The power of Christ didn’t compelRussell Crowe’sinvolvement inThe Exorcism,nor his part in last year’sThe Pope’s Exorcist.The two horror films are completely unrelated outside of the fact that they are fellow members of the same subgenre. But fans of the Oscar winner have obviously noticed his presence in both flicks. However,The Exorcism’sdirector, Joshua John Miller, and the movie’s co-writer, M.A. Fortin, insist casting Crowe wasn’t some purposeful ploy to play off of his appearance inThe Pope’s Exorcist.Miller said in an interview withScreen Rant:
“I think that wasn’t the intention,but in a weird way, we kind of like how the two of them have a conversation with one another.I have not seen the movie, to be honest.I’m not an exorcism genre fan,which is why we wanted todo something different with our movie.We love horror.”
Fortin added:
And we love the grandpappy Exorcist.
The Exorcism
A troubled actor, Anthony Miller, portrayed by Russell Crowe, begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His daughter, Lee, played by Ryan Simpkins, suspects his erratic behavior might be due to his past addictions or something far more sinister. As the film progresses, the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, leading to a tense and chilling climax.
Miller continued:
“We like other subgenres,but to answer that question, I was like,‘This is an interesting conversation.’And what I mean by that is,‘Oh, that movie exists, and now, there’s the making of maybe that movie, or some version of that movie.’So, I think that’s kinda cool.It’s sort of a happy accident.’
The Exorcism Honors Jason Miller & Is ‘FU Letter to Hollywood’
The Exorcist(1973) is clearly one ofthe best horror moviesever made. And, as most cinephiles already know, Joshua John Miller’s late father, Jason Miller, played Father Damien Karras. While promoting his new project,The Exorcism,Miller revealed that his film is clearly a “love letter” to his dad. However, it is also intended to be a “FU letter to Hollywood.” Miller explained in an interview withBloody Disgusting:
“[We wanted to] subvert the expectations of the genre.But it was definitely also obviously personal.There are personal elements, and I think Final Girls is very much, obviously, a love letter to my mom,and I think The Exorcist was a love letter, obviously to my dad, but also a FU letter to Hollywood a little bit,because we wanted to sort of tell a story that Hollywood men making movies in the studio system orworking the studio system is a deal with the devil.”
The Exorcism’s Director Compares Watching Russell Crowe Work to a ‘Volcano’
Joshua John Miller reveals he “saw a volcano in front of me, every day” while working with Oscar-winner Russell Crowe.
Miller’s “FU letter to Hollywood” is coming off of its first weekend of theatrical release.The Exorcismfailed to crack the Top 5 at the box office and had to settle for No. 7 with $2.5 million (perBox Office Mojo). And what’s even worse is that moviegoers gaveThe Exorcisma “D” CinemaScore! Critics have been equally harsh on Rotten Tomatoes, as Miller’s movie currently registers only 28% on the Tomatometer and has received an audience score of 37%.
The Exorcismis now playing in theaters. And be sure to check outMovieWeb’s review ofThe Exorcism,which declares that “Russell Crowe nearly saves a meta horrorshow.”
