Horror Fans Cannot Get Enough of Russell Crowes Unofficial Exorcism Franchise

Deep Impact and Armageddon. Dante’s Peak and Volcano. Sometimes, cinema brings forth the perfect double-bill of unrelated movies…though they don’t usually star the same actor. The latest unconnected doubleheader comes courtesy of Russell Crowe, who this year will star in the horror outing The Exorcism after last year starring in the oddly similarly themed horror outing The Pope’s Exorcist. And fans of both the actor and the genre cannot get enough.

“When I demanded that Russell Crowe give us the 199 promised sequels to The Pope’s Exorcist I did not expect him to jump exorcism franchises. But I’m intrigued!” said one fan, with another adding, “I didn’t realize that the Russell Crowe Cinematic Universe of Exorcisms was a thing that I would need in my life, but clearly it is.”

Directed by Julius Avery, The Pope’s Exorcist was released last year and follows Crowe as Father Gabriele Amorth, the chief exorcist for the Vatican, as he battles Satan and innocent-possessing demons. This year’s The Exorcism, meanwhile, takes a somewhat more meta-approach and finds Crowe leading as an actor who begins to unravel while filming a horror movie.

This unofficial Russell Crowe-led exorcism franchise has fans crying out for more, with one thinking a third outing should add Crowe’s The Nice Guys co-star Ryan Gosling, while another wants a possible threequel to be bold.

The Exorcism Is Due to Land in Theaters in June

Directed by Joshua John Miller, The Exorcism “follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions, or if there’s something more sinister at play.” The Exorcism stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce alongside Russell Crowe, and you can check out the recently released trailer below.

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As for Crowe’s prior foray into the world of possession in The Pope’s Exorcist, the actor has teased that it could be expanded into a trilogy based on further books by the real Father Gabriele Amorth.

“And remember, the man that’s based on, Gabriele Amorth, he wrote 12 books. So we have more than enough source material to do one or two more of those films.”

However, audiences could be waiting a little while as a change in studio head has seemingly stalled plans for The Pope’s Exorcist sequels.

“Well that’s in discussion at the moment. The producers originally got the kick off from the studio not just for one sequel but for two. But there’s been a change of studio heads at the moment, so that’s going around in a few circles. But very definitely, man. We set that character up that you could take him out and put him into a lot of different circumstances.”