The film opens with a chilling portrayal of the events leading up to the haunting of the Annabelle doll, which begins with two young women and a man sharing their eerie experiences with Ed and Lorraine Warren. Fast forward to 1970, we meet John and Mia Gordon, portrayed by Ward Horton and Annabelle Wallis, who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child. At a church gathering, the couple discusses potential baby names with their neighbors, the Higgins' (played by Brian Howe and Kerry O'Malley), although John is clearly anxious and unprepared for parenthood. This creates tension with Mia, who is disappointed by his lack of enthusiasm. To make amends, John gifts her a beloved doll she has long sought after, which Mia adores, setting it among her cherished collection.
As the narrative unfolds, Mia's attention is drawn to the alarming news about the Manson Family cult alongside the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders. Concerned for their unborn baby, John advises Mia against exposing their child to such frightening imagery. That night, the tranquility of their neighborhood shatters when a murder occurs next door at the Higgins residence, rousing Mia from her sleep. She informs John, who rushes over to investigate. Moments later, he emerges, drenched in blood, urging Mia to call 911. Frightened, Mia enters the house when a voice ominously expresses its fondness for her dolls. Terrified, she is attacked by a bloodied figure from her closet. A fierce struggle ensues, with police eventually arriving to confront the intruders—a murder-suicide occurs, leaving behind a bloody symbol and the doll Mia treasured. A drop of blood inadvertently makes its way into the doll's eye, subtly sealing its sinister fate.
Though Mia's baby remains unharmed, the ordeal leaves her bedridden. John looks after her devotedly. However, uneasy feelings about the doll's connection to the disturbing events persist, prompting Mia to ask John to dispose of it. He complies, tossing the doll into a rubbish bin outside. The next day, while Mia is sewing, the stove inexplicably ignites, and after suffering a small injury, she suddenly finds herself ensnared in a fire, only to be rescued by nearby men. Fortunately, she later gives birth to a healthy daughter named Lea.
To escape the haunting memories of their old home, the Gordons relocate to a new apartment. Yet, dark occurrences continue to plague them. When Mia encounters a couple of neighbor kids, she sees disturbing drawings they made, which depict a tragic scenario of her pushing Lea in a stroller only for it to end in disaster. Alarmed, she shows these drawings to John as fear grips her heart.
Amidst the chaos, Mia experiences strange visions, including a spectral young girl in her home, soon transforming into the adult version of Annabelle Higgins. As Mia learns more about Annabelle’s ties to a cult, she seeks guidance from a local bookstore owner, Alfre Woodard, who shares her own heart-wrenching story of loss. Together, they uncover that the malevolent spirit haunting them seeks to claim their baby’s soul.
With a sense of urgency, they contact Father Perez, the priest from their church. He bravely takes the Annabelle doll to church, facing a forceful confrontation that leaves him injured. Meanwhile, Mia plunges into desperation, realizing that the doll can be linked back to the cult intent on sacrifice. In a climactic confrontation packed with tension, Mia defends her daughter as the demonic presence attempts to wreak havoc.
In an act of profound sacrifice, Evelyn, who has a tragic connection to Mia's plight, decides to atone for her past by confronting the evil head-on, ultimately leaping out of a window with the doll in her grasp. After this harrowing event, Lea is miraculously found unharmed in her crib, yet the loss weighs heavily on John and Mia as they cherish their daughter.
Months later, having seemingly moved on, the Gordons discover that their troubles may not be over. In a shocking twist, someone purchases an eerily familiar doll from a store, setting the stage for further terror. The film concludes with a chilling reminder of the Annabelle doll safely contained within the Warren's museum, blessed by a priest while Lorraine Warren's disquieting words echo, “Evil is real, and while we can contain it, we can never get rid of it.” As the camera lingers on the doll before fading to black, viewers are left with an unsettling sense of dread.
