Neither holy water nor reports of its own bedeviled production could keep horror fans from flocking to the multiplex over the weekend to witness a fresh dose of demonic possession. 'Exorcist: The Beginning,' the belated prequel to the 1973 shocker, captured the box office with $18.2 million for first place, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The new box-office champ is actually the second attempt by producers, who canned the first for not being scary enough. It follows the story of Father Merrin (MAX VON SYDOW in the original, now portrayed by 'Ronin''s STELLAN SKARSGARD) and his first encounter with demonic possession in post-World War II Africa. Haunted by the atrocities of the war and questioning his faith, he heads to Kenya for an archeological dig in a newly discovered, Christian Byzantine church. While searching for an ancient relic, he stumbles upon an unspeakable evil that is tormenting the local villagers. The film also stars IZABELLA SCORUPCO ('Goldeneye,' 'Vertical Limit') and BEN CROSS ('Chariots of Fire').
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