'The Nun' Writer Explains What Makes It Different From 'The Conjuring'

08/31/2017 05:36 pm EDT

The success of 2013's The Conjuring has created a "Conjuring-Verse," a series of films all connected to one another that focus on different characters and different time periods. While many audiences might think all the stories are interchangeable with one another, screenwriter Gary Dauberman, who wrote spin-off films Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation, assures that the upcoming The Nun stands out from the rest of the films in the series.

"When [The Conjuring director] James [Wan] and I sat down, and we talked story, we wanted [it] to be a little bit more of a mission-based movie," Dauberman revealed to Entertainment Weekly. "We wanted to give a little bit of an action-adventure flavor to it, rather than just someone moving into a house and something creepy happens." He added, "We wanted something very atmospheric, very moody — and setting it in Romania certainly accomplishes that."

The Nun is based on a character that was introduced in The Conjuring 2, a demonic presence that haunted Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga). Little was known about the character, but the upcoming film, slated for a July 13, 2018 release, aims to change that.

In The Nun, a priest is dispatched to investigate the mysterious death of a nun in Rome. The priest will be played by Alien: Covenant's Demián Bichir and the demonic nun will once again by played by Bonnie Aarons. The film also recently cast Taissa Farmiga, younger sister of The Conjuring's Vera Farmiga, starring as a fellow nun. Hope is slated to play the character Sister Victoria, a nun who is plagued by a demonic presence.

"It was a fantastic experience," says Dauberman of shooting The Nun. "Because of Dracula and all that, you're like, 'Well, I would love to go Transylvania, but I didn't feel I would ever have the chance.' Lo and behold, James has this idea: 'Hey, I really think The Nun needs to be set in Romania.' You're like, 'F**k, alright!' And you go there, and you realize, Oh, this is why he wants to set it in Romania."

The atmosphere clearly aided the shoot, with Dauberman explaining, "The production value, with the castles, and the mountains — it's so beautiful and grand. And there's not many people better to be with in Romania and Transylvania than Corin Hardy, who lives and breathes this stuff. He had endless ideas. It was another great working experience, within the Conjuring universe."

Annabelle: Creation is now in theaters.

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