The Rite

Michael Kovak, a hesitant seminary student, heads to Rome to train at a Vatican exorcism program. He hopes to finish a path to the priesthood, but the course pulls him into a shadowy field few clerics discuss openly. In the heart of the city, he crosses paths with Father Lucas Trevant, a brash, unorthodox priest who believes that evil operates beyond the boundaries of tradition. Trevant introduces Michael to a world where sacred rites collide with the chilling reality of possession, testing Michael's faith, skepticism, and resolve. As the two men navigate chapel shadows and cold corridors of power, the line between belief and fear grows blurrier, and the weight of the Church's ancient practices tests faith in the process.

Released in 2011, The Rite was directed by Mikael Håfström and adapted from Matt Baglio's book The Rite: The Making of an Exorcist. The screenplay was co written by Michael Petroni and Baglio, with Anthony Hopkins headlining the cast globally.

The Rite grossed $96,047,633 worldwide against a $37,000,000 budget, signaling solid returns for a faith based thriller. It performed best in North America and several international markets, boosting Mikael Håfström's profile in international cinema and worldwide audiences and critics alike.

The Rite sits among mid 2010s exorcism thrillers by placing a skeptic priest in a Vatican setting, emphasizing atmosphere and moral ambiguity. Hopkins' austere presence, contrasted with Kovak's doubt, has lingered in discussions of the genre and influenced later supernatural dramas in film studies and debate through film scholarship circles.

Critics highlighted the film's restrained tension and its dialogue heavy approach to possession, exploring faith under pressure, the lure of power, and the ethics of exorcism. The story centers on a young man's struggle between skepticism and a vocation that could demand real courage. Leaving audiences with questions about belief.