Annabelle (2025) returns to the shadowed halls of the Conjuring Universe, bringing with it a deeper, darker exploration of the cursed doll that has haunted fans for over a decade. Set years after the events of Annabelle Comes Home, the story shifts to a new family who unknowingly inherits the demonic presence that has long plagued those who crossed paths with the doll. This time, the doll surfaces in an isolated Louisiana plantation house, recently restored by a young couple hoping to start a peaceful life away from the city. What they uncover instead is a legacy of evil waiting to awaken.
The film introduces Claire and Marcus Halloway, a couple expecting their first child, whose optimism slowly unravels as strange events begin to plague their home. Footsteps echo in empty rooms, children’s laughter is heard in the walls, and the doll—Annabelle—appears without explanation in the nursery. The tension is slow-burning, leaning into atmosphere and dread rather than jump scares, creating a sense of constant unease. What begins as subtle disturbances escalates into physical attacks, waking nightmares, and disturbing visions that leave the couple questioning their own sanity.
Unlike previous entries, Annabelle (2025) delves deeper into the doll’s origins. Through the discovery of hidden journals and occult artifacts buried within the plantation grounds, Claire uncovers the chilling truth: the house was once home to a cult that attempted to bind a demon into a vessel of innocence. Annabelle, it turns out, was never just a conduit—it was created for a ritual that was never fully completed. Now, with Claire pregnant, the ritual seeks to finish what it began decades ago.
As the story unfolds, the film introduces a mysterious priest who carries secrets of his own and whose knowledge of the occult challenges the boundaries of faith and fear. His presence adds a layer of spiritual conflict, forcing the characters to confront not just a haunting, but a battle between good and evil manifesting through generations. The final act is a relentless descent into horror, blending supernatural chaos with the raw desperation of a mother trying to protect her unborn child.
Annabelle (2025) doesn’t reinvent horror, but it tightens its grip with sharp atmosphere, strong performances, and an unrelenting tone of psychological terror. It continues the tradition of the franchise while raising the stakes emotionally and spiritually. As the screen fades to black, one thing becomes certain—the evil inside Annabelle is not done. It never was.
