The Banishing

In the quaint English countryside of 1935, a senseless tragedy unfolded within the imposing walls of Morley Hall. The vicar, driven by jealousy and consumed by madness, brutally murdered his wife before taking his own life. In the aftermath, Bishop Malachi conspired with the town physician to conceal the horrific deed, silencing the whispers of the townspeople.

Years later, a new vicar, Linus Forster (played by), brought his young bride Marianne and her enigmatic daughter Adelaide to Morley Hall. Unbeknownst to Linus, Adelaide's true nature remained shrouded in mystery, as she masqueraded as her niece while harboring secrets of her own. The couple's relationship began to fray at the edges, strained by Linus's struggles with intimacy, which he saw as a sinful indulgence.

As they settled into their new life, strange occurrences began to plague Morley Hall. Adelaide found herself entangled in supernatural events, interacting with invisible entities and playing with eerie dolls shaped like monks. The house's mirrors presented distorted reflections, while Marianne started experiencing disconcerting visions of shadowy figures and precognitive flashes that foretold the violent demise of their deaf housekeeper Betsy.

Meanwhile, Occultist Harry Reed, well-versed in Morley Hall's dark history, approached Linus with a warning. The estate once served as a monastery for the Minassian Order, where members performed twisted rituals and employed brutal methods to punish those deemed sinners. Bishop Malachi vehemently opposed Harry's interference, openly threatening him and revealing his own dubious sympathies.

As tensions simmered, Marianne found herself drawn to Harry, who despite being wounded still refused to abandon his quest for truth. Harry cautioned her that Morley Hall would ultimately turn its occupants against each other, advising the family to flee for their own safety. However, Linus became increasingly obsessed with uncovering the truth behind his predecessor's mysterious death, only to discover Bishop Malachi's lie: that the previous vicar and his family had relocated to Australia.

This revelation sparked a heated argument between Linus and Marianne, fueled by his discovery of her clandestine meeting with Harry. The following day, Marianne received an unsettling visit from Bishop Malachi, who revealed himself as Adelaide's true guardian. He had orchestrated Marianne's reunion with Linus and ensured their posting at Morley Hall, threatening to reclaim Adelaide if Marianne ever considered leaving the estate.

As tensions between Marianne and Adelaide escalate, the young girl's interactions with an invisible presence she insists is her true mother take a disquieting turn. The child's sudden disappearance after wandering into a mirror leaves Marianne grasping for answers, only to be rebuffed by Linus' inebriated state. It is then that Harry agrees to assist Marianne in her desperate search, leading them back to the foreboding house where they stumble upon a gruesome discovery: Betsy's lifeless body, brutally murdered by the now trance-like Linus, whose actions eerily mirror the haunting visions Marianne had previously experienced. The revelation sparks a desperate bid for help from Harry, who explains that Adelaide has been spirited away by the malevolent force of a pregnant woman, brutally slain by the Minassian monks in their quest to eliminate the unborn child.

As Marianne's quest to reclaim her ward becomes increasingly urgent, she is forced to confront the dark forces haunting the house through a series of nightmarish visions that dredge up long-buried secrets from her own troubled past. Amidst this chaos, Marianne finds solace in Linus' guidance, who utilizes ancient rituals and mystical texts to aid her in retrieving Adelaide and confronting the vengeful spirits head-on. As the stakes grow higher, Marianne's determination reaches a fever pitch, culminating in a heart-wrenching promise to the murdered woman: that they will give her and the unborn child a proper burial.

In a chilling denouement, Bishop Malachi is seen exhuming the bodies and delivering them to Nazi officials in Stuttgart, leaving Marianne and the audience with a haunting sense of unease, as the full extent of the house's dark history is finally laid bare.