Picture this amazing actor experiencing The Exorcist for the first time the way we all did. This long awaited, much delayed moment will make it all worth while for him. This announcement comes hot on the heels of his breakout performance in The Ritual. That movie examined the dark underbelly of religion and exorcism. Directed by David Bruckner, The Ritual is now in theaters. This powerful movie inspired by true events takes place in 1928.
In The Ritual, Pacino plays Father Theophilus Riesinger, a Capuchin monk and highly trained exorcist. He can’t just disbelieve them all—he’s got to help Anna Ecklund, a woman herself suspected of being possessed. It’s a scary, confusing time to have these kinds of events. The film’s exorcism was influenced by a 1936 Time magazine article. That piece finally showed the truth of what really happened in Ecklund’s case.
Dan Stevens joins the Sovereign, at this point as Reverend Pastor Joseph Steiger, the Reverend who runs the exorcism in the movie. Stevens has always had a very Christian upbringing, though not necessarily Catholic. He described the mood on set as electric, surging with an otherworldly force. “There’s more to heaven and Earth than has even been dreamt of in philosophy,” he expressed, adding that it was an experience heightened by the film’s intense subject matter.
Pacino felt a strange vibe on the set, recalling that it helped make the whole experience what it was. The actor revealed that he has never seen the legendary horror classic The Exorcist. Directed by Billy Friedkin, this exhilarating film is a touchstone of the genre and a masterpiece of action. Pacino humorously remarked, “I didn’t even see The Exorcist in my life,” acknowledging his long-standing avoidance of the classic horror film.
Billy Friedkin, who had directed Pacino in *Cruising* just shot the picture in such an improvisational manner. Yet, he routinely blasted their partnership. Despite this history, Pacino is eager to work with Stevens again on other projects. “I’d love to work on every movie I have left with Dan,” he stated.
Although he was raised in a religious household, reflecting on his personal faith journey, Pacino offered a poignant childhood memory that highlights his conflicted relationship with faith. I want to share this story with you though, because it’s such a fascinating story. When I was 9 years old, I got scared because I thought I was such a good person… and the only thing that bothered me was that I’d be so good that the Virgin Mary would come down and say to me, ‘You’re so good. You should be a priest.’ And then I just couldn’t play baseball anymore … he said.
As he gets ready to finally face down The Exorcist, Pacino finds himself much better suited to its spiritual terrors. “I think I’m strong enough to see it now,” he remarked, indicating a shift in his perspective over the years.
The Ritual offers audiences an exploration of faith and the unknown through its dramatic retelling of events surrounding Anna Ecklund’s exorcism. With performances from seasoned actors like Pacino and Stevens, the film invites viewers to ponder questions of belief and the supernatural.
