Every Demon & Evil Spirit In The Conjuring Movie Franchise

Summary The Conjuring franchise introduces creative villains and spirits that keep each installment feeling fresh and terrifying for audiences.

The recurring appearances of iconic ghosts in The Conjuring Universe tie together movies like The Nun, Annabelle, and La Llorona.

The variety of demons in the franchise, from Bathsheba to the Black Shuck, constantly raise the stakes and keep audiences invested in the horror.

The Conjuring has spawned a movie franchise filled with creative villains and terrifying evil spirits that keep things feeling fresh in each installment, forcing the heroes to defeat these demons in new and creative ways. Since 2013’s The Conjuring, James Wan’s horror universe has continued to expand with sequels, prequels, and spinoffs that might take place in the same continuity but are often completely separate from one another. However, one of the few aspects that often crosses over between movies is the iconic ghosts.

The repeated appearances of The Conjuring Universe’s demons and spirits are among the only indicators that movies such as The Nun, Annabelle, and The Curse of La Llorona are actually in the same universe — so they’re incredibly important. These appearances have also allowed plenty of villains who otherwise would’ve been forgotten to cement their legacy and become iconic monsters that keep audiences invested in the franchise. These movies in the Conjuring franchise aren’t afraid to include multiple demons and spirits in each movie either, which means the number is constantly rising.

15 Bathsheba

Introduced In The Conjuring

Bathsheba was the primary antagonist of the original Conjuring movie, and she remains one of the series’ most frightening villains. In the movie, she's introduced as a terrifying witch from the 19th century who hanged herself after murdering her infant child, leaving a curse on the home that Ed and Lorraine Warren are called in to investigate. Like most of the ghosts in this franchise, she’s got plenty of supernatural powers that make her an incredibly dangerous enemy for the inhabitants of the house.

14 Annabelle

Introduced In The Conjuring

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The haunted doll is both the titular focus and the terrifying villain of 2014’s Annabelle, the first of many spinoffs in The Conjuring Universe. She first appeared very briefly in the background of a scene in The Conjuring, but it wasn’t until Annabelle that she finally came into her own and fulfilled her potential as an iconic villain. It’s the practical effects and lack of overt CGI that make Annabelle such a menacing character, as she truly feels like something drawn from real life.

Based on a real-life doll from the Warren case files, Annabelle was possessed by a demonic spirit in Annabelle, which has allowed her to become a recurring threat in the franchise. Only by locking it away in their basement have the Warrens been able to keep her at bay. But as Annabelle Comes Home quickly proved, even that isn't a foolproof strategy, as it can still try to influence people from afar in order to attain its freedom.

13 The Crooked Man

Introduced In The Conjuring 2

The Crooked Man appeared in The Conjuring 2 and immediately proved that this franchise wasn’t going to slow down any time soon. Created from a creepy toy and used to scare the children in the movie, he’s arguably the scariest villain up to that point, with his twisted smile and haunting laughter being used throughout the movie to create some serious tension. The creature was actually supposed to be getting a solo project, but the Crooked Man’s spinoff movie was canceled, and he’s yet to appear since.

12 Bill Watkins

Introduced In The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 introduced several new characters that immediately left an impression on fans, and Bill Watkins was certainly one of those. A secondary antagonist in the film, he’s an old man who took to haunting the Hodgson family after his death. His human appearance is unlike many of the other demons, but it actually gives him an uncanny feeling that’s just as frightening. He might not look as threatening as the other villains, but he’s responsible for many of the biggest scares in the movie. Bill Watkins is also one of the few true "ghosts" in the franchise. But unlike the nonviolent ghosts in the franchise, Bill allowed himself to become a pawn of Valak.

11 Valak The Nun

Introduced In The Conjuring 2

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Valak initially appeared as the secret main antagonist of The Conjuring 2, but the character was so scary and intense that she managed to secure her own spinoff movie with The Nun. While her movie wasn’t as successful as was anticipated, it’s still one of the most frightening entries in The Conjuring Universe. The fact that she rarely makes any noise and simply looms in the shadows is exactly what makes her such a great villain, even if she lacked the depth to really shine in her solo projects.

10 La Llorona

Introduced In The Curse Of La Llorona

The Curse of La Llorona was an interesting example of The Conjuring Universe diverting strongly from the established characters of the franchise and trying something completely new. While it didn’t work perfectly, the character of La Llorona was exciting proof that this franchise has plenty of steam left. Although The Curse of La Llorona isn’t technically a Conjuring movie, it was originally intended to be and shares many similarities with the rest of the franchise. However, this means that it’s unlikely La Llorona will return in any future installments.

9 The Haunted Piano

Introduced In Annabelle Comes Home

The Haunted Piano is one of many evil spirits introduced in Annabelle Comes Home, the second sequel to 2014’s Annabelle. This project really focused on the supernatural side of this universe, bringing in the most villains of any The Conjuring movie. The Haunted Piano only appears briefly in the film, but the simple design and effortless scare factor definitely made it one of the standout spirits.

8 The Bride

Introduced Annabelle Comes Home

Another source of creepy moments in Annabelle Comes Home was The Bride, an evil spirit that possessed a bridal dress. At some point, it was acquired by the Warrens and placed in the basement along with their other haunted artifacts. The spirit attached to the dress assumed control over the unsuspecting wearer and would use them to kill their grooms. It was in no position to commit such a murder in Annabelle Comes Home, but was unleashed upon the kids in the film when Annabelle was accidentally set free.

7 Feeley Meeley

Introduced In Annabelle Comes Home

Feeley Meeley is one of the more creative spirits in The Conjuring Universe, taking the form of a haunted children’s board game. The Annabelle movies often use inanimate objects, like the titular doll, and transform them into something inconceivably frightening. This is exactly what happened with Feeley Meeley. On the surface, it’s innocent and unremarkable, but in the context of the story, this supernatural demon really leaves a lasting impression.

6 The Black Shuck

Introduced In Annabelle Comes Home

The Black Shuck is another creature that only appears briefly in Annabelle Comes Home. It's a demonic creature that takes the form of a large dog and seems to have the ability to turn itself into fog. The exact rules of this creature aren’t quite clear, but it’s a perfect example of the Annabelle movies’ aptitude for dark and violent imagery. Many of the spirits in this movie have a similar quality, relying on their uncanny appearances to work their way into the audiences’ minds.

5 The Samurai

Introduced In Annabelle Comes Home

The abundance of creative spirits in Annabelle Comes Home arguably makes it the best of the Annabelle movies. Most of the demons actually appear for such a short time that they’re easily forgotten about, which is exactly why many audiences might not remember The Samurai, a haunted samurai armor that speaks to the film’s protagonist, Mary Ellen. All of these spirits help create the unsettling atmosphere that the Annabelle franchise has become so synonymous with.

4 The Toy Monkey

Introduced In The Annabelle Comes Home

In another brief appearance from Annabelle Comes Home, the accordion-playing monkey is considerably more sinister than it appears. It’s another inanimate object that is brought to life by some kind of evil spirit, but the cracked facade of the toy really makes it frightening before it’s even activated. The sudden noise of the accordion also enables plenty of effective jump scares, which is exactly what Annabelle Comes Home became notorious for.

3 The Ferryman

Introduced In Annabelle Comes Home

Among the countless horror cameos and brief appearances in Annabelle Comes Home, the Ferryman is undoubtedly the spirit who is given the most backstory and development throughout the movie. He’s the creature that transports the dead to the underworld, much like many similar characters in ancient mythologies. Annabelle Comes Home gives him a terrifying design that blends perfectly with his creepy personality and threatening tone, making him a great villain that really elevates the story.

2 Unknown Demon

Introduced In The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

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Inspired by the real-life criminal case of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It saw the Warrens go head-to-head with a murderous demon whose name was never mentioned. In the beginning of the film, the demon had control over a young boy named David Glatzel. Sacrificing himself to save David, Arne wound up becoming the next host of the demon, who had originally been summoned by an evil group of devil worshipers called the Cult of the Ram.

1 The Goat Demon

Introduced In The Nun 2

The Nun 2 introduces another exciting spirit to The Conjuring Universe in the form of the Goat Demon, a terrifying creature that brings about many of the scariest moments in the movie. The Nun 2 provides much backstory and information about the Goat Demon that really helps develop the story and make him feel like an important part of this universe, clearly acting on the criticism that Annabelle Comes Home faced for including too many forgettable villains. The Goat Demon is a great addition to the franchise that really personifies everything that’s always made The Conjuring movies so thrilling.