Exorcist: The Beginning
Exorcist: The Beginning is a 2004 American supernatural horror film directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alexi Hawley. It is the fourth installment in The Exorcist film series and serves as a prequel to The Exorcist (1973). The film stars Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, and James D'Arcy. The film follows Father Lankester Merrin, whose faith has been renounced after his experiences in World War II, as he works as an archeologist and discovers dark occurrences while excavating in Kenya.
| Exorcist: The Beginning | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Renny Harlin |
| Screenplay by | Alexi Hawley |
| Story by |
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| Based on | Characters by William Peter Blatty |
| Produced by | James G. Robinson |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Vittorio Storaro |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Trevor Rabin |
Production company | Morgan Creek Productions |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $50 million |
| Box office | $78.1 million |
The film was retooled from Paul Schrader's already completed Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, which Morgan Creek Productions executives feared would be unsuccessful. In addition to Harlin replacing Schrader, Hawley rewrote William Wisher and Caleb Carr's original script, Mark Goldblatt and Todd E. Miller replaced Tim Silano as editors, and Angelo Badalamenti and Dog Fashion Disco were dropped as co-composers.
Exorcist: The Beginning was released in the United States on August 20, 2004, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received negative reviews from critics and grossed over $78 million against a $50 million production budget. Dominion released the following year to slightly more favorable reviews.