The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Welcome to the doll's house.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III August 21, 2025

More than a full decade has passed since the theatrical debut and home video release of James Wan's The Conjuring, which has of course expanded to include two direct sequels (The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It) and spinoffs Annabelle and The Nun, each with their own follow-ups. You might think that kind of overextension would've led to franchise fatigue by now but, all told, The Conjuring and its descendents have amassed profits making it the most successful horror franchise in history. I can't say it's earned top honors from a quality standpoint, not by a long shot... but like most long-running franchises, the original film still stands on its own two feet. Warner Bros. finally gives it a welcome upgrade to 4K, aiming to replace their 2013 Blu-ray. A 4K Steelbook is also available.

For a synopsis and appreciation of the main feature, please see either Kenneth Brown's Blu-ray review (linked above) or Brian Orndorf's theatrical review; both give the film solid marks, and I'm in total agreement with a well-earned 4/5. The Conjuring is simply a durably entertaining effort -- one that admittedly resorts to more than a few genre clichés, but it's clearly made with a level of love and care that's missing from most of the sequels and spin-offs.

The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the 2013 Blu-ray, which is not included with this 4K package.

Kenneth Brown awarded Warner Bros.' Blu-ray high marks in his 2013 review, citing its consistent faithfulness to John R. Leonetti's original cinematography with an accurately dilapidated palette, spatters of red, foreboding shadows, edge definition, fine detail, and textures. Originally delivered to theaters with a 2K digital intermediate, The Conjuring has obviously not been changed dramatically for Warner Bros.' upscaled 2160p/HDR10 transfer (sorry, Dolby Vision fans), which instead simply elevates those already-existing highlights with more precise colors and contrast levels as well as a tighter bit rate afforded by roomier disc real estate and more efficient HEVC encoding. Adjacent colors, especially those set against shadows and total blackness, now "read" a bit more easily and, combined with deeper blacks and brighter whites (rare as they are) afforded by HDR10, returning viewers and newcomers alike might find themselves searching the 2.40:1 widescreen frame more intently for threats in the darkness. Likewise, perceived fine detail is a bit tighter in extreme close-ups and the higher bit rate remains supportive from start to finish with no obvious compression-related issues such as banding, posterization, or macro blocking. Those with small to medium-sized displays won't notice a transformative experience, but in direct comparison the 4K is an obvious winner under the right conditions.

The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rather than create a new Dolby Atmos mix, word has it that director James Wan opted to keep things authentic with the original DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track... and while there are a few tempting opportunities for overhead thrills and other such newer sonic advancements, I fully respect this decision and can certainly admit The Conjuring's original mix is an outstanding effort and fully deserving of the same 5/5 that Kenneth awarded it in his 2013 Blu-ray review.

Optional English (SDH), Spanish, and French subtitles are all carried over from the Blu-ray during the main feature and extras, but please note that the Portuguese audio and subtitle tracks didn't make the cut this time.

The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase that just backs up a few feet from the 2013 Blu-ray's cover art with simple and effective results; a matching matte-finish slipcover is included, as well as a Digital Copy. On-disc bonus features include two brand-new retrospective featurettes and all three legacy items from the linked Blu-ray.

• NEW! Scariest of Them All (7:47) - Cast and crew members return for a lightweight retrospective piece (mostly) about this first film in the *sigh* ever-expanding Conjuring universe, including actors Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor, and Mackenzie Foy ("Cindy"), as well as director James Wan and a few familiar faces from the second film. This is nothing major -- favorite moments and memories, mostly -- but it also includes behind-the-scenes footage from the set, which makes it worth a look for fans of the franchise.

• NEW! Reflections on The Conjuring (6:45) - A like-minded retrospective featuring more behind-the-scenes footage and many of the same participants from the first film as well as producer Peter Safran, who collectively go into a bit more depth about The Conjuring's development and influence on its many sequels.

• The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Fear (6:37)

• A Life in Demonology (15:37)

• Scaring the "@$*%" Out of You (8:02)

The Conjuring 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The multiple sequels and spin-offs of James Wan's The Conjuring haven't managed to water down the original, which still stands as a simple and effective exercise in horror 12 years after its theatrical debut. Warner Bros.' long-overdue UHD edition polishes the already-great 2K visuals to a shine, retains the same great lossless 5.1 audio mix, and adds in a few short new retrospective bonus features. It's not the most essential upgrade in recent memory (mostly due to the strength of the earlier Blu-ray), but still a solid effort that's firmly Recommended to fans and first-timers alike.