Vertical has released the trailer and poster for The Exorcism, a horror film starring Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind).
From Miramax, producer Kevin Williamson, and Outerbanks Entertainment, the film is directed by Joshua John Miller and written by Miller and M.A. Fortin, the creators of the hit series Queen of the South and the writers and producers of The Final Girls.
In addition to Crowe, the film stars Ryan Simpkins (Fear Street trilogy), Sam Worthington (Avatar: The Way of Water), Chloe Bailey (Praise This), Adam Goldberg (The Equalizer), and David Hyde Pierce (Frasier).
The film will have an exclusive theatrical release beginning on June 7, 2024. Shudder, AMC Networks’ premiere streaming service for horror, thrillers, and the supernatural, has acquired pay-one rights to the film.
The Exorcism follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Simpkins) wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play.
The Exorcism marks the sophomore outing as director for Joshua John Miller after an extensive career acting, producing, and writing. He began his career as one of the leads in Kathryn Bigelow’s vampire classic Near Dark.
Miller brings decades of knowledge of horror films to the table, as well as familial connections in his father, Jason Miller, who portrayed Father Damien Karras in The Exorcist (1973), and his mother, Susan Bernard, who was a Scream Queen.
“The origins of the film stem from my childhood spent watching my father, Jason Miller, playing the doomed Father Karras flinging himself out a window at the climax of The Exorcist,” said Miller.
Miller continued: “If that wasn’t haunting enough on its own, my dad never shied away from telling me stories of just how ‘cursed’ the movie was: the mysterious fires that plagued the production, the strange deaths, the lifelong injuries— the list went on and on. The lore of any ‘cursed film’ has captivated me ever since.
“With The Exorcism, we wanted to update the possession movie formula (‘Heroic man rescues woman from forces she’s too weak and simple to battle herself!’) for a world where no one group owns goodness and decency over another. We were gifted with an extraordinary cast and creative team to tell a story about how we’re all vulnerable to darkness, to perpetuating it, if we fail to face our demons. The devil may retaliate, but what other choice do we have?”
The Exorcism is produced by Miramax, Kevin Williamson, Ben Fast, and Bill Block. Padraic McKinley, Scott Putman, Andrew Golov, and Thom Zadra serve as executive producers.
The below-the-line talent includes director of photography Simon Duggan; production designer Michael T. Perry; editor Matthew Woolley; music by Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans; costume designer Jodi Leesley; and casting directors Mary Vernieu, C.S.A and Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, C.S.A.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.