Russell Crowe
Anthony Miller
The Exorcism
“They were making a cursed movie. They were warned not to. They should have listened.”
2024
1h 36m
Director: Joshua John Miller
Overview
A troubled actor begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film, leading his estranged daughter to wonder if he's slipping back into his past addictions or if there's something more sinister at play.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Devil You Know
I’ve seen this trick before—the actor playing a man possessed, the flickering lights, the guttural voice crawling out of a throat that shouldn’t be able to make those sounds. It’s a well-worn path, and The Exorcism knows it. That’s the point, I think.
Or at least, that’s what it wants to be. The film is a hall of mirrors, reflecting not just the supernatural but the act of making horror, of exploiting fear for art or profit. And yet, for all its meta ambitions, it often feels like it’s the one being possessed: by clichés, by a shaky third act, by the weight of its own legacy.
Joshua John Miller, the director, is the son of Jason Miller, who played Father Damien Karras in The Exorcist. That’s not trivia; it’s the film’s DNA. There’s a sense of inheritance here, of a son grappling with the mythos his father helped create.
The movie-within-a-movie structure—Anthony Miller (Russell Crowe) is an actor shooting The Georgetown Project, a film about an exorcism, isn’t just a gimmick. It’s a way to ask: What does it mean to revisit this story? To profit from it?
To be haunted by it? The problem is that The Exorcism never quite figures out how to answer those questions without falling back on the same old scares it’s trying to interrogate.
Crowe is the reason to watch. He’s always been an actor who wears his intensity like a second skin, but here, that intensity feels earned. Anthony isn’t a troubled actor; he’s a man who’s spent years trying to outrun his demons, both literal and otherwise.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
Audience 5.2/10
"A mixed bag of horror clichés and uneven performances, with Russell Crowe’s intensity as the main draw."
Russell Crowe gives a committed performance and the film has occasional atmospheric moments, but the story is predictable and the scares underwhelming. The supporting cast leaves little impression, and the execution is more formulaic than fresh.
What viewers praise
- Russell Crowe’s performance Crowe’s intense, dedicated turn as a troubled priest is the film’s standout element.
- Atmospheric moments Some scenes have an eerie tone and build tension well, even if they don’t fully pay off.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows well-worn horror tropes, leaving little room for surprises or originality.
- Underwhelming scares The film rarely delivers genuine frights and leans on jump scares and clichés.
- Weak supporting cast The supporting actors are forgettable and lack depth.
Recommended for
Russell Crowe fans Classic horror enthusiasts Atmospheric thriller seekers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsRussell Crowe Faces Demons—On and Off Screen—in The Exorcism
The Exorcism (2024) isn’t just another possession thriller. Directed by Joshua John Miller—who also co-stars alongside Russell Crowe—the film blends horror with a meta twist, exploring the blurred line between performance and reality. latestnetflix.com's view is that Early buzz suggests Crowe’s role as a tormented actor might be his most personal yet, but the production itself has been haunted by its own controversies.
A Horror Film About Horror Filmmaking
Miller, a longtime collaborator with his partner M.A. Fortin, frames The Exorcism as a story within a story. Crowe plays Anthony Miller, a washed-up actor starring in a supernatural horror flick who begins to question whether his on-set demons are real or manufactured. The premise mirrors Miller’s own career—he’s spent decades in the genre, from acting in The Lost Boys to writing Queen of the Damned. In interviews, Miller and Fortin have teased that the film leans into psychological horror, with Crowe’s performance at its core.
Adam Goldberg, who plays the film’s director, described his character as a "mirror" to Miller’s own struggles with faith and fear. The dynamic between Crowe and Goldberg—both playing characters grappling with their roles—adds a layer of self-awareness rare in exorcism films. Chlöe Bailey, Sam Worthington, and David Hyde Pierce round out the cast, but early trailers focus squarely on Crowe’s unraveling.
Behind-the-Scenes Drama: Crowe’s Intensity
If the film’s premise sounds intense, the shoot reportedly matched it. Sources suggest Crowe’s commitment to the role bordered on method acting, though details remain scarce. One YouTube reviewer claimed Crowe "disappeared into the character," citing off-set behavior that unnerved the crew. Miller and Fortin have downplayed rumors of on-set tension, calling the process "collaborative", but the lack of firsthand accounts leaves room for speculation.
The film’s runtime—just 95 minutes—hints at a tight, claustrophobic narrative. Early reviews (where available) are mixed, with some praising Crowe’s performance but criticizing the film’s pacing. A 3.8/10 rating on SensCritique suggests it won’t be a critical darling, but horror fans may appreciate its self-referential edge.
Why Another Exorcism Movie?
The Exorcism arrives amid a resurgence of possession films, from The Pope’s Exorcist (2023) to Immaculate (2024). Miller and Fortin have argued their take stands out by focusing on the making of a horror movie, not just its scares. Whether that’s enough to distinguish it remains to be seen—especially with a 2025 release date popping up in some listings, suggesting potential delays or regional rollouts.
For now, the film’s biggest draw is Crowe’s return to horror, a genre he hasn’t tackled since The Mummy (2017). If The Exorcism delivers even half the meta-horror it promises, it could carve out a niche in a crowded subgenre.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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