When little Regan MacNeil spewed obscenities and green bile over a priest at her bedside it began a movement in horror movies that has terrified audiences ever since.

Its 1974 opening saw moviegoers, unused to extreme horror on screen, fainting and even vomiting at the scene.

Despite the outrage and conflict that ensued, the Exorcist marked a pivotal moment in horror. Redefining the genre, it has been considered one of the most iconic horror movies ever made.

And, half a century later, a new demonic possession movie is leaving cinema-goers with sleepless nights.

The Exorcist premiered in 1973 and was based on a book of the same name. It starred Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn and a young Linda Blair as Regan (above), a child possessed by the demon Pazuzu. 

Released earlier this year, the film scored well at the Box Office and has currently racked up $52 million worldwide.

The film rivals other exorcism films that have been released in the last few years such as ‘Prey for the Devil’ (2022) and ‘Evil ᴅᴇᴀᴅ Rise’ (2023).  

Many are praising director Julius Avery’s take on the horror sub-genre. One IMDb reviewer said: ‘It manages to stand out from most that have touched on the subject.The film follows the Vatican’s leading exorcist, Gabriele Amorth, as he investigates the possession of a child and ends up discovering a secret the Vatican has kept for years.

Some horror fans who watched this film at the cinema have admitted to being left terrified. 

One person said: ‘Watched The Pope’s Exorcist and mate let me tell you, it will f*** your head and give you the horror feels and not the jump scare kind which is worse. I suggest watching it during the daylight.’ 

Commenting under Sony’s released trailer, a YouTuber said: ‘I’m a huge fan of horror movies but this was the only movie I had trouble with. My fingers went numb, I got horrible chills, I was sweating.’ 

Another said: ‘It gave me the creeps and chills. This is on the level of Exorcism of Emily Rose.’

While one user claimed it was one of the greatest exorcism movies ever made. 

One Twitter user said: ‘The Pope’s Exorcist looking like the best exorcist horror I’ve ever watched since the Paranormal Activity franchise.’

Russel Crowe (right) plays the Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s lead exorcist, inspired by a working exorcist who died in 2016

The film has been condemned by the International ᴀssociation of Exorcists (IEA) for being ‘unreliable’ and ‘pretentious’

Daniel Zovatto (left) plays Father Esquibel plays the apprentice of Gabriele Amorth (Russell Crow, right) who is initially called to help a boy experiencing possession

The Pope’s Exorcist is based on a true story, the film posters read: ‘Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican.’

Crowe’s performance as the lead exorcist has drawn attention from critics and fans, with many eager to watch the sequel in development.

Yet, according to the Guardian, the International ᴀssociation of Exorcists denounced the plot dubbing it ‘pretentious’ and ‘unreliable splatter’.

The Pope’s Exorcist is currently available to buy or rent on Digital, Sony have announced the film will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in mid-June.