BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL Trailer Revisits the Wild Story Behind EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC
Yellow Veil Pictures has released the first trailer for Boorman and the Devil, a documentary that takes audiences back to one of the most fascinating creative gambles in Hollywood history.
While Exorcist II: The Heretic has spent decades carrying the reputation of being one of cinema's biggest misfires, this documentary asks viewers to look at the film through a different lens and consider what happens when a filmmaker swings for something completely unexpected.
After the massive success of Point Blank and Deliverance, John Boorman found himself with what many directors would consider a dream opportunity.
Warner Bros. asked him to direct a sequel to The Exorcist, one of the biggest horror films ever made. Instead of playing it safe, Boorman crafted something strange, ambitious, and unlike anything audiences expected.
The result was a movie that became both a critical and commercial disaster. The fallout nearly ended Boorman's career and also had a lasting impact on how Hollywood approached big-budget sequels.
But nearly 50 years later, the conversation around Exorcist II: The Heretic has evolved, with many filmmakers and movie lovers finding value in its willingness to take creative chances.
That's exactly what Boorman and the Devil explores. The documentary features Boorman reflecting on the experience alongside Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Karyn Kusama, Joe Dante, Mike Flanagan, and several others.
Together, they revisit the film's artistic goals, its remarkable craftsmanship, and why taking creative risks still matters, especially in an industry that often favors familiarity over experimentation.
Director David Kittredge explained why this story was worth telling: "I miss big, ambitious filmmaking that takes huge risks. In 1977, John Boorman took an enormous creative and commercial swing with Exorcist II: The Heretic which didn't connect with almost anybody at the time—but now we can look back and appreciate how big creative swings are what going to the movies is all about.
“Boorman is one of the greatest filmmakers that has ever stepped behind a camera, and I’m so happy to be telling the story of the one film that not only nearly destroyed him, but forever changed the way he made films."
It's an interesting perspective because history is full of movies that audiences rejected upon release only to gain appreciation years later. Whether Exorcist II: The Heretic deserves that kind of reevaluation is something fans have debated for decades, and this documentary looks ready to fuel that conversation all over again.
Boorman and the Devil is directed by producer and filmmaker David Kittredge, marking his second feature documentary. The film is produced by Travis Stevens, Jim Fall, and Kittredge, with animation and graphics by Mindbomb Films and Craig Smith, and a score composed by Eduardo Daniel Victoria.
Yellow Veil Pictures will release Boorman and the Devil in select U.S. theaters beginning August 28, 2026, with additional art house screenings expanding throughout September.
If you've ever wondered how a filmmaker capable of delivering classics like Point Blank and Deliverance ended up making one of cinema's most infamous sequels, this documentary looks like it has plenty of answers.
Even if you're not a fan of Exorcist II: The Heretic, the story of how it came together and the creative ambition driving every frame makes Boorman and the Devil look like essential viewing for film lovers.