Boorman and the Devil: A Look at the Troubled Journey of John Boorman’s ‘Exorcist’ Sequel Now with Yellow Veil Pictures
EXCLUSIVE: Yellow Veil Pictures has secured the North American rights to Boorman and the Devil, a documentary that chronicles the tumultuous production of John Boorman’s Exorcist II: The Heretic.
The 1977 sequel to the original Exorcist faced significant commercial and critical backlash at its release but has since garnered a cult following. Yellow Veil Pictures plans to debut Boorman and the Devil at New York City’s Quad Cinema on August 28, followed by a theatrical rollout in Los Angeles and other locations nationwide on September 4.
Directed and produced by David Kittredge, the documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2025 and boasts a 100 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “I am beyond thrilled that Yellow Veil has come on board to help us share this story with a larger audience,” Kittredge expressed. “Like myself and the rest of our team, they’re huge cinema-lovers. It’s so exciting that a film which is not only a love letter to John Boorman, but also to ambitious filmmaking, will be handled by people who share the same passions that our team shares.”
Kittredge emphasized the importance of taking creative risks in filmmaking. “In 1977, John Boorman took an enormous creative and commercial swing with The Heretic, which didn’t connect with almost anybody at the time—but now we can look back and appreciate how big creative swings are what going to the movies is all about. Boorman is one of the greatest filmmakers that has ever stepped behind a camera, and I’m so happy to be telling the story of the one film that not only nearly destroyed him, but forever changed the way he made films.”
Boorman and the Devil features contributions from Kittredge, Travis Stevens (known for Jodorowsky’s Dune), and Jim Fall, along with appearances by Boorman himself, as well as notable figures like Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Joe Dante, Mike Flanagan, and Karyn Kusama. Together, they discuss the sequel’s enduring legacy and the lasting impact of the Hollywood era in which it was produced.
The acquisition deal was facilitated by Gregory Chambet on behalf of WTFilms, while Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick represented Yellow Veil Pictures. This announcement coincides with Yellow Veil’s participation in the Cannes Market, marking a significant moment for the company.
Justin Timms, Co-Founder of Yellow Veil Pictures, shared his enthusiasm about the documentary, stating, “I first saw the film at an early festival screening and the post-screening buzz was just electric. Everyone was loving Boorman and the Devil. To be able to team up with David and the filmmaking team on this release is incredibly exciting, and we can’t wait to spread that post-screening electricity with audiences across the country.”
Hammond further noted the significance of Boorman’s perspectives in the documentary, recalling the film’s troubled production. “Boorman is the key to this docu’s success with a terrific recall of all events surrounding the film, his hopes for it, and especially his deep disappointment in the aftermath. It was cursed a bit during production when sand blew into his face, leading to hospitalization with a major fever, forcing a shutdown for several weeks. One memorable anecdote includes the sneak preview in Pasadena where audience members, expecting another Exorcist, began laughing uncontrollably. Once they realized studio executives were in attendance, they chased the executives down the block.”
