By Rama Gaind.
Director: Julius Avery, Sony Pictures.
Director Julius Avery describes this movie as a “battle between two apex predators: the devil versus Father Amorth.”
“There is actually a real job called the Chief Exorcist in the Vatican,” he explains. “Father Gabriele Amorth was a real man who held that office for 36 years, and was involved in tens of thousands of exorcisms.”
The Pope’s Exorcist is based on the real-life story of the Vatican’s Chief Exorcist, Father Amorth, who died in 2016.
Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator) wanted to play the Pope’s exorcist. As co-producer Michael Patrick Kaczmarek says: “Who would be better to go toe-to-toe with the devil than the gladiator himself?”
The Pope’s Exorcist did mark a first for Crowe as he had ‘never led a horror film’. The more he researched the more he became interested in the world of devil-fighting priests. “Without question, he is a man of deep faith, but also very definitely, his own man.”
On a trip to Rome to learn more about Amorth’s character, Crowe saw first-hand how fondly the Father was remembered, admired and loved.
Amorth is equally a man of strong religious convictions and a dogged investigator. As he seeks to cast out one of the most intransigent demonic possessions of his storied career, the priest will uncover the truth behind a centuries-buried secret and bring to light a much larger conspiracy, despite warnings from the Vatican. In the film, Amorth’s charge is to cast out the demonic possession of a young boy named Henry. To play the role, the filmmakers cast 12-year-old Peter DeSouza- Feighoney.
Over the years, Crowe has played a number of characters drawn from real life – Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider, John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, James J. Braddock in Cinderella Man, Roger Ailes in Loudest Voice. Inspired by the priest’s actual files, Crowe gives a noteworthy performance because “he was able to embody the spirit of Father Amorth.”
- The Pope’s Exorcist will screen in cinemas from 6 April
