It's another Two-fer as we take on The Ritual & Amityville Backrooms!
The Ritual (2025), is a horror film directed by David Midell and starring heavyweights Al Pacino and Dan Stevens which dramatizes the infamous 1928 exorcism of Emma Schmidt, putting two priests at odds over faith, doubt, and spiritual warfare. …and Amityville Backrooms (2024), a "horror" experiment (you aren't kidding) from writer/director Evan Jacobs starring Chris Lohman and Mike Hartsfield. In this film, a man enters the infamous Amityville house and finds himself trapped in a "mind-bending" looping dimension where every door leads back into itself.
#TheRitual #DavidMidell #AlPacino #DanStevens #ExorcismMovie #HorrorFilm #TrueStory #EmmaSchmidt #BegoneSatan #Possession #MovieReview #FlickFlopsPodcast #HauntedCinema #PriestHorror #HistoricHorror #AmityvilleBackrooms #EvanJacobs #HorrorMovie #IndieHorror #MicroBudgetFilm #BackroomsHorror #HauntedHouse #MindBending #CreepySpaces #HorrorExperiment #LiminalSpace #MazeHorror #TrappedInHouse #TrappedByMovie #TapOut
Release Details
Title: The Ritual
Year: 2025
Director: David Midell
Writer(s): David Midell, Enrico Natale
Top Billed Stars:
• Al Pacino (Father Theophilus Riesinger)
• Dan Stevens (Father Joseph Steiger)
• Abigail Cowen (Emma Schmidt)
• Ashley Greene (Sister Rose)
• Patricia Heaton (Mother Superior)
• Patrick Fabian (Bishop Edwards)
Running Time: 98 minutes (≈ 1h 38m)
Country of Origin: United States (co-production with India also listed)
Official Release Date(s):
• United States: June 6, 2025
• United Kingdom & Ireland: May 30, 2025
• Originally slated for April 18, 2025 (then rescheduled)
Other Projects (Writer / Director / Main Leads)
• David Midell (Director / Co-Writer) Harder to trace (indie background), The Ritual is his most visible work to date.
• Enrico Natale (Co-Writer / Producer / Editor) Works often in smaller-scale features; his editing/production contributions are more behind-the-scenes, and his credits are less widely known outside of this film.
• Al Pacino Iconic roles include The Godfather series, Scarface, Scent of a Woman, Dog Day Afternoon, Heat, The Irishman, and many more.
• Dan Stevens Known for Downton Abbey, Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Guest, Legion (TV), Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Death on the Nile, The Man Who Fell to Earth.
• Abigail Cowen Roles in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Fate: The Winx Saga, Redeeming Love.
• Ashley Greene Best known from the Twilight saga, plus films like Skateland, The Apparition.
• Patricia Heaton Famous for TV work: Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle, Carol’s Second Act.
Release Details
Title: Amityville Backrooms
Year: 2024
Director: Evan Jacobs
Writer(s): Evan Jacobs
Top Billed Stars:
• Chris Lohman (as Keith)
• Mike Hartsfield (as Alex)
• (Also Jeff Hylton is credited)
Running Time: ~72 minutes
(One listing for the DVD says 73 min)
Country of Origin: United States
Official Release Date(s):
• Digital / streaming — September 5, 2024
• DVD publication listing shows a “release date” of April 15, 2025 (for the physical edition)
Other Projects (Writer / Director / Leads)
• Evan Jacobs (writer / director) — I could not locate a robust filmography for him in mainstream sources; this appears to be one of his more visible genre works (especially within indie horror).
• Chris Lohman (plays Keith) — not widely known; his credits are limited in the public sources I checked (largely indie / small horror).
• Mike Hartsfield (plays Alex) — likewise, not a high-profile actor in mainstream cinema (credits primarily in lower budget / genre films).
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