Just when we thought Russell Crowe was set to become the king of religious horror, another huge name enters the fray…
According to reports, Hollywood legend Al Pacino is set to perform the rite of exorcism in David Midell’s The Ritual.
Dan Stevens will co-star with Pacino; the Downton Abbey star is fresh off a leading role in Radio Silence’s Abigail.
Not to be confused with the 2017 horror film of the same name, the film sees Stevens and Pacino portray two priests. One (Stevens) is struggling with his faith, whilst the other (Pacino) is still battling with his harrowing past. The two priests are thrown together into the fight of their lives as they battle to save the soul of a tormented young woman.
The Ritual finds its basis in the supposedly true story of the 1928 exorcism of Anna Ecklund. Under the pseudonym Emma Schmitt, the young woman reportedly endured the most terrifying case of possession in US history.
XYZ Films plan to release The Ritual theatrically in 2025, and intend to shop the film at Cannes, hoping to sell off the international rights.
Currently that is all we know of The Ritual, but we’ll bring you any further updates as soon as we can. We can’t help but wonder… Why the large number of religious horror movies suddenly? Any theories out there?
