Before the infamous Georgetown haunting, the demonic origin story unfolds in this chilling prequel to The Exorcist. Directed by Renny Harlin, the film follows a troubled priest, Father Lankester Merrin, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, who has abandoned his faith after a traumatic wartime experience. Seeking solace in archaeology, he travels to a remote British excavation in post-World War II Kenya, where a perfectly preserved Byzantine church has been unearthed from the desert sands. As Merrin and the team, including the idealistic Gabriel Mann and the insightful Clara Bellar, begin their work, a series of increasingly sinister and violent events plague the camp. Confronted with a malevolent force that preys on fear and doubt, Merrin is forced to grapple with the darkness he tried to leave behind, setting him on a terrifying path toward the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. This atmospheric horror-drama delves into the first battle that would forever define one of cinema’s most iconic characters.