New Hellraiser Rises and The Conjuring Universe Expands

Thanks to recent events in the horror world, our first book, Scared Sacred: Idolatry, Religion and Worship in the Horror Film, is having a bit of a moment. As the Hellraiser and Conjuring franchises step back into the spotlight, we invite you to join us as we celebrate Scared Sacred, get excited about further exploring the imagination of one of horror’s most inventive minds, and prepare for a petrifying conclusion 12 years in the making.

Pinhead Returns to Raise Some More Hell

Horror gamers, prepare for relentless tension, growing dread, and likely more than a few jump scares. The upcoming Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival from Saber and Boss Team Games is an action-packed, first-person survival horror game that promises to unleash a “new story in Hellraiser’s canon” in which the player will “kickstart Pinhead’s ritual to unleash greater pain and pleasure than ever before.”

The Hellraiser series and its religious implications were thoughtfully explored in Scared Sacred through Rebecca Booth’s excellent chapter, “The Last Sin Eater: The Purgatorial Testament and Redemption of the Hell Priest in the Hellraiser Mythology.”

To celebrate Scared Sacred and the coming spooky season, we have such sights to show you! Our super-limited Writual HoL-loween greeting card collection features two striking illustrations by John Sowder drawn from the first section of the book. Each set includes four premium matte stock cards, matching black envelopes, and a high-quality metallic gold pen.

Ed and Lorraine Warren Reach the End of Their Story

The ninth film in the Conjuring universe, The Conjuring: Last Rites, hits theatres in the UK, Canada, and the United States tonight. It’s helmed by The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It director Michael Chaves (though we would have loved to see producer James Wan return behind the camera).

Set in Pennsylvania, Last Rites has the Warrens facing a demonic entity with terrifying ties to their family. While this is reportedly the final film in this iteration of the long-running Conjuring series, Richard Brener, the President and COO of New Line Cinema, has hinted at a possible second phase of the franchise.

Image: The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025, New Line Cinema)

The first two films of the Conjuring series were the subject of author and podcaster Alexandra West’s stunning Scared Sacred chapter, “Onward Christian Soldiers: Eyes of Believers in The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016).”

But the release of Last Rites isn’t the only recent Conjuring news.

Last month, misogynist/comedian Matt Rife purchased the home of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the well-known — if not always respected — paranormal investigators whose cases inspired the franchise. The estate includes the infamous museum where the self-proclaimed demonologist and clairvoyant housed a collection of the allegedly haunted (and sometimes dangerous) objects they encountered throughout their lengthy and contested career.

This makes Rife the legal guardian of the museum’s most famous attraction: the haunted doll Anabelle, whose Conjuring spin-off birthed three films of her own. This time, I’m rooting for the doll.

To bid farewell to the Conjuring story and acknowledge Annabelle’s enduring legacy, we’ve conjured the return of one of our most-coveted past items, our Annabelle-inspired Warning, Positively Do Not Open notebook! Designed to help our fellow horror-lovers focus their thoughts, engage in mindful reflection, and build productive creative routines, this elegant 192-page silver notebook with built-in storage is a subtle nod to the Conjuring universe.

As we revisit Scared Sacred this month, we’ll be giving thanks to each and every reader who has supported our tiny publishing team. We remain endlessly grateful.

Your Accursed Librarian,

Valeska