The Pope's Exorcist: Plot, Cast, Release Date, and Everything Else We Know (2024)

Almost half of all Americans believe in ghosts. It's a staggering figure, but it's not unjustified. We've all had moments in our life where things felt "off." Maybe a piece of furniture was out of place, or maybe you heard something shift around in the middle of the night. Blaming it on spirits or demons is an easy way to rationalize the chaotic nature of the world around us, and for some, it's an easy thing to blame for societal ills. For others, it's a great source of thrilling stories. The number of movies based around exorcisms is staggering, with the upcoming film The Pope's Exorcist looking to take a unique spin on the topic.

Based on the life of Father Gabriele Amorth, The Pope's Exorcist promises to be a thrilling story that melds Amorth's experiences into a compelling narrative. The film will be produced by Screen Gems, a prolific branch of Sony Pictures responsible for the Resident Evil films, the Underworld franchise, and a handful of religion-themed horror films, from The Exorcism of Emily Rose to Deliver Us From Evil.

This is everything we know about The Pope's Exorcist.

The Pope's Exorcist: The Plot

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Details surrounding the film's plot are sparse. However, we can glean some ideas as to what the film might be about based on its source material.

The Pope's Exorcist is based on the real-life of Father Gabriele Amorth, a priest credited with performing tens of thousands of exorcisms in his lifetime. According to Looper, after Amorth's passing in 2016, the production studio Screen Gems acquired the rights to both his life story and a pair of autobiographies about it, An Exorcist Tells His Story and An Exorcist: More Stories.

Related: What David Gordon Green's Exorcist Reboot Needs to Get Right

The first of Amorth's autobiographies arguably reads more like a textbook than an account of his profession, utilizing exorcisms as a means of explaining demons and demonic activities in-depth. For example, other than "temptation," demon activity can take the form of physical pain, dependence, or obsession. Satan's power also, allegedly, becomes more powerful in communists where "sinfulness" is more evident. The conundrum of confusing someone who is suffering from mental illness to be "possessed" is also addressed, which may play a part in the film's plot. The follow-up book goes into greater detail, even including the challenges an exorcist faces in their own career in relation to the Church.

Seeing as how Screen Gems will be producing the film — a studio with "mixed" critical reception, to put it mildly — it'd be interesting to see how these ideas would be translated into a cohesive story. We'll likely see Crowe playing a dramatized version of Amorth, with potential conflicts he'll face being falling prey to superstitions, questioning the efficacy of exorcisms, or struggling in a world where sin pervades everyday life. Alternatively, it'll just be a generic exorcism story with a real figure attached to it. Let's hope for the former.

The Pope's Exorcist: The Cast & Crew

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Deadline exclusively reported a handful of confirmed cast members for The Pope's Exorcist. Russell Crowe has been cast as the lead role of Father Gabriele Amorth, while Franco Nero will be playing the eponymous pope. Crowe is immediately recognizable for his performances in films like Gladiator, American Gangster, and A Beautiful Mind, while Nero has been in a slew of fantastic films, from his debut in 1966's Django to Die Hard 2.

Additional cast members include Laurel Marsden (Ms. Marvel, Survive), Cornell S. John (EastEnders, Gangs of London), Alex Essoe (Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor), Daniel Zovatto (Don't Breathe, Station Eleven), and Peter Desouza-Feighoney. Desouza-Feighoney will be making his feature-film debut in The Pope's Exorcist. Information regarding the roles these cast members will play is currently unavailable.

Related: Why Sausage Party Is a Surprisingly Insightful Adult Movie About Organized Religion

The script for the film has undergone several alterations, with the current version being a revision of an already-revised draft written by Chester Hastings and R. Dean McCreary. Right now, the current script has been penned by Evan Spiliotopoulos, with edits made by Chuck MacLean and Michael Petroni. Between the three of them, their previous works include The Book Thief and 2017's Beauty and the Beast.

Ángel Gómez was originally slated to direct The Pope's Exorcist, though he is now no longer involved with the project. The current director of The Pope's Exorcist will be Julius Avery, whose previous films include the crime-thriller Son of a Gun, the Nazi zombie war-horror Overlord, and the dark superhero film Samaritan. It'll be another interesting addition to Avery's filmography, and with how successful Overlord was in bringing genuine terror to a war setting, we can expect him to work some similar magic with demonic possessions.

Release Date

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As of writing, The Pope's Exorcist is currently scheduled to be released on April 7.

The Pope's Exorcist: Plot, Cast, Release Date, and Everything Else We Know (2024)

FAQs

Is the Pope's Exorcist hit or flop? ›

The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $77 million worldwide.

What does the Catholic Church say about the Popes Exorcist movie? ›

Most professions are flattered by the attentions of Hollywood. Yet a body representing the real-life practitioners depicted in new Russell Crowe horror The Pope's Exorcist have condemned the film as “unreliable … splatter cinema”.

What true story is The Pope's Exorcist based on? ›

On April 14, 2023, Sony Pictures released “The Pope's Exorcist,” a horror film inspired by the life of the Rev. Gabriele Amorth. Amorth served as the exorcist for the Diocese of Rome from 1986 until his death in 2016 at the age of 91.

What is the plot of The Pope's Exorcist? ›

Is the Pope's Exorcist actually scary? ›

It has some violence and lanaguage in a not so terrfying exorcist movie! You could say this is another exorcist movie . . . but this one is actually interesting, if not losing it by the 3rd act! For the most part, this movie has no outright terrfying scares that's going to be a lasting impression.

Is Pope's Exorcist a good movie? ›

The Pope's Exorcist may not be a classic, but it's still a solid possession thriller -- and Russell Crowe does a fantastic job in the leading role.

Is it safe to watch the Pope's Exorcist? ›

There is some blood in this movie, but nothing with over excess use. This movie may not be for everyone seeing it's an exorcist movie, and sometimes these movies don't sit well with some people or they mess with your brain, so be careful when deciding who should watch this.

Will there be a sequel to The Pope's Exorcist? ›

Announced to be in development in 2023, the sequel to 2023's The Pope's Exorcist will continue the story of exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth and his battles against the demonic forces that threaten the world.

What movie is about Catholic priest molestation? ›

Spotlight, American fact-based dramatic film, released in 2015, that won two Academy Awards, including that for best picture. The movie chronicles the efforts of a team of Boston Globe journalists to bring to light the sexual abuse of children by Roman Catholic priests in Boston.

What happens at the end of The Pope's Exorcist? ›

Amorth tries his damndest to stop the demon from taking over his body, but it ain't looking too good! He goes back to the catacombs to destroy himself and the demon, putting an end to its tyrannical reign forever.

Who is the voice of the demon in The Pope's Exorcist? ›

The Pope's Exorcist: Ralph Ineson voicing demon for Russell Crowe supernatural thriller - IMDb.

Where did they film The Pope's Exorcist? ›

The film was shot in various locations in Ireland, including Dublin and Co Wicklow. Scenes were filmed in Trinity College in Dublin City Centre, as well as in Marlay Park and Bray, CoWicklow. The cast and crew were also spotted filming on location in Limerick, including at Dromore Castle in Kildimo, Co Limerick.

What happened to the family in The Pope's Exorcist? ›

The demon possesses both Henry and his sister and is killing them. Gabriele, desperate to save the children, tells the demon to possess him instead. And the demon does! Henry and his family are no longer possessed, and escape from the abbey.

What did the note say in The Pope's Exorcist? ›

In the library, both Father Amorth and later the Pope translate the note "Peccata tua inveniente te" as "Our sins will seek us out" but "tua" means "your" and "te" means "you".

Is Russell Crowe fluent in Italian? ›

Affleck isn't the only English-speaking Oscar winner who speaks another European language fluently. Russell Crowe also shocked fans by speaking fluent Italian while promoting his band, Indoor Garden Party, and its European Tour.

Was the Pope's Exorcist a success? ›

The Pope's Exorcist was released in April 2023 to moderate success. In its theatrical run, the film grossed $76 million, compared to its estimated $20 million budget.

What was the budget for Popes Exorcist? ›

The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $77 million worldwide on $18 million budget, a financial success for Sony.

Was The Exorcist a success? ›

The Exorcist made $441 million worldwide following its Dec. 26, 1973, release and went on to receive 10 Academy Award nominations, a first for a horror movie. The movie's influence was felt far beyond the box office, however.

Was The Exorcist a hit? ›

It has had several sequels and was the highest-grossing R-rated horror film (unadjusted for inflation) until It. The Exorcist significantly influenced pop culture, and several publications regard it as one of the greatest horror films ever made.

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