Exorcist: The Beginning then allowed Warner Bros. to release Schrader's version theatrically under the title "". It had a more limited release in May 2005, and received slightly better critical notices than Harlin's version. William Peter Blatty (the author/screenwriter of "The Exorcist") said that watching "Exorcist: The Beginning" was his "most humiliating professional experience." On the other hand, Blatty said that "Dominion" is "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work." Critical responses to "Exorcist: The Beginning" were mostly negative, with the film earning a low 11% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Prominent critic Roger Ebert wrote, "I've seen both versions and much prefer
Exorcist: The Beginning Exorcist: The Beginning Exorcist: The Beginning is a 2004 American supernatural horror film and the prequel to the 1973 film "The Exorcist". It is the fourth installment of "The Exorcist" series. It was adapted by William Wisher Jr., Caleb Carr, and Alexi Hawley and was directed by Renny Harlin. The film stars Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, James D'Arcy, Ben Cross, Ralph Brown, and Alan Ford. "Exorcist: The Beginning" was retooled from Paul Schrader's already completed "", which Morgan Creek Productions executives feared would be unsuccessful. Reviews for Harlin's film were overwhelmingly negative, and it was not a financial success. Schrader