It’s crazy to think that Joshua John Miller’s The Exorcism was first announced back in 2019. The world has changed a lot since then and we’ve even gotten a similarly titled Russell Crowe movie in the meantime. Yet the only thing that The Exorcism shares with The Pope’s Exorcist (outside of its lead) is the subject matter. Because otherwise, this is a very different film, both in tone and plot. Following a film within a film about the remake of The Exorcist (although not by name) provides a unique opportunity. Many possession stories can feel rather “samey” so it’s nice to finally get a unique slant on it.
I was fortunate enough to sit down with stars Ryan Simpkins, David Hyde Pierce, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, as well as writers and director M.A.Fortin and Joshua John Miller. We got into all things The Exorcism, including the very intense process of writing the script. Drawing from inspiration from his own childhood, Miller pulled from his own relationship with his father (The Exorcist‘s Jason Miller) so there are some intense emotions present here. And for a bit of fun, I talked to some of the cast about their favorite horror movies.
The Exorcism plot:
Shot as a movie within a movie, The Exorcism stars Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe as Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who is trying to resuscitate his career when he lands the lead role of a priest in a supernatural horror film about an exorcism. As unsettling events unfold, his “lucky break” takes a dark turn. The director (Adam Goldberg), aiming for authenticity, subjects the struggling actor to humiliating treatment, forcing him to confront past traumas and accelerating his decline. Witnessing his suffering, Anthony’s estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) turns to the film’s priest advisor (David Hyde Pierce) for help. Has the pressure of making the film sent Anthony back to his old addictions, or has it opened a portal to something more sinister?
THE EXORCISM IS PLAYING ONLY IN THEATERS ON JUNE 21ST, 2024.
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