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Greg McLean Sets Biblical Horror ‘The First Exorcist’ With Josh Heuston, Ryan Corr

Cannes sales will test global appetite for a faith-rooted horror adaptation.

Overview

  • The First Exorcist, which was announced Tuesday, heads to the Cannes film market with sales handled by Upgrade.
  • Wolf Creek filmmaker Greg McLean will direct from his own script and produce with Mark Fennessy through Helium Pictures.
  • The film draws on the Gospel story of the Gerasene demoniac and follows a possessed farmer named Alexios and a young preacher called Jesus.
  • Trade reports point to a late-2026 production start, with Deadline citing a Q4 shoot window and casting now underway.
  • Producers are pitching a tone of The Witch meets The Passion of the Christ, a mix that could broaden interest among horror fans and faith-driven viewers.