WRITERS: William Wisher, Caleb Carr and Alexi Hawley.
PRODUCER: James G. Robinson.
CO-PRODUCER: Wayne Morris.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Guy McElwaine and David C. Robinson.
DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.
BUDGET: $48 million (USA)
SHOOTING DATES: November 2002 -- March 2003
- John Frankenheimer voluntarily stepped down from directing the movie one month before his death.
- Ryan Phillippe and Kerr Smith were both considered for the role of Father William Francis. Liam Neeson was initially cast as Father Merrin.
- Morgan Creek Productions fired Paul Schrader after he had submitted a completed movie, saying that he had given them "footage without any of the bloody violence the backers had wanted". He had already made it clear in interviews that he was making more of a psychological drama than an all-out gore-fest. In October 2003, Warner brought Renny Harlin aboard the project to make the film their way, dishing out an additional $8 million. Harlin is no stranger to the horror genre having directed A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and Prison (both 1988) and the shark thriller Deep Blue Sea (1999).
- Michael Kamen had originally been selected to compose the score. Schrader replaced him with Christopher Young shortly before the notorious "exec screening" that had him replaced as director.
- in a February issue of "Variety", it was confirmed that Harlin's reshoots were so pervasive that not a single frame of Schrader's film is expected to make it to the final cut. However, rumors suggest that his name may stay on the credits.