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If you never ask, you’ll never receive, a truth that Mark Kermode discovered more than two decades ago while endeavoring to reconstruct the long-misplaced original version of Ken Russell’s notorious film, The Devils. His investigative efforts not only unveiled the film’s missing pieces but also led to an unexpected success. This week, the film is expanding its limited theatrical run after generating an impressive $1.725 million, averaging nearly $4,925 per screen across 350 North American venues. Next weekend, just in time for Halloween, the film will debut in its homeland, the UK.
Unlike many typical restoration projects, The Devils was not merely given a high-definition facelift. Instead, it was brought back to the unaltered state that Russell had originally delivered to Warner Bros., which had been altered by both hesitant British censorship and the particularly zealous MPAA. The film, inspired by Aldous Huxley’s 1952 non-fiction work, The Devils of Loudun, chronicles a notorious series of alleged demonic possessions that took place in a French town in 1634. Even in its original run, the film sparked controversy, especially concerning one infamous scene featuring scantily-clad nuns in a frenzy, desecrating a statue of Christ.
For many years, Russell believed this contentious scene was lost forever, a notion shared by Kermode until he stumbled upon a peculiar shipping log during his exploration of the Warner Bros. archives, labeled “C-cut 86.”
“At that moment,” Kermode recounts, “I speculated that the cut section was roughly 86 seconds, and that ‘C-cut’ implied a censor’s edit.” However, the archivist had his doubts. “He commented, ‘I can’t say for sure, but I doubt it’s what you hope it is.’ I made a deal: if he reported back and it wasn’t what we wanted, I wouldn’t bother him again. To his credit, he called it in, and soon after, I received a call saying, ‘The canister arrived, we opened it, and it had a smell of vinegar, so it’s headed for cleaning. But I peeked at the first frame, and it showcased a gigantic crucifix surrounded by an abundance of nuns…’”
In 1971, Ken Russell’s name was closely associated with controversy, and for years, the absence of this particular scene was mistakenly viewed as a mere attempt at shocking the audience. However, when Kermode, aided by the original film editor Michael Bradsell, assembled a rough DigiBeta Director’s Cut in 2004 — with Russell’s endorsement — viewers finally recognized the scene’s significance. It serves as a key moment in the narrative, where power-hungry political forces exploit the disturbed nun Sister Jeanne (played by Vanessa Redgrave) in their efforts to tarnish the reputation of the beloved local priest Urbain Grandier (portrayed by Oliver Reed).
Kermode elaborates, “Ken maintained that the essence of the film revolves around brainwashing and the manipulation of mass hysteria for political gain. It explicitly highlights this theme, and as audiences today may realize, it offers sharp satirical commentary on politics that feels remarkably relevant. The missing sequence was crucial for conveying this message, illustrating the political machinations at play in what appears to be a devout community — all to achieve the simple goal of ousting Grandier and dismantling the city walls. He regarded that scene as a form of blasphemous theater, and omitting it muddles the film’s core intention.”
But how did Mark Kermode’s rough DigiBeta version transform into this stunning restoration that became one of the most sought-after experiences at Cannes this year? And what role did Guillermo Del Toro play in this process?
To uncover these details, Deadline spoke with Daphne Dentz, the Senior Vice President of Post-Production Creative Services at Warner Bros. Discovery.
DEADLINE: When did you start working on this project?
DAPHNE DENTZ: My involvement began in January [2026]. Christian Parkes reached out to me, explaining their desire to restore The Devils and create the Director’s Cut. I hadn’t met him before, but his enthusiasm was undeniable. It was a perfect alignment of support from the content licensing team and his contagious passion. We set our preservation team to research and locate resources, and luckily, we had everything we needed, so we plunged into the restoration process.
DEADLINE: What do you mean by "resources"?
DENTZ: Our preservation services team specializes in film and sound assets. They meticulously searched the archives for every piece related to the film. We were fortunate enough to have the original camera negative, separation masters, and even deleted scene reels, which were crucial. While we initially had doubts about our resources, it turned out we had everything we needed.
DEADLINE: Is this common in restoration projects? Kermode mentioned that even Russell doubted these materials existed.
DENTZ: I oversee the Global Media Archive, and I must say that Warner Bros. has an impressive tracking and preservation system, which we’ve refined over the last decade or so. Our film prep team closely monitors every element of the original camera negative. We went through each frame and shot systematically, resulting in a comprehensive inventory of what we had. Utilizing the 2004 DigiBeta, our digital conform operator, Katie Largay, expertly reconstructed the film frame by frame.
DEADLINE: What’s the initial step when approaching such a restoration?
DENTZ: Initially, we delve into research followed by film and sound preparation. Once we gather what we believe to be the complete elements, we start the scanning process. Utilizing top-of-the-line technology, we scanned the material in full 4K 16-bit resolution. Our talented colorist, Andrea Kleebach, was essential in this stage. During the analysis, we were overwhelmed when we first viewed the scans — the original camera negative was in remarkably good condition. This film has never looked as stunning as it does now.
DEADLINE: Did you refer to Russell’s other films during the restoration? How involved was he in this process?
DENTZ: That’s an intriguing question — let me share something. Ultimately, the best insight comes from how our colorist described it. The challenge was maintaining the film’s original aesthetic; we didn’t have a clear visual reference from its initial release. Our colorist noted that previous restorations didn’t align with Russell’s and cinematographer David Watkins’ intentions. In the absence of definitive reference materials, the colorists relied on descriptions that conjured the original viewing experience, using words like "hallucinogenic," "bleached," and "Caravaggio" as creative guidelines. The cinematography is simply magnificent, and Derek Jarman’s production design is remarkable.
DEADLINE: Did you strictly adhere to the DigiBeta version’s template, or were there other materials considered?
DENTZ: We evaluated everything on hand. The advantage was that the original camera negative was automatically prioritized. The 2004 version included numerous adjustments, and as our conform artist pointed out, various reels had redundant or alternative scenes that differed from the approved director’s cut. For instance, the “Rape of Christ” sequence was found on a separate reel labeled “Deleted scenes” and contained material that overlapped with Reel 5 of the original but had additional content not present in the director’s cut. All materials from the original negative were systematically compared to the director’s cut to identify any discrepancies and maintain an exhaustive inventory of missing footage.
DEADLINE: Do you approach restoration chronologically, or is it about what you discover as you go?
DENTZ: Typically, we conform the reels and begin with Reel 1, progressing through them sequentially. Each piece is sent for cleanup, but we remain mindful not to make the film appear overly new. It’s a delicate balance between preserving the original grain and aesthetic vibe while creating a modern asset, whether for 4K, HDR, or other digital formats, especially considering there was no digital cinema in ’71. Ensuring harmony among all these elements is a true art form.
DEADLINE: Is this standard for all restorations? How do you determine the right amount of grain or dirt to include?
DENTZ: That’s a key question, and it indeed varies. Our expertise, rooted in extensive experience, helps us understand what film stocks should look like based on their era. We handle many restorations from different decades, from classics like The Wizard of Oz to more recent works like Se7en. In this instance, we lacked original filmmakers for consultation, but Guillermo Del Toro did visit us and offered valuable input.
DEADLINE: Can you elaborate on Del Toro’s involvement?
DENTZ: He came in to review the work with our colorist. We always welcome input and guidance. Andrea is meticulous, and we searched for any reference materials that could aid us. Guillermo’s interest focused on the tile designs in Derek Jarman’s production — particularly how we achieved the whites in this film. He gave us his endorsement, affirming that we were on the right path.
DEADLINE: The print shown at Cannes represented a quality reminiscent of watching it in theaters in the ’70s before wear and tear took their toll.
DENTZ: Hearing that is wonderful, as we’re often too close to the work to gain perspective. Our goal remains to honor the film’s aesthetic and the creative vision and to be true to what we believe Ken Russell would have wanted. We tread carefully.
DEADLINE: What intrigues you about this restoration?
DENTZ: This film resonates with me for numerous reasons, primarily its sheer beauty. Each frame, even the more grotesque ones, is truly stunning. The cinematography and production design are breathtaking, and I’ve dedicated my career to analyzing images in dark rooms. The first film I remember seeing was Russell’s Women in Love, which I watched with my mother late one night when I was just a child. Sadly, she recently passed away, and I wish she could witness this restoration project; she never realized we were reviving The Devils and would have been ecstatic.
DEADLINE: Do you have a dream project for restoration?
DENTZ: This is a dream project in itself. The opportunity to restore a film that hasn’t been seen in this form before is thrilling. The audiences at Cannes experienced the film in a way I don’t think anyone has before — in stunning 4K resolution. In terms of sound, we started with a mono track and worked diligently to enhance it, at times merging multiple assets. Watching it on the big screen is truly a remarkable experience.
This rewritten content maintains the essence of the original while presenting it in a new light.
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Mark Kermode & Daphne Dentz On Restoring ‘Ken Russell’s The Devils’
