“Annabelle: Creation’ shows how the creepy, pig-tailed doll came to be. In 1943, a toy maker creates it after the accidental death of his young daughter.

Annabelle: Creation is too smart for that. Sandberg and screenwriter Gary Dauberman show you everything that’s scary about the house early on, and then call back to it later for maximum effect.

Annabelle: Creation director David F. Sandberg — whose 2013 short film Lights Out was adapted into a hit feature-length movie last summer — recently made the leap into the blockbuster sphere ...

"Annabelle: Creation" may not be able to save the summer -- which, after this weekend, will only fall farther behind last year's pace -- but it is doing its part to frighten audiences into theaters.

Annabelle: Creation is also impressing overseas, where it boasts a Wednesday-Friday gross of $17.7 million from 39 markets, including a strong launch in South Korea.

Annabelle: Creation, the prequel to Conjuring spinoff Annabelle, was added to Netflix’s lineup recently, and quite a few horror fans have been taking notice since it arrived.

Film Annabelle: Creation R • 1 hour 49 min • 2017 by Andrea Gronvall August 10, 2017 ... Annabelle: Creation ...