"The Ritual" Trailer: Al Pacino Faces Off Against the Devil in This New Exorcism Horror Thriller with Dan Stevens
Al Pacino stars as a Catholic priest overseeing the harrowing exorcism of a young woman, based on the infamous 1928 case.
It's safe to say that the phenomenal success of the 1973 horror blockbuster The Exorcist opened the door for a new subgenre: the exorcism thriller. Or at least, it defined what modern audiences should come to expect from tales of possession and exorcism. The Exorcist also set the standard for the genre, serving as the benchmark against which all films that followed must be measured. And, to be frank, not many have come close. So, The Ritual, the latest horror film in this genre, has a tall order to live up to. But it does have one thing going for it... the Godfather himself, Al Freakin’ Pacino!
It's kinda funny. The Godfather, which opened one year prior to The Exorcist, also changed the landscape of cinema, becoming the standard-bearer of mob and mafia movies. But who would have thought that Michael Corleone would one day end up battling the devil in a spiritual smackdown? He's going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. And it doesn’t take the power of Christ to compel us in knowing that even the devil might have met his match in Al Pacino. Whoo whaa!
Pacino joins Dan Stevens (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Abigail) in this new exorcism horror, which, like many films of its kind, is inspired by true events.
In this case, it centers on the infamous 1928 exorcism of Emma Schmidt, whose prolonged and grueling exorcism over 23 days became one of the most documented possession cases of the 20th century. The story even merited a write-up in a 1936 issue of Time magazine. The original account was chronicled in the 1935 book Begone Satan!, and it became the subject of theological debates for nearly a century.
Pacino stars in the film as Roman Catholic priest Theophilus Riesinger, the real-life exorcist who oversaw Emma Schmidt's harrowing clash with the devil. Meanwhile, Stevens is Father Joseph Steiger, Riesinger’s close collaborator in the exorcism. In the film, it appears Father Steiger might be a non-believer, putting the whole process in jeopardy.
“We are paying a price for your lack of faith,” Pacino's Father Riesinger scolds Stevens's Father Steiger in the film's official full trailer (watch it above).
Actress Abigail Cowen, known for playing Dorcas in the Netflix horror-supernatural series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and also known for playing the main character Bloom in the Netflix fantasy series Fate: The Winx Saga, has the task of portraying Emma, a tormented young woman from Iowa who appears to have been “touched by something otherworldly” as she seeks to be freed from her supposed demonic possession.
Rounding out the cast is Twilight alum Ashley Greene as Sister Rose and Everybody Loves Raymond's Patricia Heaton as Mother Superior.
The film is written and directed by David Midell, who previously made the Spirit Award-nominated indie drama The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain about the tragic true story of the police shooting of an elderly Black Marine veteran (played by TV vet Frankie Faison).
The Ritual hits theaters on June 6th. So grab a bucket of popcorn, and maybe some holy water, just in case.
