His father, Josh (Patrick Wilson), has become an estranged member of the family after his violent possession (see Insidious: Chapter 2) left psychological scars that refused to fade.
The Red Door seemingly brings the story of this unfortunate family to a close, but fans will be wondering if the Insidious franchise will continue in some form.
Here's what the Insidious: The Red Door cast had to say in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com.
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Will there be an Insidious 6? The Red Door cast explain
*Warning: Contains spoilers for Insidious: The Red Door*
After the third and fourth entries shifted focus to other characters in the Insidious universe – the Brenners (in Chapter 3) and Elise Rainier (in The Last Key) – fans were surprised to learn the original cast would be returning for The Red Door.
Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins take centre stage as father-and-son Josh and Dalton Lambert, while Rose Byrne, Andrew Astor and Lin Shaye make fleeting appearances as mother Renai, brother Foster, and fan-favourite psychic Elise.
The question is, are they back for good, or is this a final farewell to the franchise? Speaking to RadioTimes.com, director and star Wilson said he was "confident" that Josh and Renai's story ends here.
"For me and Rose [Byrne]... yeah, it feels pretty final for us," he explained. "I feel pretty confident in that."
Wilson continued: "That being said, I remember 10 to 12 years ago, we did the second movie and people said, ‘Would you come back for more?’ And I thought ‘I just don't see how I could’.
"Now, cut to many years later: director, having the family back, here we are again. So the joy of these movies is that you can – with the time travel elements and all of that, it's exciting. So down the line, maybe."
He added: "I don't say never to anything. I really just don't operate like that. So don't confuse my wavering with some weird information that I'm withholding. I just can't see it right now, but it might be interesting down the line."
Wilson also clarified that he couldn't speak for his younger co-star Ty Simpkins, who later told us that he would be interested in reprising the role of Dalton as long as the script was strong.
"I would love to come back if they would have me," he said. "I think it all depends on the story that they create and if it makes sense. If it feels right, then yeah, I would love to. Who knows?"
Notably, an Insidious: The Red Door post-credits scene does imply that The Further is still very much open for business.
Of course, Insidious could revert to the anthological format adopted for prequels Chapter 3 and The Last Key, where the only returning characters were Elise Rainier and her sidekicks Specs (Leigh Whannell) and Tucker (Angus Sampson).
At the end of Insidious: Chapter 2, it was revealed that Elise continues working with her surrogate sons even after death, maintaining contact with them from the spirit world – but this thread has never been taken further.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com about her impactful cameo appearance in The Red Door, Shaye expressed great interest in continuing Elise's journey, even saying she has her own ideas for where the story could go.
"I don't think it's a farewell to the character at all, actually, and partly because of the abilities that she now has where she is [in the afterlife]," she began. "I've got all kinds of ideas, if it ever comes to that – if anyone asks me, or if I can present them professionally, I'd be happy to do that."
Interestingly, Shaye was able to have some influence over the final scene of The Red Door, where Elise drops in on Josh Lambert and advises him to "keep a steady stride" after his latest demonic encounter.
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The veteran actor revealed that the originally scripted line was more cheerful and optimistic, but that she and Wilson agreed a more foreboding, weighty message would be consistent with the character and the franchise at large.
"It means wherever you are, keep your eyes forward and keep moving, and keep being aware of where you're going, because it won't be what you think," she said of the line.
"That’s a big thought to end the film with, so I'm very proud of that; that we discussed it and Patrick loved the idea as well. So that is how we end the story, so who knows what lies ahead?"
Of her frequent screen partners, Shaye added: "Specs and Tucker are priceless... There's one little section of them in this film [and] it's the highlight of the movie for me. They're wonderful characters, and I think they add a lot to the franchise."
I, for one, would take another trilogy of Elise Rainier adventures in a heartbeat. Fingers crossed.
Is there an Insidious spin-off?
Yes! While the future of the mainline series remains uncertain, a spin-off is in development, titled Thread: An Insidious Tale, with Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals) and Mandy Moore (This Is Us) set to star.
The plot revolves around a married couple who use an old spell to travel back in time, seeking to prevent the untimely death of their beloved daughter.
However, this daring course of action unleashes dire consequences.
The film is written by Jeremy Slater, who will also make his feature directorial debut on the project, after making a name for himself on offbeat fantasy dramas Moon Knight and The Umbrella Academy.
It's unclear exactly how Thread will connect to the Insidious saga, but the concept of time travel via The Further has previously been introduced, so it's possible the film's central characters could access this ghostly realm in their own story.
Insidious: The Red Door is in UK cinemas from Friday 7th July 2023. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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