Summary
Joshua J Miller and M.A. Fortin return to their horror movie roots withThe Exorcism. The creative partners, and real-life couple, first broke out on the scene together with the 2015 meta-horror comedyThe Final Girls, which not only saw largely positive reviews, but also has amassed a strong cult following in the years since its release. The duo would later go on to co-develop and executive produce thecrime thriller seriesQueen of the South, an English-language adaptation of the telenovelaLa Reina del Sur.
WithThe Exorcism, Miller and Fortin again bring a subversive and meta approach to a horror subgenre, this time with the titular formula. The movie centers on a once-major actor who finds his chance at a breakout return after struggling for years with his sobriety by signing on for the lead role in a horror movie akin toThe Exorcist. When he begins unraveling during the production, the cast and crew of the film, including his estranged daughter Lee, all start questioning whether he has resorted to his old vices, or if there is something more sinister at play.
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Russell Crowe leadsthe ensembleExorcismcast alongside Ryan Simpkins as Lee, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, David Hyde Pierce, Marcenae Lynette, Tracey Bonner, Samantha Mathis, Adrian Pasdar and Adam Goldberg. Though a far darker approach to meta horror thanThe Final Girls, Miller and Fortin’s unique twist on the genre proves to be a chilling and very well-acted affair.
Ahead of the movie’s release,Screen Rantinterviewed Joshua J Miller and M.A. Fortin to discussThe Exorcism, how they sought to flip the genre’s approach to men saving women from possessions, and the “happy accident” of the movie coming out after Crowe’s similar genre hit,The Pope’s Exorcist.
The ExorcismIs Far More Than A Movie About Making A Movie
In reflecting back on the concept of the film, Miller and Fortin humorously note that making both movies and TV shows are “hell”, and led to their desire to make another horror movie, though the duo go on to explain that as they put the story together, they found themselves exploring further layers and themes personal to both of them:
Joshua J Miller: Well, making movies is hell, so we figured, why not just make a horror movie?
M.A. Fortin: Honey, don’t be so harsh, making TV is hell too.
Joshua J Miller: Oh, right, I forgot. [Chuckles] Which is the ninth circle? I would say movies. No, maybe TV. Queen of the South was an interesting experience, I’ll leave it at that. I think it was our love of the genre, the personal history that I have with the original Exorcist and my dad were all sort of the DNA of this. Interest in the themes of the movie, such as unresolved traumas, addiction, compulsion, all very personal, all very familial. So it just sort of felt like a natural for us.
M.A. Fortin: And also, wanting to have a dialogue about the Catholic Church maybe not being sort of the Teflon institution that it is portrayed as in most exorcism movies, but rather, let’s say, a complicated institution that can be both a source of salvation and faith and comfort, and also a blunt instrument of abuse, psychological and otherwise. Meta horrors, I think, is intrinsically queer as a genre or subgenre, because it’s sort of weirdly existential, it’s about characters questioning, “Am I real? Is what I’m experiencing real?” It was all these elements that sort of went into the stew.
Crowe’s Casting Wasn’t Intended To Be APope’s ExorcistFollow-Up (But The Movies Can Have “A Conversation” With Each Other)
Following thefinancial and streaming success ofThe Pope’s Exorcist, many have already taken to making comparisons between the 2023 movie andThe Exorcism, thanks to Crowe’s leading role in both titles. For Miller and Fortin, though, the prior movie wasn’t in their minds when they cast the Oscar-winner for their film, particularly as the former has not seen it, but they both look at the two titles as being able to “have a conversation with one another”:
Joshua J Miller: No, not really. 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 to do something different with our movie. We love horror.
M.A. Fortin: And we love the grandpappy Exorcist.
Joshua J Miller: 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.
Screen Rant: I love it, and it makes for a fun double feature!
Joshua J Miller: I think so.
M.A. Fortin: We don’t have him on a Vespa, but, you know, you take what you can get.
Ryan Simpkins & Chloe Bailey’s Characters Signify The Duo’s Expectation-Subverting Approach For The Movie
While Crowe may be the face of the film, Ryan Simpkins and Chloe Bailey are arguably also the leads ofThe Exorcism, with the former’s Lee trying hard to fight through her father’s past to reconnect with him, while the latter forges a bond with his co-star’s daughter that blossoms into a heartwarming relationship. In building these supporting characters, Miller and Fortin humorously describe Crowe as “the bottom being saved by two lesbians”, and go on to share how these two “unconventional characters” are really the main drive for subverting the expectations of the exorcism subgenre:
Joshua J Miller: Well, I think, ultimately, we liked the idea of, like we said, subverting expectations of the genre. And there was this really cool idea about, “There’s Ryan, there’s Chloe, they’re two unconventional characters doing the exorcism on a man, not the convention of a female being saved by men.” And that was the really cool part.
M.A. Fortin: Russell’s our damsel in distress.
Joshua J Miller: Yeah, I basically say he’s the bottom being saved by two lesbians. That’s sort of my pitch for the movie, and I’m sticking to it, and one day it’ll go on a poster in my bedroom somewhere. [Laughs] And I think that Ryan is such an interesting character, is such an interesting actor, and I think that they bring so much nuance and complexity in their performance in the movie. I could just let the camera run and Ryan doesn’t have to do anything.
There’s a lot of life, and I think that’s the kind of actor ideally you want, where, “Don’t act, just say the lines as if you’re just throwing them away, and just walk through the scene,” because there’s such a presence they have naturally, and I just want to look at them and study them. I think that it’s a nice contrast to Russell, who is sort of this walking volcano, and sort of, “When is it gonna erupt, and what’s gonna happen?” Chloe, and David and Adam are all just incredibly skilled.
AboutThe Exorcism
Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.
The Exorcism
Cast
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.
