It has been censored for 40 years, but Warner Bros. will re-release the most controversial movie in history in theaters

- May 8, 2026
- Updated: May 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM

After forty years of censorship, Warner Bros. has decided to bring back The Devils, one of the most controversial films in history. Directed by Ken Russell and released in 1971, the film takes place in 18th century France where a priest, Father Grandier, has very unorthodox ideas about violence and sex that a novice becomes enamored with. Bringing disaster to the entire town of Loudun when that occurrence leads to a witch hunt.
A faithful reconstruction of the author’s idea
Although the film is brilliant and has a sharp sociopolitical commentary, it was not liked at all by English censors, who for years have banned its exhibition in its singular form. Even though the film was a success: it was the fifth most viewed film of 1971 and, over the years, it has ended up receiving a cult status that few other films have achieved.
Now at Warner Bros. they have made a 4K version based on the last edition made by Ken Russell before his death on November 27, 2011, with the intention of releasing it in theaters. Scheduled for release on October 17, they have confirmed that the film will also be released on Blu-ray and that there will be reasons to watch it again, besides the possibility of seeing it in theaters: it will not only be an uncensored version, but it will last 114 minutes, as opposed to the 111 minutes of the commercial version we have now.
Stating that this “is the uncut and unfiltered version of the theatrical experience that Russell always had in mind,” it seems that this is the perfect opportunity to see one of the greatest cult films in the history of English cinema. And to reclaim the peculiar figure of Ken Russell.
Cultural journalist and writer with a special interest in audiovisuals and everything that can be played. I'm not here to talk about my books, but you can always ask me about them if you're curious.
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