The Conjuring 3 review: A paranormal detective story that will probably be slapped with a lawsuit

The horror franchise has limitless opportunities for sequels and spin-offs, as long as it chooses the right villains

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, were also married (Warner Bros)

Dir: Michael Chaves. Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook, Julian Hilliard. 15, 112 mins

James Wan is an underrated force of franchise filmmaking. All three of the horror behemoths that he nurtured into life – the Saw, Insidious, and Conjuring films – bear a sturdy formula that gives them limitless opportunity for sequels and spin-offs. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, the third instalment in its series, might be the weakest entry yet, but it’s still proof that Wan knows how to foster longevity.

The first Conjuring, which Wan directed in 2013, was a combination of classic haunted-house thrills shot with the flair of a Seventies psychological thriller – elegant and restrained when ratcheting up the tension, garish and operatic when all hell had been let loose. That tone is still present here, even with The Curse of La Llorona’s Michael Chaves in the director’s chair. Yet what’s truly unique about these films is how they treat the protagonists at their centre: real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.