Warning: Video contains jump scare.


Warner Bros. has released another teaser for The Conjuring spin-off The Nun, this time in 360-degree video format. The latest addition to the Conjuring universe has fallen under some scrutiny for its marketing tactics recently. The video, posted above, takes some steps to distance itself from those issues but falls just a little short.

The Nun received criticism for its previous trailer, a short YouTube ad that reportedly upset viewers with its silent opening and subsequent jump scare. Warnings went out over social media, informing followers of the unskippable ad. Many responded with their own anxiety over these types of scares. YouTube quickly removed the ad, citing their guidelines that restrict shocking content. Gory images were not mentioned but may have also been applied to the ad's removal from the streaming platform.

The latest teaser released by Warner Bros. Pictures puts the viewer in the middle of an abandoned abbey. The 360-style clip allows the watcher to explore the abbey, wandering through dark tunnels filled with religious and horror imagery. Subtle horror movie tropes are deployed throughout the video, like hallways changing upon reentry and figures passing behind the main character. The end of the clip features a jump scare appearance of the titular nun.


The film's writer, Gary Dauberman, revealed in an interview James Wan's intent to create a unique tone for each Conjuring Universe installment. While the films are all connected, in broader terms, Dauberman said the hope was to prevent The Nun from feeling like a "rehash" of the previous films. He affirmed his belief that the film had successfully gone in a new direction than its predecessors, offering up a sense of style not previously explored in the Conjuring Universe.

Unfortunately, this is the third trailer or teaser for the film that relies on the use of jump scares. Such horror techniques are already controversial. Some feel them to be lazy, others, as noted with the removal of the YouTube pre-roll ad, are simply averse to the sudden shock. Regardless, it's understandable that a horror film would be interested in exploring the medium. But it's more than a little concerning that every glimpse given into the film has focused on this type of scare. Hopefully, this will boil down to a repetitive marketing technique and does not reflect the actual horror or tension deployed in the film itself.

The Nun (2018) release date: Sep 07, 2018