‘Boorman and the Devil’ Trailer: David Kittredge’s Brilliant Doc Gives ‘Exorcist II’ Its Due in Theaters

Looks like the Devil reads IndieWire. Or maybe the buzz out of the festival circuit was just that good? Either way, crack open the communion wine and get ready to praise Pazuzu — because “Boorman and the Devil,” David Kittredge’s dazzling new documentary about the making of “Exorcist II: The Heretic,” is finally coming to theaters. When IndieWire reviewed “Boorman and the Devil” out of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last fall, it had somehow endured months of exhibition without securing U.S. distribution. That was, frankly, ridiculous, and our coverage said as much, arguing that this deep dive into one of Hollywood’s most notorious genre disasters deserved a much wider release. Now, it’s getting one, and we’ve got the exclusive trailer to prove it. Yellow Veil Pictures will bring “Boorman and the Devil” to the Quad in New York beginning August 28, before expanding September 4 to Los Angeles, Columbus, Houston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle, and more cities to be announced at a later date. Released in 1977, “Exorcist II: The Heretic” was the legendary John Boorman’s spectacularly strange follow-up to William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” — and it badly disappointed audiences. Linda Blair returned as Regan MacNeil, but rather than serving up another round of demonic possession, the “Deliverance” and “Zardoz” filmmaker attempted something much weirder, vaguely spiritual, and way more ambitious. “Exorcist II: The Heretic” includes James Earl Jones dressed as a giant locust and Blair tap-dancing, among other bizarre beats. William Goodhart’s script revolved around The Synchronizer, a supernatural contraption so baffling that unionized crew members reportedly had to debate whether it was a light or a prop. Behind the scenes, illnesses, accidents, delays, and a rapidly ballooning budget only added to the chaos — much like, of course, Friedkin’s own allegedly cursed set. ‘Boorman and the Devil’Yellow Veil Pictures Nearly 50 years later, Kittredge allows Boorman to revisit that cinematic circle of hell himself in a nuanced and surprisingly emotional documentary that hangs with you long after seeing it. Blair and the late Louise Fletcher also appear, alongside Karyn Kusama, Joe Dante, Mike Flanagan, and more. Their collective testimony asks a more interesting question than whether “Exorcist II: The Heretic” is secretly good, contemplating instead what we lose when Hollywood stops taking real swings. “I miss big, ambitious filmmaking that takes huge risks,” Kittredge said in a statement, arguing that Boorman’s enormous creative and commercial gamble “didn’t connect with almost anybody at the time” but nevertheless remains an example of why efforts like these are “what going to the movies is all about.” IndieWire gave “Boorman and the Devil” a B+ in 2025, calling it “a sparkling on-ramp to New Hollywood history and Boorman’s astonishing career.” Watch the exclusive trailer for “Boorman and the Devil” below.