Al Pacino stars in horror movie produced by NMSU professor

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- NMSU Creative Media Institute Professor Ross Marks has produced a movie starring Al Pacino. The horror movie, named "The Ritual," will be in theaters nationwide on June 6, according to an NMSU spokesperson.

"'The Ritual' features actors Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene, Abigail Cowen, and Patricia Heaton," the spokesperson explained. "The film is written and directed by Las Cruces International Film Festival alum David Midell. The film is about two priests, one in crisis with his faith and the other confronting a turbulent past, who must overcome their differences to perform a risky exorcism. The film is based on a true story about the last officially ordained exorcism on U.S. soil."

Watch the movie's trailer below.

Midell debuted his first movie, "The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain," at the festival and won the Grand Jury Prize. The movie so impressed Marks that he offered to help get Midell's next film off the ground.

“David gave me the script for 'The Ritual' and I knew right away the film would make for great cinema," Marks explained. "Through some industry contacts, I was able to get the script to Al, and we were off and running.”