Obsession, Demons, and Al Pacino: How "Ritual" Transcends the Boundaries of Horror

What could be more terrifying than confronting forces beyond human understanding? That’s the question posed by Ritual — a new horror film based on true events that promises to redefine the genre.

What could be more terrifying than confronting forces beyond human understanding? That’s the question posed by Ritual — a new horror film based on true events that promises to redefine the genre. And as strange as it may sound, at the heart of it all isn’t just the classic clash between good and evil but Al Pacino himself, playing a priest who attempts to defeat a demon. But don’t be too quick to dismiss it — this film holds much more than just another exorcism story.

Ritual isn’t just about an exorcism; it’s a confrontation between two personalities battling their own inner demons. The plot is based on a real case — the possession of Emma Schmidt, which, in the late 1920s, became one of the most thoroughly documented cases of demonic influence in U.S. history. Here, the idea of exorcism goes beyond just fighting supernatural forces. The film raises the question of whether our inner struggles can be more frightening than any external threat.

At the center of the story are two priests who must fight the demon together. Al Pacino (playing Father Theophilus Riesinger) and Dan Stevens (playing Father Joseph Steiger) not only have to overcome dark forces but also confront their own personal issues, making their journey just as terrifying. Riesinger is an old priest with a dark past, while Steiger struggles with his faith. This personal conflict amid extreme events adds even more drama to the film.

An important detail: director David Middell aimed to create a film that feels authentic and realistic. He didn’t just follow the typical horror film path but tried to capture the atmosphere of those frightening events as accurately as possible. This means that beyond the terrifying exorcism scenes, the film also portrays the priests’ experiences as they, on the brink of sanity, face the possibility that they might not be able to save the woman — or even themselves.

Ritual is not just another horror film; it’s a psychological tension that keeps you on edge until the very last minute. With this film, based on the true story of Emma Schmidt, you’ll experience not only a battle with a demon but also a clash between two strong personalities who must overcome not only external forces but also those within themselves.

The film will be released in North America on June 6, 2025, and for audiences in the United Kingdom and Ireland a week earlier, on May 30. So if you enjoy films that scare you, make you think, and draw on real historical events, Ritual is a movie you won’t want to miss. Especially if you want to see Al Pacino in a role far from the familiar Godfather but no less captivating.