When “The Conjuring” was released in 2013, no one could have expected a movie by a then-unknown director, Malaysian-born James Wan, would make such an impact.

Eight years on, the “Conjuring” universe is one of modern horror’s greatest success stories, being a multi-million-dollar franchise with a global fanbase.

Aside from engaging stories and genuine scares, the success of the series can be attributable to the strong cast, especially Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who play real-life husband-and-wife paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

Wilson and Farmiga have appeared in five of the eight movies in the franchise, and with the recent release of “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” – streaming from today on HBO GO – the pair had much to say about their work on the series.

The latest instalment places greater emphasis on the relationship between the Warrens, which was interesting for their portrayers to tackle. “I had a lot of fun because we get to explore more of Lorraine’s abilities as a psychic,” Famiga told FMT in a recent interview.

Wilson explained that trips to the real-life Warrens’ home inspired creative decisions, in particular a gazebo that harkens back to the couple’s teenage romance.

“It was fascinating that they took that information and made it a real plot point for the movie,” he said. “It’s nice to have little pieces of their real life that reflect their love and history.”

Keeping their distance

“The Devil Made Me Do It” centres around the true story of Arne Johnson, who claimed to have killed someone while possessed by a demon.

Farmiga and Wilson said they were unaware of the case prior to the film but what they learnt was “chilling”. They had had an opportunity to meet the actual Arne Johnson, but chose to distance themselves for reasons they admittedly found hard to explain.

“The distance from them is important to me,” Farmiga said simply.

Wilson agreed, adding, “Everything we do is through the eyes of the script. It’s nice to keep our distance as we are just telling a story.

“In this movie in particular, because of the subject matter, because we’re talking about an actual homicide, it really grounded the movie in a different way. There are real victims here.

“That distance enables us to embrace the love between Ed and Lorraine, which acts as redemption for the darkness of the story.”

For him, the stress of work and being away from his family is offset by the quality of the films and the good time he has on set.

“We love playing these guys. We have such fun with these movies. As dark as they get, we have a great time,” he said.

Farmiga said her character continues to fascinate her. “I think her relationship with her creator is a big deal for her. It always infused her with calmness.

“I am nothing like Lorraine,” she confessed. “I wonder how I would have reacted in the situations she faced.”

Souvenirs and superpowers

Wilson and Farmiga’s onscreen chemistry extends to real life, with the duo acknowledging how much they enjoy working together. Their bond was also evident when they answered a question about what superpowers they wish they could possess.

Farmiga said she would love the gift of healing, while Wilson’s answer was the power of flight. “I’d be a tour-guide Superman – a flying Uber,” he said to Farmiga’s laughter.

To complement their memories of filming, they have taken home a few mementos from the set. “I was given a rosary by the real Lorraine and we actually used that in the movie,” Farmiga said.

“I also have a bottle of holy water that was given to us. But I keep it in my medicine cabinet, next to my deodorant,” she added, laughing.

When it was his turn to reveal what he took home from the set, Wilson replied, “A chair, and my tight pants” – a reference to the hip clothing Ed would have worn in the late 1970s and early 80s.

While mementos are good, one thing they wouldn’t want to bring home with them are actual supernatural entities.

Asked if they had experienced anything of a creepy nature in real life, Wilson had nothing to report, but Farmiga said she had had an experience that could have been “something or nothing”.

“I have had these sensations where I’ve felt a hand on my hip while I was at a house with so much dark history,” she said, adding that she has also come across the “occasional flying object”.

While Wilson believes in unseen forces at play, he keeps a positive attitude to avoid trouble.

“I try to keep that out of my life,” he said. “Over the years, with all the movies, anything paranormal doesn’t scare me anymore. I feel like I can handle it.

“If anything happens, I’ll just call Vera to come over.”

Stream or download ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It’ on HBO GO through your devices or via Astro.