When is The Pope’s Exorcist release date? Russell Crowe is going all spooky for his addition to the well-worn exorcism genre. It’s a chilling supernatural tale in which he plays – well, the title does rather give the game away on that one.
The new movie sees a return to the horror movie genre for Australian director Julius Avery, whose last work was the war movie, Overlord – featuring Nazi experiments and zombie movie gore. This time around, it’s a movie based on a true story and he has cast Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth – a priest who claimed to have performed tens of thousands of exorcisms. He must’ve been busy. The power of Christ compels you… to do overtime?
It’s Russell Crowe. It’s exorcisms. It’s demons. It’s the Pope. What more could you want? By now, you will have questions about The Pope’s Exorcist release date, who else is in the cast, and whether you can see a trailer for the thriller movie. Well, there are answers ahead.
Who is in The Pope’s Exorcist cast?
Russell Crowe is at the head of The Pope’s Exorcist cast list, as Father Gabriele Amorth, with Edward Harper-Jones playing him as a young man. Italian actor Franco Nero, best known as the star of Westerns including Django, plays The Pope, while horror regular Ralph Ineson provides the gravelly, grotesque voice of the demon.
Alex Essoe plays the mother at the head of the family tormented by the demon, while Peter DeSouza-Feighoney is the young boy who becomes possessed. Laurel Marsden plays his troubled teen sister.
The Pope’s Exorcist cast list:
- Russell Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth
- Franco Nero as The Pope
- Daniel Zovatto as Father Esquibel
- Peter DeSouza-Feighoney as Henry
- Alex Essoe as Julia
- Laurel Marsden as Amy
- Ralph Ineson as the voice of the demon
- Edward Harper-Jones as Young Father Amorth
Is there a The Pope’s Exorcist trailer?
Good news! There is a The Pope’s Exorcist trailer out there if you fancy spooking yourself silly.
Feast your ears on some ropey Italian accents as the trailer provides all of the exorcism thrills we’ve come to expect, from cracking bones to levitation, flames, and terrifying contact lens work. It shows that Avery hasn’t lost any of his ability to construct scary, violent set pieces.
Crowe hasn’t done much horror over the years – though we all remember his Dark Universe role as Jekyll and Hyde, right? – so he’s making the most of being able to bring some gravitas to this tale of supernatural darkness and abusive spirits.
What is The Pope’s Exorcist plot?
The Pope’s Exorcist plot follows Father Gabriele Amorth as he investigates the possession of a young boy, and uncovers a very old conspiracy.
Amorth is already cemented as the official exorcist for the Vatican by the time the movie begins. He is tasked with looking into claims that a young boy in Spain is possessed, which leads him down the dark path to a secret that the Vatican has kept hidden for centuries. The Pope’s Exorcist true story is inspired by Amorth’s real case files, though it has been fictionalised.
In a featurette released online, Crowe describes Amorth as a “controversial character” who kept meticulous records of everything he discovered, including “the darkest days of the Catholic Church”. He added: “It’s a very dark pursuit, and his faith gave him a certain level of courage to do the job.”
Despite the Italian accents on show, much of the movie was filmed in Dublin and Limerick in Ireland. It’s like The Banshees of Inisherin, but with demons instead of donkeys.
The Pope’s Exorcist release date and reviews
The Pope’s Exorcist release date in cinemas in the United States is April 14, 2023, and lucky UK viewers could catch it a week early from April 7, 2023.
No word yet on how to watch The Pope’s Exorcist on streaming services, but we’ll keep you posted on alternative ways to watch the movie after its time in cinemas is over.
The first reviews for the movie have now been unveiled, including our own The Pope’s Exorcist review. It has been a mixed bag elsewhere, though, with just 56% of critics on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes giving the movie a positive review.
For more spooky viewing for those whose nerves can take it, check out our lists of the best Netflix horror movies, the best body horror movies, the best horror anime, and the best slasher movies.