The Devils Resurrected – BFI Teases 4K Revival of Cinema’s Most Controversial ‘Lost’ Film

The Devils has never had a proper modern release mainly because of its long-standing reputation as one of the most controversial films ever made. Directed by Ken Russell, it blends graphic sexuality with provocative religious imagery, which led to outrage, censorship, and bans when it first appeared. Key scenes were deemed blasphemous, and the backlash pushed the Warner Bros. studio to heavily cut the film before release.

Since then, Warner Bros. has remained cautious about revisiting it. The film exists in multiple incomplete versions, with missing or damaged footage, and its controversial nature still poses a reputational risk. While it has surfaced occasionally through limited screenings and an older UK DVD, a fully restored, uncut version has never been officially released, making it a notorious “lost” classic that studios have handled carefully for decades.

Until now…

This is the moment enthusiasts have been waiting decades for: British Film Institute has officially confirmed it is partnering with Warner Bros. to bring The Devils to the UK in a brand-new 4K restoration, and crucially, this promises to be the uncut, definitive version that Ken Russell always intended. Premiering at the 2026 Cannes Classics programme and sourced from the original camera negative, this long-awaited restoration is being billed as the first time the film will be presented fully restored in 4K, drawing on Russell’s own 2004 reconstruction.

Mark Kermode has played a key behind-the-scenes role in preserving The Devils, working closely with Ken Russell to reconstruct a more complete version of the film. He tracked down censored and missing footage in studio archives and helped assemble a cut that better reflected Russell’s intended vision, though it was never officially released due to studio reluctance. That reconstruction has since become the foundation for the new 4K restoration, meaning Kermode’s long-running efforts have been crucial in finally bringing the film closer to a definitive version.

For collectors, cinephiles, and horror historians alike, this strongly signals that a BFI 4K UHD release of The Devils could finally be on the horizon, a genuinely seismic moment for one of cinema’s most controversial and elusive masterpieces. Look for it in theaters October 16.