Josh Heuston (Dangerous Animals) and Ryan Corr (Wolf Creek 2) are attached to star in the Biblical horror-thriller The First Exorcist, Deadline has learned.
Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) will direct from his own script, drawing from one of the most visceral accounts in the Gospels.
It follows beloved husband and father Alexios, a pillar of his farming community, whose mind and body are overtaken by a legion of demons. As his possession becomes more violent and fear grips the village, a young unknown preacher named Jesus, on the run from the Roman authorities, comes to town with a few followers.
He and only he can confront this ancient evil, which is unlike anything he has faced before — the demonic force behind the Gerasene demoniac. What follows is the world’s original exorcism: the Miracle of the Swine, a violent and transcendent supernatural showdown whose reverberations would change the course of human history.
Pitched as The Witch meets The Passion of the Christ, the film is produced by McLean and Mark Fennessy through his Helium Pictures.
“This is a unique and powerful tale of faith, but it is also the original horror event: a legion of demons, a man beyond saving, and one encounter that changes everything,” said McLean. “I approached the story with total respect for what it is, and total commitment to making audiences feel it in their bones. This is where it all begins.”
Upgrade will launch sales on The First Exorcist at this month’s Cannes film market. The project is aiming to enter production in late 2026.
McLean recently produced Wolf Creek Legacy, which will receive a wide theatrical release in North America from Cineverse and Bloody Disgusting.
