Upcoming Release
Please note that the information on filming locations for upcoming releases is based on the latest available data and may be subject to change as production progresses. Stay tuned for updates and the most accurate details.
How many times will Russell Crowe play an exorcist? As of now, twice– once in The Pope’s Exorcist and now in the latest film from The Final Girls director Joshua John Miller. Originally titled The Georgetown Project, The Exorcism adopts a more meta angle with Crowe tackling the role of an actor cast in a movie about… yep, you got it, an exorcism.
Filming in North Carolina wrapped back in December 2019 but due to the pandemic, subsequent components – potentially reshoots – made it “very challenging,” according to Miller. The finished product finally hits screens this summer, so let’s dive into the real-life shooting spots of The Exorcism.
The Exorcism story
As per the official synopsis, the film revolves around the story of struggling actor Anthony Miller (more on that name later) who finally lands his big break as the lead in a supernatural horror film. In part due to the haranguing of his director (Adam Goldberg) the effects of the storyline begin to manifest in reality, forcing Anthony’s daughter Lee (Ryan Simpkins) to seek help as her father’s descent into method acting begins to ellipse even Daniel Day Lewis.
Rounding out the rest of the cast are Sam Worthington, David Hyde Pierce, Samantha Mathis, Chloe Bailey, Tracy Bonner and Marcenae Lynette.
The film’s co-writer and director is Joshua John Miller, whose father Jason Miller tackled the role of Father Karras in the exorcism movie to end all exorcism movies… 1973’s The Exorcist. The experiences shared with Miller by his father no doubt shaped and influenced the story, which imbues the movie with a depth of experience that also made The Final Girls such a success.
The R-rated movie hits UK and US theaters on June 21st, 2024.
Why Wilmington, North Carolina was selected for The Exorcism
Filming took place from November 4, 2019 to December 18, 2019. Producer Kevin Willamson, of Scream fame, said returning to Wilmington is “like coming home“. He took part in the location scouting in September 2019 at the Screen Gems studios, “where it all began.”
Co-writer Mark Fortin told WECT Local News that the crew in Wilmington played a large part in lensing in North Carolina. “Wilmington has the reputation for having amazing crews, amazing facilities and it turned out to be true,” he told the outlet. “Production is always crazy but I got to say that our crew has been top notch. They’ve been really wonderful, so we’re actually really thrilled to be here to do this movie.”
“We were looking for a particular sound stage location,” director Miller added. “We’re making a psychological horror and we wanted to have a very large sound stage to shoot in and Screen Gems Studios have some of the largest sound stages in the country, so when we saw it we thought ‘This looks like a haunted house. This looks good, let’s do it’.”
The production also received a $3 million North Carolina Film and Entertainment grant adding to the flourishing film community in the state. Much like Vancouver, Canada is dubbed “Hollywood North” due to the volume of productions that shoot within the area, North Carolina is oft-referred to as “Hollywood East.”
We are working out plans to head out there in the next year to visit these locations, along with the sites used for the 2022 Scream, the Halloween trilogy, and of course, I Know What You Did Last Summer.
The Exorcism filming locations
1. St. James Episcopal Parish, 25 S 3rd Street, Wilmington, NC
You can’t make an exorcism movie without a church. It’s impossible. St. James Episcopal Parish fits the bill nicely and is no stranger to film shoots; the parish website even boasts a page listing every movie filmed on the grounds! Location scouts found it to be the ideal place for a variety of settings all of which were lensed on Nov 20, 2019. It is one of 875 buildings within the Wilmington Historic District.
As we’re assembling this piece based on glimpses of real-life locations in trailers, there are only two scenes visibly recognisable as St. James based on my observations. And whooo boy, did I scan!
After Simpkins’ character Lee Miller joins forces with Chloe Bailey’s character Blake Holloway, an actress in the movie-within-a-movie, they seek help from Father Conor when things start to go awry. When the girls enter the church we immediately see the main chapel area which is undoubtedly inside St. James. That archway is a huge giveaway:
Once they meet with Father Conor (David Hyde Pierce), the three visit around a table in a backroom:
If you look at the fireplace and how it divots inward, the fireplace itself, and the windows, there are enough similar markers to suggest this was the room this sequence was filmed in:
2. Cinespace Studios, 1223 N 23rd St, Wilmington, NC
EUE/Screen Gems Studios was bought by Cinespace in September 2023 as part of a deal that included the EUE/Screen Gems complex in Atlanta, and rebranded as Cinespace Studios. While the exteriors of the stages are likely to be repainted at some point they remain the same two-tone red and white as we see in the movie.
One of the shots in the trailer crops up early as we see Crowe and Simpkins’ characters arrive at the studio where production on the movie-within-a-movie is set to take place. Basing this on the red barn door, it looks like they used the soundstage they were using for the movie… in the movie.
An over-the-shoulder shot of father and daughter reveals the interior of the soundstage and it naturally matches the Cinespace buildings:
This promotional photo depicts Samantha Mathis’ character Jennifer Simon (film critic, perhaps?) at a screening and was also likely filmed at the Cinespace Studios screening room. Also, more Samantha Mathis in everything, please.
From The Exorcism © 2024 Miramax.
3. Brooklyn Arts Center, 516 N 4th St, Wilmington, NC
The Brooklyn Arts Center began as St. Andrew’s in 1891, changing hands and names several times until 1995 when a lightning storm demolished a brick wall. The following year two hurricanes caused the roof to cave in, setting off a chain of events that led to its eventual repurposing as Brooklyn Arts Centre in 2009. It now functions as a wedding venue.
Exterior scenes were shot at this locale, according to a local news report from 6pm-4am. While this building hasn’t appeared in the trailers as yet, if exteriors were lensed here I’d strongly suspect this stands in for the church that Lee and Blake visit.
Additional Locations
Crews filmed extensively at N. Front St with set dressing added to give it a New York City vibe. According to local reports, 2 N. Front St was specifically given a temporary facade – presumably to represent an entirely new business? They went on to film at Dock St, with the second-unit capturing establishing shots in Brooklyn, NYC.
Do you know more about The Exorcism filming locations?
Once we learn more information about the film’s shoot, we will update the piece and offer insights and tips on how you might be able to visit the stages where it filmed.
Until then, are we missing any behind-the-scenes photos or stories from The Exorcism‘s shoot? Let us know in the comments!
