The story of The Nun unfolds in 1952 Romania
When a young nun takes her own life in an isolated convent, the Vatican doesn't send just anyone to investigate—they dispatch Father Burke, a seasoned priest with his own spiritual doubts, and Sister Irene, a novitiate still finding her footing in the religious life. What they discover isn't a simple tragedy but the presence of something far older and more malevolent. The demonic force they're up against doesn't lurk in shadows or whisper from the walls. It takes form. It wears a habit. It's a creature that feeds on faith itself, and it's been waiting in those crumbling stone corridors for a very long time. The investigation becomes a fight for survival—and for their souls.
Behind the making of The Nun: Production, cast, and the Conjuring connection
Director Corin Hardy brought The Nun to life as a spiritual spin-off to The Conjuring 2, where the demon nun character first appeared as a brief but haunting presence. Written by Gary Dauberman with James Wan on story duties, the film became the fifth installment in The Conjuring shared universe—a franchise that had built considerable momentum at the box office. The 96-minute runtime keeps the pacing lean, though not everyone felt it worked in the film's favor.
The cast carries serious weight. Taissa Farmiga returns to the universe she first entered in The Conjuring, bringing both vulnerability and determination to Sister Irene. Demián Bichir, known for nuanced dramatic work, anchors the film as Father Burke. Jonas Bloquet and Ingrid Bisu round out the core ensemble, while Bonnie Aarons reprises her role as the Demon Nun—a visual centerpiece that's equal parts striking and unsettling. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, the paranormal investigators from The Conjuring films, don't appear here, but their universe's fingerprints are all over the production. The film was released in September 2018 to a horror audience hungry for franchise content, and it performed well enough at the box office to justify a sequel, though critical reception proved far more divided than the studio might have hoped.
Why The Nun divides audiences: Spectacle versus substance
Here's the thing about The Nun—it's a film that knows exactly what it wants to be, and audiences either buy in or they don't. What's striking is how the film leans into visual Gothic atmosphere. The Romanian convent setting becomes a character itself: all vaulted ceilings, candlelit darkness, and architectural weight that presses down on the characters. Corin Hardy brings a painterly eye to horror, favoring composition and lighting over jump scares, at least for stretches of the film. When the Demon Nun appears, it's often framed with careful precision—the way light catches a habit, the geometry of a doorway, the space between a figure and the wall behind it.
But that's also where the film's tension with audiences emerges. Critics complained that The Nun leans too heavily on familiar horror tropes—the possessed nun, the skeptical priest, the innocent novitiate thrust into danger, the evil lurking in a place meant to be holy. It's not exactly breaking new ground. Some viewers found the pacing slow, the scares predictable, the story machinery too visible beneath the Gothic window dressing. One common refrain: the film prioritizes mood and aesthetics over genuine terror or character depth. That said, fans of the horror genre who haven't burned out on supernatural tales often defend the film for exactly those atmospheric qualities. They appreciate that it doesn't rely solely on loud sound design or cheap startles. The performances help. Farmiga brings a quiet intensity to her role, and there's real chemistry between her and Bichir as they navigate both the mystery and their own spiritual crises. The film works best when it trusts the audience to feel unease rather than when it reaches for overt scares.
Where to stream The Nun online
The Nun is currently available on Netflix, making it easy to access if you're already subscribed. The platform's Where to Watch widget at the top of this page will show you real-time availability across all services—streaming rights shift, so if you're planning a watch, that widget is your best bet for current status. If you're browsing Movie OTT for horror recommendations, you'll find The Nun alongside other supernatural titles in the Conjuring universe and beyond. Movie OTT tracks streaming availability across major platforms, so you won't waste time hunting for where a film actually lives.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is The Nun a sequel to The Conjuring?
Not exactly. The Nun is a spin-off set in the same shared universe as The Conjuring films, but it tells its own standalone story. The Demon Nun character appeared briefly in The Conjuring 2, and this film expands her mythology. You don't need to watch the other movies to follow The Nun, though fans of the franchise will catch the connective tissue.
Q: Who directed The Nun?
Corin Hardy directed the film. Hardy is known for his visual style and his work in horror and thriller genres. The Nun marked his entry into the Conjuring universe and gave him a substantial studio budget to work with.
Q: Is The Nun based on a true story?
No. While the film draws on Catholic iconography and real historical anxieties about demonic possession, the story of The Nun is entirely fictional. It's inspired by the gothic tradition and the broader mythology of The Conjuring universe rather than actual events.
Q: How long is The Nun?
The film runs 96 minutes, making it a relatively lean horror thriller. The runtime keeps the story moving without excessive downtime, though some viewers felt the pacing could have been tighter.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for The Nun?
The Nun holds a 5.5 out of 10 on IMDb, reflecting the divided critical and audience response. Some viewers love its atmospheric approach to horror, while others found it predictable and slow.
Final thoughts on The Nun
The Nun is worth watching if you're in the mood for gothic atmosphere and don't mind a slower burn. It won't reinvent horror, and it won't shake you the way The Exorcist did. But if you appreciate careful cinematography, a creepy setting, and performances that ground the supernatural elements in real stakes—it's a solid choice. The film knows its lane and commits to it. Whether that's enough depends entirely on what you want from your horror.
