Laura Linney talks Exorcism of Anneliese Michel movie

Laura Linney told SCI FI Wire that she's just started work on her next movie, a horror-thriller entitled "The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel". The movie is based on a trial that happened in Bavaria/Germany in the late '70s. You can read all about the real Exorcism, the drial and the effects the events had for the Catholic Church, in our special here.

Linney said in an interview, "It will not take place in Bavaria, nor will it take place in the late '70s, but it's about a woman who went through a series of exorcisms and then died a young girl of 22. The priest (who led the exorcism) was arrested and put on trial for negligent homicide. Tom Wilkinson is playing the priest. Campbell Scott is the prosecuting attorney, and I'm the defense attorney. So it deals with all of that stuff."

Asked if the film, will delve into the supernatural aspects of exorcisms or just use the controversial ritual as the background of a conventional dramatic story, Linney replied, "I think there probably will be flashbacks to the exorcism and what happened there, because it's a court case, and you're dealing with different viewpoints of the event. And that's basically one of the things that will happen: ... You will take a look at an exorcism and how different people interpret what they're seeing.".

The movie, which will be directed by Scott Erickson ("Hellraiser: Inferno"), will be released in 2005.

Source: SCI FI Wire