'The Conjuring: Last Rites' Director Debuts New Comic 'Corpse Knight' in 2026

Esteemed horror filmmaker Michael Chaves is making his debut foray to comics in 2026 with Corpse Knight, an all-new dark fantasy epic.

Michael Chaves is one of the most important people in the development of The Conjuring franchise, helming The Devil Made Me Do it (2021), The Nun II (2023) and The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025). His work has received great acclaim, and now he’s making his first-ever foray to the comics medium in the form of Corpse Knight, working alongside artist/co-creator Matthew Roberts (Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives!) and Rico Renzi (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). The new series comes from Skybound and Image Comics, and will debut its first issue in April 2026.

Corpse Knight is a haunting new horror series where family is family, whether they’re alive or undead. The official description reads:

War ravages France, but a young girl named Foy lives in relative peace with her father… until tragedy strikes. As Foy struggles to fend for herself, she’s granted a miracle—her father returns from the dead to protect her. Now, they embark on a sacred quest, confronting murderers, wild animals, wandering armies, and black magic plaguing the countryside. As Foy comes face to face with the dark side of miracles and the secrets of the Corpse Knight, she must question if the man by her side has always been a monster…

“Corpse Knight was born out of my love of dark fantasy, but it quickly became something more. It’s a story of parenthood and mortality, told through heroes, monsters, and all the shades in between,” said Michael Chaves. “I’ve been a fan of Matthew Roberts since Manifest Destiny, and I truly believe this is some of his finest work. His art is beautiful, tactile, and, when it needs to be, amazingly gruesome. Alongside Rico Renzi’s awesome color work, it’s everything you want from this kind of book.”

“I was certain my next project would be anything but horror, but I’m having the best time drawing Corpse Knight, despite myself,” added Matthew Roberts. “Corpse Knight is a blast. Michael’s script has allowed me to play in a way I’ve not in the past, taking big swings but always feeling grounded by the family bond at the center. That bond is where I find the light, and it makes all the gruesome stuff even more fun to play with. Having Rico on board is the icing on the cake. I can’t imagine anyone else making the choices he makes with colors. I can’t wait for everyone to see what this team is putting together.”

“I love Micheal’s story and Matthew’s art has struck the perfect balance between beautiful and disgusting,” said Rico Renzi. “Coloring this book is a delight!”

“Horror masters Michael Chaves and Matthew Roberts have delivered a beautifully tragic story about the lengths a parent will go to protect their child,” said Alex Antone, Editorial Director at Skybound. “Absolutely nothing will stop the Corpse Knight…even death itself! Fans of King Spawn and The Darkness will eat this right up.”

Corpse Knight debuts in comic stores on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.