The story is set in the late 1960s and follows John Form (Ward Horton) and his pregnant wife Mia (Annabelle Wallis). John gives Mia a vintage doll, Annabelle, as a gift for their upcoming baby. Soon after, their neighbors are brutally murdered by their estranged daughter, who was part of a satanic cult.
During a night of terror, Mia is attacked by the cult members, and one of them, Annabelle Higgins (played by Tree O’Toole), kills herself while holding the doll. The cult members are eventually stopped by the police, but their malevolent presence lingers.
Strange and supernatural occurrences begin happening in the Form household. Mia becomes increasingly paranoid and is convinced that Annabelle, the doll, is a conduit for malevolent spirits. The couple seeks the help of a bookstore owner named Evelyn (Alfre Woodard), who is knowledgeable about the occult.
As the supernatural activity intensifies, the couple realizes that the cult has cursed the doll to act as a vessel for a demonic entity. Mia goes into premature labor, and in a climactic confrontation with the demonic force, John sacrifices himself to save Mia and the newborn baby.
The film concludes with Mia, now living with her baby, moving into a new apartment. The doll, believed to be safely locked away, is delivered to a collector. However, the movie hints at the possibility that the malevolent entity connected to Annabelle is still present.
“Annabelle” received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its atmosphere and scares but criticism for its reliance on familiar horror tropes. Despite the mixed critical reception, the film was commercially successful, leading to the creation of several sequels and spin-offs in the Conjuring Universe.