THE APEX TIMES
New Line selects Garrett Wareing and Amanda Fix as young Ed and Lorraine Warren for “The Conjuring: First Communion”
Deadline reports that the studio has cast Garrett Wareing and Amanda Fix to play a younger Ed and Lorraine Warren in the upcoming prequel, with Rodrigue Huart directing from a script by Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg.
New Line has cast Garrett Wareing and Amanda Fix as young Ed and Lorraine Warren for the upcoming prequel film The Conjuring: First Communion, according to Deadline. The movie is being positioned as the next chapter in the Conjuring franchise, which has previously explored the cases of the Warrens through a series of feature releases.
Deadline’s report describes The Conjuring: First Communion as a prequel, indicating that the film will return to earlier ground in the Warrens’ story rather than continuing from the franchise’s most recent films. New Line is moving the project forward with Huart directing from a screenplay by Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg.
Rodrigue Huart is attached as director, with Naing and Goldberg credited on the screenplay. The casting decision adds two performers at the center of the production, with Wareing and Fix set to portray the Warrens in their younger years, replacing the franchise’s established adult portrayals by other actors in prior installments.
Deadline also reports that New Line hired Haunt to direct “off a short film,” indicating that the pre-production plan includes development work linked to a prior short project. The report does not provide additional details in its summary about the short’s plot, distribution, or release timing.
The Conjuring franchise is part of a broader cinematic universe of horror films built around paranormal investigation themes. By casting Wareing and Fix specifically as the younger iteration of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the studio’s approach suggests the film will rely on character continuity through recognizable roles, even as it shifts to an earlier era in the Warrens’ backstory.
No release date, production start date, or theatrical and distribution specifics were included in the Deadline summary that reported the casting. The studio’s next steps, beyond locking in key creative and lead acting roles, are expected to include expanding the cast, finalizing production timelines, and completing the development of the script.
For audiences, the casting is likely to be the most immediate report of how the project will handle the franchise’s tonal and character expectations, with lead performers tasked with carrying the foundational dynamic of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The film’s development also adds to the ongoing pipeline of horror prequels and franchise entries that studios use to refresh established brands without resetting their overall premise.
New Line and the project’s creative team have not provided additional verified details in the reported item beyond the casting and attachments. As additional reporting and official announcements emerge, details on supporting roles, production location, and release plans are expected to clarify how First Communion will fit within the Conjuring slate.
Why It Matters
- Casting the lead roles is an early and practical step that shapes how a franchise prequel can maintain audience recognition while exploring earlier events.
- The director and writing attachments set the creative framework for how the Warrens’ backstory will be handled, which can affect production design, tone, and narrative structure.
- Hiring a team to build from an earlier short film suggests the studio is using existing material to reduce uncertainty in the prequel’s development and execution.
- For franchise business planning, the move helps New Line keep momentum on a major horror property with a built-in audience base.
- The lack of confirmed release timing in the reported item means the next official update on schedule and distribution will be important for exhibitors, marketing planning, and audiences.
Key Facts
- New Line has cast Garrett Wareing as young Ed Warren and Amanda Fix as young Lorraine Warren for The Conjuring: First Communion.
- The project is a prequel in the Conjuring franchise.
- Rodrigue Huart is set to direct, from a screenplay by Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg.
- Deadline reports New Line hired Haunt to direct off a short film as part of the project’s development.
- The Deadline report does not include a release date or additional production specifics in its summary.