"Abby" was directed and produced by William Girdler, a filmmaker who specialized in exploitation pictures that were often in the horror genre. Films such as "Grizzly" and "The Manitou" are some of Girdler's more notable productions, while "Abby" achieved a more infamous reputation because it was accused of copyright violation by Warner Bros., who felt it was a direct copy of "The Exorcist." Warner Bros. won their court case, and "Abby" was eventually pulled from theaters, but not before it was able to take in almost $4 million.