The Exorcist: Why was The Exorcist banned, where is The Exorcist set, is The Exorcist a true story

With The Exorcist: Believer set to launch in cinemas, many film fans are re-watching the 1974 original classic. Did you know it was a true story? Here's what really happened and why The Exorcist was banned in some countries.

The Exorcist (1973), Warner Bros/ Hoya Productions

Almost 50 years on from the original film, The Exorcist is finally getting a reboot as 'Believer' launches in cinemas ahead of the Halloween festivities.

Brought to the big screen by the late, great director Willian Friedkin, his 1974 masterpiece sent the public into a frenzy on release as audiences across the globe were introduced to the haunting tale of Regan MacNeil and her famous possession from the film.

With several iconic scenes, quotes and terrifying moments and a story so far removed from everyday life, audiences often wonder where the writer of the film, William Peter Blatty, got the idea of the script from - did you know the film is actually based on a true story?

Here is everything you need to know about the true origins of The Exorcist film.

Why was The Exorcist banned?

The film gained notoriety after it was supposedly provoked audience members to faint, vomit and even suffer heart attacks.

With a bulk of the film revolving around religion, the Catholic Church were not happy with the release of The Exorcist and its release led to them citing the film was “unsuitable for a wide audience" and there were calls for the film to be banned. However, the film's director stated not everyone in the Church had denounced the film, saying: "Most of the people at the highest levels of the church accepted it totally because the Roman Ritual of Exorcism is still in the New Testament."

Following the outcry from certain sectors, the film’s home sales were made illegal in Britain for a number of few years while the trailer of the film was pulled from screening in the American theatres.

In 1998, the 25th anniversary of the films release, the BBFC finally lifted the ban on home sales of the movie and the board even permitted uncut video/DVD release of the film, though it came with an 18 rating. The trailer remained banned in the United States.

Is The Exorcist true story?

While names and aspects of the film were different, The Exorcist was indeed based on a chilling true story that took place in Cottage City, Maryland during the 1940s. Hauntingly, cinema-goers will be shocked to know The Exorcist is actually based on a frightening true story of a born named Roland Doe - later indentified as Ronald Edwin Hunkeler - and his exorcism in 1949.

After remaining anonymous for decades, his story came to prominence after his death in 2020. In December 2021, The Skeptical Inquirer and The Guardian reported the purported true identity of Roland Doe/Robbie Mannheim as Ronald Edwin Hunkeler.

One key difference between the true story and the film The Exorcist is that the exorcisms occurred at many different locations.

Where is The Exorcist set?

The 'Exorcist steps' are located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Principal photography began in August of 1972 and the bulk of the film is set in Washington, D.C., though many interior scenes were shot in New York City.

The Exorcist, Roland Doe and the scary true story that inspired The Exorcist

Roland was a 14-year-old boy that lived in Cottage City, Maryland and was reportedly possessed by a demonic demon.

Its said that Roland had asked for a Ouija board as a child as a gift, which was presented to him by his Aunt and that when she died and he and his family attempted to contact her, he began to experience abnormal happenings around his home - and also started to have scratches become present all across his body.

It is alleged that he began to be possessed by a sinister demon following this and Roland's behaviour began to change. Its been said that an impromptu Catholic baptism sent him into a fit of rage which led them to then contact several experts and take their son to a psychiatrist. With the family struggling for answers, they turned to After getting no answers, they turned to Father Raymond J. Bishop who went on to perform multiple exorcisms which are said to be similar to those we have seen in The Exorcist.

One particular exorcism had to be halted after a raging Roland ripped off a piece of spring from the mattress and threw it at the priest, before prevalent red scratches could be seen on the boy's limbs which spelt out the word 'LOUIS' (changed to 'HELP ME' in the film) in an attempt to direct to family to St. Louis University where they met Walter H. Halloran and Rev. William Bowdern, who performed an exorcism on Roland.

Bowdern decided to leave a crucifix under Roland's pillow and the family allegedly saw the furniture flip over and the boys mattress shake before the crucifix pushed to the edge of the bed. The boys allegedly spoke in Latin, frequently vomited, spat and urinated and spoke in an unfamiliar voice as heard in the film.

The head spin and ceiling crawl have not been mentioned in reports as things that actually happened, while it is believed the gender of the possessed in the film was changed to protect his identify and that the MacNeil family were seen as a single parent family were done for the same reason.

What happened to Roland Doe, Ronald Hunkeler, the Real E

The story of Roland and what happened is not widely known outside of what has been written above. However, experts believe that the real Exorcist victim was indeed that of Ronald Hunkeler (known as Roland Doe), who was a former NASA engineer and helped with the moon landing in 1969.

Hunkeler's partner is said to have confessed that he was worried the true story of The Exorcist and his links to it would become public knowledge with his co-workers. He died of a stroke in May 2020.