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Stories of exorcism are a dime a dozen. But how do you eliminate a demon possessing multiple people, spreading like an epidemic? The answers lie in Prey for the Devil, where a nun, played by Jacqueline Byers, learns to purge demons, or rather a single demon (more on that in a moment). The supernatural horror film is directed by Daniel Stamm. The German filmmaker is best known for directing The Last Exorcism and 13 Sins, as well as some episodes of television series like Fear the Walking Dead and the Scream TV series. Robert Zappia (Halloween H20: 20 Years Later) has written the screenplay for the film, from a story he developed with Earl Richey Jones and Todd R. Jones, both of whom also serve as producers. The plot follows Sister Ann, who is set to perform an exorcism and finds out that the demonic force has a connection to her past.

Prey for the Devil is releasing just in time for Halloween. So horror fans, check out all the details below, including the release date, plot, trailer, cast, and everything we know so far about the supernatural horror movie coming this October.

prey for the devil Jacqueline Byers

Image via Lionsgate

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When Is Prey for the Devil’s Release Date?

Prey for the Devil is all set to premiere on October 28, 2022, in theaters across the United States. Previously, the movie was titled The Devil's Light and was scheduled for a January 2021 release, which got postponed to February 2022, before being shifted again.

Watch the Prey for the Devil Trailer

In the first official trailer, released in July 2022, Prey for the Devil comes across as an exorcism story at its core. However, it’s not like those classic tales like The Exorcist (though it’s one of the best in the genre) or The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Instead, Prey for the Devil does not focus on one demonic possession or a single victim, but on numerous people getting possessed by a demonic force. The trailer introduces you to the team of priests and one nun at the St. Michael the Archangel School of Exorcism (who knew there are schools for that), who are preparing to fight off the demon that is jumping from one body to another. The clip also introduces key characters like Sister Ann, Father Quinn, and Father Dante. From the trailer, we also learn how Sister Ann is the main target of the demon.

A second trailer for the movie was released on September 23, which you can check out below. Besides the terrifying supernatural elements, this horror flick also shows a very intriguing and psychologically challenging storyline. It looks like we can expect this movie to detour from the typical exorcism story and be more of a thriller than simply paranormal. With all the blood-curdling moments in the trailers, Prey for the Devil promises to be the perfect addition to your Halloween list for an epic horror fest.

Who's In the Prey for the Devil Cast?

Salvation alum Jacqueline Byers leads the cast of Prey for the Devil as Sister Ann. The cast for the horror movie also includes Colin Salmon (Arrow), Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why), Lisa Palfrey (Sex Education), Nicholas Ralph (All Creatures Great and Small), and Virginia Madsen (Designated Survivor). Prey for the Devil also features Chariots of Fire star Ben Cross in his final movie role, filmed before his death in 2020. The film is dedicated to his memory.

As for the major characters, Salmon plays Father Quinn, a professor, and Ann’s mentor, Navarro as Father Dante, Ann’s classmate, Madsen as Dr. Peters, Cross as Cardinal Matthews, Palfrey as Sister Euphemia, and Ralph as Father Raymond. In other roles, there’s also Debora Zhecheva as the younger Ann and Velizar Binev as Father Bernhard.

When Is Prey for the Devil Set?

The production for Prey for the Devil took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, in the summer of 2020. Typically, you would expect stories like these, especially about exorcism to be set in an earlier time period. But Prey for the Devil doesn’t follow that trend. Despite no mention of any particular timeline, it’s clear from the trailer that the story is more or less set in the modern day.

Related:10 Supernatural Religious Horror Movies That Will Have You Sleeping With A Night Light

What Is the Story of Prey for the Devil?

prey for the devil trailer
Image via Lionsgate

Prey for the Devil, as is clear from the trailer, is primarily about exorcism. But it’s also about one young nun’s journey into her past. Since she was a child, Ann has been hounded by this spirit, which now moves from body to body, trying to finally reach Ann and make her let it in. Ann recognizes this spirit as the same one that consumed her mother. Her faith in the divine is the only thing that has protected her all along. But now, the demonic spirit is wreaking havoc in the wider world and she has to stop it.

Ann’s main challenge is that she has no experience in exorcism since women were traditionally not allowed to perform the ritual. One professor makes an exception and trains her so that she can discover and learn more about herself, and so she can save herself and other innocent people. With another priest and student by her side, Sister Ann gets thrown into a battle of the holy and the unholy, acting as the final line between the two. But can she stop this force from taking over?

Check out the official synopsis for the supernatural horror movie, released by Lionsgate:

In response to a global rise in demonic possessions, the Catholic Church reopens exorcism schools to train priests in the Rite of Exorcism. On this spiritual battlefield, an unlikely warrior rises: a young nun, Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers). Although nuns are forbidden to perform exorcisms, a professor (Colin Salmon) recognizes Sister Ann’s gifts and agrees to train her. Thrust onto the spiritual frontline with fellow student Father Dante (Christian Navarro), Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl (who Sister Ann believes is possessed by the same demon that tormented her own mother years ago), and soon realizes the Devil has her right where he wants her….and it wants in.