A still from ‘The Ritual’
| Photo Credit: XYZ Films
Al Pacino is stepping back into the world of religious horror, this time as an exorcist, in the first trailer for The Ritual. Directed by David Midell, the upcoming horror film follows two priests as they struggle to overcome their differences and perform a dangerous exorcism. Pacino portrays Father Theophilus Riesinger, a seasoned priest with a dark past, while Dan Stevens plays Father Joseph Steiger, a man grappling with his own crisis of faith. The film also stars Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen.
The upcoming horror flick from XYZ Films is based on what the trailer calls “the most terrifying exorcism in American history.” Pacino’s voice-over warns of the Devil’s relentless efforts to sabotage the exorcism. The story is drawn from real-life accounts of Father Riesinger’s multiple exorcisms on Emma Schmidt, later known as Anna Ecklund, in the early 20th century.
The trailer offers glimpses of disturbing sequences, including contortions of the possessed Emma, that suggest that The Ritual will lean into the grotesque and unsettling imagery that have defined the exorcism horror subgenre. Comparisons have already been made to The Pope’s Exorcist, the 2023 Russell Crowe-led film that found success despite mixed critical reception.
The Ritual releases in theatres on June 6
Published – March 26, 2025 10:24 am IST
