Al Pacino and Dan Stevens to Star in ‘The Ritual’

They’ll star for ‘The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain’ director David Midell in the based-on-truth story of two priests who helped a possessed young woman.

(Left) Al Pacino at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. (Right) Dan Stevens in 2014's 'The Guest.'

Preview:

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens are starring in ‘The Ritual’.
David Midell co-wrote the script and will direct.
It’s a based-on-truth story of possession and exorcism.

If you were to go to the IMDb and enter the title ‘The Ritual’, you’ll find yourself confronted with a boatload of movies and shorts using that name. And that’s not even including the ones that add extra words such as ‘The Ritual Killer’.

So we think it’s high time there was a moratorium on using the title, say for around 100 years from now, to force filmmakers to come up with more original names for their work –– even if, as in the case of director David Midell’s new movie –– it does hinge on rituals.

And the star likes of Al Pacino and Dan Stevens clearly don’t seem to mind as they’ve now jumped aboard to play a pair of priests, according to Variety.

What’s the story of ‘The Ritual’?

Al Pacino presents the Oscar® for Best Picture to Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, and Christopher Nolan during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

With its grounding in a true story, the movie follows two priests — one questioning his faith (Stevens) and one reckoning with a troubled past (Pacino) — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman through a difficult and dangerous series of exorcisms.

The film is an authentic portrayal of Emma Schmidt, an American woman whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms. Her case remains the most thoroughly documented exorcism in American history.

It’s certainly one that has potential –– after all, we’ve seen successful horror movies drawn from true life cases (or loosely based on them) including the likes of ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’, last year’s Russell Crowe pic ‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ and, of course, even ‘The Exorcist’, which has its roots in reality.

Who else is in ‘The Ritual’?

Ashley Greene and Abigail Cowen are also in the cast for this one, but we’d expect that to expand as the movie gets going.

Who is making ‘The Ritual’?

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's 'Abigail'. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Midell, who previously directed movies such as ‘NightLights’ and ‘The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain’, wrote the new movie with his creative partner Enrico Natale.

And Stevens is no stranger to horror movies –– his latest, ‘Abigail’, is in theaters right now, and he has ‘Cuckoo’ coming up later this year. As for Pacino, his most famous horror-inflected movie may well be ‘The Devil’s Advocate’, in which he played John Milton, who turns out to be… well, the title is a clue. We would also throw in his performance as a version of himself rapping about coffee in ‘Jack and Jill’. That’s pretty terrifying.

When will ‘The Ritual’ be in theaters?

As of yet, the movie, which will be distributed worldwide by XYZ Films, doesn’t yet have a set date, but the company is planning to release it next year.