The Nun

Sent by the Vatican to a remote abbey in Romania, a novice on the verge of her final vows, Sister Irene, and a priest with a troubled past, Father Burke, set out to investigate a nun's suspicious death. What begins as an official inquiry soon turns unsettling, as they discover cryptic symbols, burned relics, and locals who whisper about something older and crueler at work. As eerie occurrences multiply and tensions rise inside the decaying convent, the two investigators join with a wary local to piece together the site's history. The film keeps its focus on atmosphere and mounting dread, avoiding major plot spoilers while showing how faith, memory, and guilt collide.

Directed by Corin Hardy and developed by Gary Dauberman with James Wan producing, The Nun arrived in 2018 as a period horror entry in The Conjuring universe, using ornate production design and location work to build its oppressive, claustrophobic mood.

The Nun proved a strong commercial entry, drawing big audiences worldwide and reinforcing the franchise as a profitable horror property. Its success encouraged more spin offs and kept studios interested in expanding the Conjuring brand across films and merchandise.

Critics were mixed, reflected in its middling audience and reviewer scores, with many praising mood, set design, and Bonnie Aarons' unnerving physical performance while criticizing a formulaic script and heavy reliance on jump scares. The movie centers on themes of faith under pressure, the weight of past sins, institutional secrecy, and how trauma shapes belief.

The demonic nun, Valak, became one of the most recognizable horror images of recent years, thanks to Bonnie Aarons' eerie visage and the film's stark promotional imagery. That look quickly spread into Halloween costumes, internet memes, and wider pop culture references, helping secure Valak's place as a recurring antagonist within the Conjuring mythos.