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The Conjuring: Last Rites Director Addresses the Dan Rivera Dedication

The director of The Conjuring: Last Rites pays respect to the paranormal investigator who owned the original Annabelle doll.



Article Summary

  • The Conjuring: Last Rites director pays tribute to Annabelle doll handler Dan Rivera after his sudden passing
  • Dedication to Rivera and thanks to Judy Warren and Tony Spera reinforce the film’s real-world ties
  • Michael Chaves details the challenge of balancing horror fun with real-life tragedy in production
  • Annabelle’s legacy, both real and as a horror icon, remains central in The Conjuring: Last Rites finale

Rooted in real case files reshaped for a cinematic arena, The Conjuring universe officially continues with The Conjuring: Last Rites, an epic final chapter to the Warrens' ongoing story. And this time around, some of the real-world links get a special shout-out moment in the credits, with a dedication to Dan Rivera and a thank-you to Judy Warren and Tony Spera, reinforcing the film series' ties to its semi-realistic origins.

Now, director Michael Chaves is opening up bout the special moment dedicated to the handler of the real-life Annabelle doll, while also noting that Rivera's sudden passing this summer was a "curveball" for production.

The Conjuring: Last Rites Stars Lawlor, Smith on Young Lorraine & Ed
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in "The Conjuring: Last Rites" (2025). Image courtesy of Warner Bros

The Conjuring: Last Rites Director on Navigating Real-Life Loss for the Film

Chaves explains that the team worked to acknowledge the loss with care, especially with Annabelle being included in the story, telling the outlet, "We were all blindsided by that. We wanted to just handle it as respectfully as possible." The filmmaker then elaborates, "Horror movies are fun and they deal with dark things, but I think just being able to separate that rollercoaster experience with a real, tragic death and something that really took him and his family by surprise, it was tricky to navigate."

To his point, Annabelle is actually the clearest bridge between the movie's success and the Warrens' real world. The actual doll is a Raggedy Ann kept behind glass, while the films reimagined her as a cracked porcelain figure with those fixed, unblinking eyes. That design choice turned a museum curiosity into a modern horror icon and gave the franchise a reliable engine for new stories.

The doll has even headlined three spin-offs so far with Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019), where each contributes to the lore around the Warrens' artifact room and the ripple effects of letting evil out of its case. Together, they've even pulled in nearly $800 million worldwide and helped define the broader Conjuring Universe as a place where a single cursed object can carry a whole movie. And even though The Conjuring: Last Rites refocuses on the Smurl haunting and a haunted mirror, it obviously needed to have some mention of Annabelle if the Warrens' story is truly coming to an end.

Fortunately, by this subtle inclusion, the film's creative team takes the time to pause and recognize those who safeguard the franchise's real-life roots.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is in theaters now.


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Aedan JuvetAbout Aedan Juvet

A self-proclaimed pop culture aficionado with a passion for all things horror. Words for Cosmopolitan, Screen Rant, MTV News, NME, etc. For pitches, please email aedanjuvet@gmail.com
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