A sequel to New Line’s The Curse of La Llorona is finally underway.
Jay Hernandez, who starred as the titular Magnum P.I., and Monica Raymund, one of the stars of TV’s Chicago Fire, are the big names in the feature, titled The Revenge of La Llorona and that also has rising actors Edy Ganem (9-1-1), Martín Fajardo (Griselda), Acston Luca Porto (Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado), Avie Porto (Bob Hearts Abishola) on the call sheet.
Raymond Cruz, who co-starred in the 2019 movie as the helpful Father Perez, is one acting talent returning for the feature, which began production this week in Buffalo.
Also back is the producing team of Emile Gladstone, Gary Dauberman, and James Wan.
But while the producing team is the same, the director and writer are not. Santiago Menghini, the Canadian filmmaker known for his award-winning short Milk and who made his feature debut with 2021 horror movie No One Gets Out Alive, is sitting in the director’s chair.
Sean Tretta, who worked with Wan on the filmmaker’s Creature from the Black Lagoon feature set up at Universal, wrote the script.
The fact that the movie is now in production is a notable resuscitation of a sequel that had been shelved several times before, at least once even during pre-production. That last shelving occurred in early 2024 and may have been due to budgetary issues. Sources say movement on this one got going after the success of this summer’s Final Destination: Bloodlines, which showed the company that an appetite for sequels exists.
La Llorona’s tears can’t be ignored. A surprise breakout when it was released in 2019, The Curse of La Llorona grossed $123 million worldwide. That movie was led by Linda Cardellini and directed by Michael Chaves, who graduated to the The Conjuring franchise, helming the last two entries, including the most recent one, The Conjuring: Last Rites. Last Rites is a prime example of the enduring strength of the supernatural horror franchise, as it has grossed over $460 million worldwide on a budget of around $55 million.
Latino audiences are among those flocking to the scares, with Revenge of La Llorona hoping to tap that market.
Executive producers on the new movie include Mia Maniscalco, Jamie Buckner, Michael Clear, and Judson Scott.
The story sees the vengeful spirit La Llorona returning, forcing a fractured family to confront their past and join forces with their estranged curandero grandfather to battle ancient evils, before the Weeping Woman claims their children forever.
Menghini is repped by UTA, Good Fear and Mike Castrillo at McKuin Frankel. Tretta is repped by CAA, Adventure Media, and attorney Jennifer Levy.
Cruz is repped byMedia Artists Group, Raymund is repped by Gersh and Door 24, and Hernandez is repped by CAA, Alchemy Entertainment and Fuller Law.
Fajardo is repped by Magnitude Entertainment and CESD, siblings Acston Luca Porto and Avie Porto are repped by Coast to Coast Talent Group, D.R. Entertainment, and attorney Carolyn Conrad. Ganem is repped by Prime Talent Media, Allegory Creative Talent and Yorn Levine.
