The Nun 2 Footage Reaction: The Conjuring Universe Returns To Give Us The Holy Creeps [CinemaCon 2023]

It's day 2 of CinemaCon — and things are just getting started out there in Las Vegas! /Film's own Ben Pearson is on the ground at the annual film showcase and is bringing us the first word on the exclusive trailers and sneak peek presentations there — including the upcoming "The Nun" sequel film "The Nun 2," starring Storm Reid. CinemaCon debuted new footage from the film, which premieres in the fall, and horror fans might want to keep this one on their radar later this year.

The movie is reportedly set four years after the ending of the first film and will revisit Taissa Farmiga's Sister Irene as she squares off against the demon Valak — also known as The Nun — once again. The latest film to join the "Conjuring" universe is directed by "The Curse of La Llorona" and "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" director Michael Chaves. "M3GAN" writer Akela Cooper penned the script alongside Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing from a story she wrote. The world needs more Akela Cooper films, so right off the bat, this film has some promise. 

Plus, it's exciting that Taissa Farmiga will return. Reid is also very exciting casting, as she's proven in "Euphoria" and "The Invisible Man" she's coming into being a skilled performer. Anna Popplewell, Katelyn Rose Downey, and Jonas Bloquet make up the supporting cast, with the irreplaceable Bonnie Aarons returning as The Nun herself. "The Conjuring" and "Saw" creator James Wan and DC Studios head Peter Safran return to co-produce alongside Judson Scott. 

Based on the footage alone, it sounds like the sequel will be much larger in scope than Corin Hardy's original. The first images showed a group of girls playing a sinister game in a chapel in France. There's a statue under a sheet that appears to move, but they don't see its head turning. The church looks abandoned with a number of dark, stained glass windows providing the only light. One of them asks, "What are we doing here?" "Playing a game," another girl replies. "It's called Defy the Devil."

Trying to scare the main girl, the other girls start to taunt her. "At the right time of day, the sun hits the glass at just the right angle, and if you're watching carefully, the devil looks right at you," one says. The game they're playing is a dangerous one and another girl says, "The rumor is, if you look away, the devil will appear in the form of a monstrous goat." Of course, there's an image of a goat in the stained glass. The goat's eyes suddenly turn red and the Nun is right behind her. The main girl runs but winds up trapped inside with the nun as the statue begins to move and the sheet slowly falls off as she screams in horror.

Taissa Famiga's character from the first film is introduced by a priest warning that "the demon lives" and that Farmiga is "the only person alive who has dealt with something like this." She appears in an old city with dark alleyways as the pages from a magazine stand start to flip. From there, a giant montage begins showing a river of blood and a ton of religious horror imagery.

The footage ended with two girls exploring a crawlspace. They see a woman with her back turned. A huge jump scare stinger happens as the woman's hands grab the girl's face.

After the footage was screened, Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid took the stage to offer up a few more details about the much-anticipated sequel. Farmiga's character, Sister Irene, returns because "she has a strong sense of duty," she said afterwards. Filming at a real abandoned church in France frightened Farmiga so much that she needed an escort to walk her around the location.

For super fans of these films, Farmiga also was quick to say that the new sequel will put together a few more pieces of the puzzle in "The Conjuring" universe that should expand upon the already established lore.

From the sound of it, "The Nun 2" looks to be an ambitious continuation of the first film. With Bonnie Aarons returning as the Nun and James Wan and Peter Safran staying on as producers, the next entry into the ever-expanding world of "The Conjuring" may end up being one of the highlights of the entire series.

"The Nun 2" is set to scare audiences on September 8, 2023.