Russell Crowe Gives Encouraging Update For $77M Horror Sequel After Netflix Success

Summary

• Russell Crowe reveals that talks regarding
  The Pope’s Exorcist 2
  are ongoing, but that a third film could also come to fruition.
• A change in executives at the studio has caused delays, but Crowe affirms that they envisioned the character of Gabriele Amorth as being flexible in terms of what he can appear in.
• The Pope
  ‘s Exorcist
  earned lackluster reviews from critics but was a hit with audiences in theaters and on streaming.

The Pope’s Exorcist 2 gets an encouraging update from Russell Crowe. Released in 2023, The Pope’s Exorcist tells the story of Gabriela Amorth, the leading exorcist at the Vatican who uncovers a dark conspiracy. The horror movie, which was directed by Julius Avery, was a surprise box office hit upon its release last year, and it later found streaming success on Netflix. A sequel was subsequently confirmed to be in development.

In a recent interview on The Six O’Clock Show, Crowe shares a promising update on the status of The Pope’s Exorcist 2, revealing that a third film might also be on the cards.

Crowe explains that a sequel may be facing some delays due to a change of studio heads at Sony Pictures, but that there is every intention of bringing him back as Amorth for a future film or two. Check out his full comment below:

“Well, that’s in discussion at the moment. The original producers, they originally got the kick off 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 at the moment. But very definitely, man, we set that character up so that you could take him out and put him into a lot of different circumstances.

“And remember that 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. But that probably won’t be until next year.”

The Pope’s Exorcist’s Success Explained

Why The Russell Crowe Horror Was A Hit With Audiences

Hitting theaters last April, there was seemingly little, on the surface, that differentiated The Pope’s Exorcist from other possession-type horror movies. Critics also weren’t especially taken by the film, and it currently holds a lackluster 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, however, evidently enjoyed the film far more, and the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is a much stronger 81%.

Despite The Pope’s Exorcist‘s middling reviews, the movie eventually wound up earning around $77 million at the box office, no doubt helped by positive word of mouth. While this number pales in comparison to higher-profile franchise horrors like The Nun 2 and Insidious: The Red Door, the Crowe movie only cost about $18 million to make. After turning a profit at the box office, The Pope’s Exorcist also performed well on streaming and digital, earning a place in the Netflix top 10 in August 2023.

As of this writing,
The Pope’s Exorcist
is still available to stream on Netflix.

Although perhaps not be the box office draw he once was, Crowe is evidently still a well-known star and likely reason enough to click on a film’s Netflix tile while browsing. The movie also delivers serviceable scares and a familiar story with something of a twist. The Pope’s Exorcist is also based on a true story, adding another layer of intrigue. It remains to be seen when The Pope’s Exorcist 2 will hit theaters, but Crowe’s latest comment certainly suggests that Amorth’s return is just a matter of time.

Source: The Six O’Clock Show