'The Conjuring 2' Could Conjure A Third Movie

There's an old adage that states that the best things in life come in threes. As a writer, it's referred to the "rule of three." In the film world, they're called trilogies. Rarely, if ever, do horror films conclude in a trilogy. It seems that horror movies either stop before then or go beyond three, but that's not to say a horror franchise can't take on a third film. It's totally possible, for instance, that The Conjuring 3 could happen, and turn that particular series into a trilogy.

While no one related to the series has said anything regarding a potential third film, it seems likely that The Conjuring 3 will happen. Early reviews for the current movie, The Conjuring 2, have already come in mostly positive, praising the sequel as a worthy follow-up. Both films in the series have about an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and already, The Conjuring 2 is projected to bring in around $40 million its opening weekend. That's nearly the exact same amount The Conjuring brought in on its opening weekend, narrowly beating The Purge and stealing the title of biggest opening for an original R-rated horror film. In addition to great opening weekend numbers, The Conjuring has grossed over $318 million overall after being shot on just a $20 million budget.

So what does this all mean for a possibility of there being a third installment to The Conjuring series? A lot, actually. These days, when viewers have so many options for watching movies (Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, Amazon) aside from going to the theaters, money and reviews can be the deciding factor in whether or not a series gets another shot with audiences. Unlike Lorraine Warren, I'm no clairvoyant, but I'd put good money on the studios continuing The Conjuring series beyond even a third, avoiding relegating it to the "rare" horror trilogy and instead, expanding the films into "franchise" territory. After all, the Warrens have stated that they have investigated over 10,000 cases. I'm not saying there will be The Conjuring 10,000, but like most horror franchises, expanding into a fourth, fifth, and sixth installment would not be out of the question.

It might not be the worst idea, either. Horror movies notoriously do well at the box office and beyond. People like getting terrified by movies and The Conjuring series does well in the wetting-your-pants-from-fear department. In addition to The Conjuring and The Conjuring 2, the series also boasts an impressive (and scary) spinoff, Annabelle, which was a major box office smash and already has a sequel in the works. With impressive box office numbers, positive reviews, and a plethora of cases to choose from, it'd be hard for the studios to not gear up for another installment.

As for what case it might focus on? Well, that is something I refuse to investigate for fear of being unable to sleep tonight.

Images: Warner Bros.; Philly-and-Danny/Tumblr