The horror film ‘The Pope’s Exorcist,’ featuring Russell Crowe, is set to have a sequel, as confirmed by the film’s producer.
Directed by Julius Avery (known for ‘Samaritan’), the film stars Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth, a real-life Catholic priest who claimed to have performed thousands of exorcisms throughout his career. Amorth’s books inspire the story, ‘An Exorcist Tells His Story’ and ‘An Exorcist: More Stories,’ published in 1990 and 1992, respectively. The cast also includes Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, and Franco Nero.
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Despite initial expectations, the film turned out to be a surprise hit at the box office, grossing $76.9 million (£61.25 million) on a budget of $18 million (£14 million). Producer Jeff Katz announced the sequel on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing, “I just got the call. It’s officially happening.” He went on to thank the fans, saying, “Thank you to the amazing #ThePopesExorcist fans. You made this happen. Gas up your Lambretta – and get ready to ride.”
Reports from Bloody Disgusting in April 2023 hinted that early development for a sequel was already in progress, and it’s expected that Crowe will reprise his role as Father Amorth.
However, the original film received criticism from the Vatican. The International Association of Exorcists (IAE) issued a statement describing the film as “an unreliable splatter.” The statement expressed concern that the film portrayed exorcism as an abnormal, monstrous, and terrifying phenomenon dominated by the devil, which is contrary to the reality of exorcisms performed within the Catholic Church according to its guidelines.
Despite the controversy, the enthusiasm from fans and the unexpected box office success have paved the way for the continuation of ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ saga.