The Nun II arrives with a simple promise: more of the demonic nun Valak terrorizing a Catholic institution. The 2023 horror film, directed by Michael Chaves and written by Akela Cooper, Ian B. Goldberg, and Richard Naing, delivers a sequel that feels less like a fresh fright and more like a familiar grind.
The film picks up in 1956 France, four years after the events of the first Nun. Father Noiret and his altar boy Jacques witness a violent murder at their church in Tarascon, and the demon Valak returns to haunt the town. Sister Irene, played by Taissa Farmiga, is sent by the Cardinal to investigate a string of deaths across Europe. She brings along Sister Debra, a young novice played by Storm Reid, and the pair find themselves trapped in a boarding school where Valak has been stalking students.
Trailer, via Warner Bros..
A Familiar Formula
The setup is straightforward. Irene investigates, Valak haunts, and the local community refuses to believe her. That formula worked once. It does not work twice.
The film leans heavily on its predecessor’s beats, and the result is a story that feels less like a new chapter and more like a repeat of the old one. The supernatural elements are present, but the pacing drags, and the tension never quite lands.
The Cast Carries the Weight
The cast does what it can with the material. Farmiga anchors the film as Irene, delivering a steady performance amid a script that asks little of her beyond fear and determination. Jonas Bloquet plays Maurice, a teacher at the boarding school who becomes a central figure in the investigation. His scenes with Sophie, played by Katelyn Rose Downey, offer some of the film’s few genuine human moments.
Anna Popplewell rounds out the ensemble as Kate, a teacher at the school whose concern for Sophie gives the film its emotional core. Bonnie Aarons returns as Valak, and her presence remains the film’s most compelling element.
The Conjuring Connection
The film ties back into the wider Conjuring universe through its story and its ending. A mid-credits scene brings back Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, using archived footage from The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. It is a clever nod, but it also reinforces how much this film is borrowing from elsewhere.
The film’s production history is worth noting. The project was in early development by 2019, with Cooper hired as sole writer before Goldberg and Naing joined. Chaves, who directed The Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, took over direction. Principal photography began in October 2022 in France.
A Mixed Legacy
The film grossed $269 million worldwide, which counts as a success for a horror sequel. Critical reception was mixed, with the film landing a score of 4.7 out of 10.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| First Nun released | 2018 |
| Wan discusses sequel | 2017 |
| Safran reveals early development | 2019 |
| Chaves announced as director | Not specified |
| Principal photography begins | October 2022 |
| Release date | September 8, 2023 |
That score reflects a film that knows what it wants to be but cannot quite deliver it. The scares are present, but they lack the weight of surprise. The story is busy, but it never finds its own shape.
Our Verdict
The Nun II is a competent, if unremarkable, entry in a franchise that has grown increasingly repetitive. Farmiga and Bloquet do solid work within a thin script, and the film’s commitment to its mythology is admirable even when the execution falters.
The Conjuring connection adds context, but it also highlights how much this film is borrowing from elsewhere. It is a serviceable sequel, not a great one.
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