“The Conjuring” universe jumps back decades with its forthcoming prequel. “The Conjuring: First Communion” will invite the audience into the story about how popular demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren got their start with their first haunting investigation.
As Dread Central exclusively unveils, the younger versions of those characters will be played by “The Long Walk” star Garrett Wareing (who played Stebbins, the grievous son of The Major) and Amanda Fix (“Orphan Black: Echos”). Previously, Orion Smith and Madison Lawlor portrayed those roles in Michael Chaves’s 2025 film “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” the final “The Conjuring” sequel.
With a script written by Richard Naing (“Fear the Walking Dead”) and Ian Goldberg (“The Autopsy of Jane Doe,” “The Nun II”), “The Conjuring: First Communion” will be directed by Rodrigue Huart.
Garrett Wareing’s Impressive Acting in ‘The Long Walk’
In Francis Lawrence’s “The Long Walk,” based on Stephen King’s 1979 novel of the same name, Garrett Wareing stands out with the most underrated performance. His character, Stebbins, plays second fiddle to Ray (Cooper Hoffman) and Pete (David Jonsson), but as the group dwindles from 50 contestants to the final three, the viewer gets a harrowing glimpse into Stebbins’ backstory.
Stebbings demonstrates deep knowledge about The Long Walk, how it was conceived and the rules behind the savage ritual. In his final moments, he reveals that he’s one of dozens of children of The Major (Mark Hamill). His desire to win stems from desperation to be welcomed and accepted by his father. But as his lungs fill with fluid, he reveals it all to Ray and Pete.
Every step of the way, Wareing delves deep into Stebbins’ broken psychology. His range zips from stoic, determined competitor to tragically whimpering and destroyed human being simply trying to make the best of a terrible situation. As he steps into the shadow of Patrick Wilson, the originator of the Ed Warren character, he has his work cut out for him, but he is more than up to the task.
‘Lowlifes’ is Amanda Fix’s Best Role
Amanda Fix stars in the Tubi Original “Lowlifes,” one of the streaming platform’s rare gems. Fix, most known for her arc in “Orphan Black: Echos,” delivers a star-making performance in Mitch Oliver and Tesh Guttikonda’s 2024 horror/thriller. It’s an unexpectedly strong lead performance that proves she has the chops to tackle Lorraine Warren, stepping into Vera Farmiga’s very tall heels.
“Lowlifes” tells the story of a family going on a cross-country road trip when they encounter a backwoods family with nothing but bloodlust on their minds. As the cynical, too-cool-for-school daughter, Fix offers up a surprising amount of nuance. In someone else’s hands, it could have landed flat and quite forgettable. Paired with Al Kaplan’s (“Critters: A New Binge”) smart and taut script, Fix uncovers rich layers to the character.
When eyeing Lorraine Warren, there’s a great opportunity for Fix to explore the psychological ramifications of Lorraine’s psychic abilities. We’ve seen in many of the sequels that her mental state slowly deteriorates with every investigation, and what her first encounter looks like on screen is all in Fix’s promising, very capable hands.
