projects like the two “It” films and the recent “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” which pushed that franchise past the $1 billion mark.
Parnell is best known for his roles in “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” Additional credits include David Fincher’s “The Killer,” “The Mandalorian,” and TNT’s “The Last Ship.” Parnell is repped by Verve, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Jackoway Austen.
Kessler was nominated for a Children’s & Family Emmy for her performance as Constance Contraire in Disney+’s “The Mysterious Benedict Society.” She recurred in “The Santa Clauses” opposite Tim Allen and appeared in feature films including “The Blood Lady” and “Row 19.” Kessler is repped by CESD Talent Agency and CJM Talent.
Dolden starred as a series regular in Peacock’s horror thriller series “Teacup,” produced by Atomic Monster. He also previously appeared in “Single Parents” and “The Requiem Boogie.” Dolden is repped by the Osbrink Agency and Complete Management Group.
“The Conjuring: First Communion” haunts theaters on Sept. 10, 2027.
