With the same producing team as all the other Conjuring films, it was always odd how The Curse of La Llorona was never marketed as such. With many perceiving the film to be a standalone feature without any franchise connections, Warner Bros. had been silent on the connection until screenings at SXSW confimed the association.
According to Bloody Disgusting, the film has a subtle tie with the overarching franchise. As for why it was not marketed as being part of the saga, it is possible that Wan merely wanted to test the feature to audiences on its own merits.
Though fans have been speculating about this for a while, there has never been any confirmation until SXSW. With Tony Amendola officially back as Father Perez, reprising his role from the Annabelle trilogy, The Curse of La Llorona is now confirmed to be the sixth installment in Wan's cinematic universe.
The Curse of La Llorona hits theaters this April.