If you've had enough holiday cheer, perhaps already drank too much eggnog, eaten too many sweets, and have over-indulged with Hallmark movies, Max has you covered in the new year. It's time to shake those holly jolly feelings and give yourself a classic scare with two out of the three movies from The Conjuring Universe's Annabelle franchise arriving on January 1. While the first film of the three, aptly titled Annabelle, isn't on the platform at this time, the second two movies in the trilogy, Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home, will be waiting for audiences when they need to ditch the seasonal vibes for a little doom and gloom. And, there isn't much to know in order to jump in without seeing the first film, as Annabelle: Creation serves as a prequel and will cover the must-know bits and pieces behind the titular possessed doll's origin story.
Helmed by David F. Sandberg, Annabelle: Creation turns the clock back from what audiences saw three years earlier in Annabelle and explains how the demonic doll came to be. The movie features an ensemble cast that consists of Stephanie Sigman (Spectre), Miranda Otto (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Talitha Bateman (Vengeance: A Love Story), Lulu Wilson (Ouija: Origins of Evil) and Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace). Any movie to come from the James Wan-created supernatural universe has performed well at the box office, with Annabelle: Creation being no different. Clearly, audiences were excited to learn more about what made the doll tick, with the film raking in more than $306 million at the global box office. On Rotten Tomatoes, the title comes in third place for the overall Conjuring Universe, with a critics' approval rating of 70%.
The Completed 'Annabelle' Trilogy Close
After Annabelle: Creation, the team took a breather from the doll and released the first installment of The Nun, which would eventually lead to a sequel a few years down the line. Then, it was time to get back into the story of Annabelle, with 2019 bringing Gary Dauberman's Annabelle Comes Home. The third movie in the Annabelle franchise brought The Conjuring Universe back to its foundation with Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga's Ed and Lorraine Warren appearing as the central characters. The movie follows the pair of paranormal investigators after they've picked up the possessed doll and added her to their collection. From behind a shield of protective glass, they believe that Annabelle can't do any more harm, but when she reanimates, she raises holy hell. Again, the movie was a financial success - albeit not as much as the title that came before it - earning $231.3 million at the box office. On the Rotten Tomatoes list of movies from The Conjuring Universe, it comes in just behind its predecessor in fourth place with a 64% critics' approval rating.
Scare yourself into a solid 2025 when Annabelle: Creation and Annabelle Comes Home both arrive on Max on January 1. If you don't want to wait that long, the films are available to rent or buy on VOD.
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Annabelle: Creation R HorrorMysteryThriller Release Date August 11, 2017 Director David F. Sandberg Cast Anthony LaPaglia , Alicia Vela-Bailey , Stephanie Sigman , Adam Bartley , Miranda Otto , Philippa Coulthard Runtime 109 minutes Writers Gary Dauberman
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