A U.S. Satanic group is looking to make February an even more hellish month for movies than usual.

The Satanic Temple, an atheistic activist group claiming international membership that includes "thousands" of Canadians, is this week launching the horror movie The Witch through a four-city proclamation of "a new Satanic era."

At the same time, Sony Pictures and the Vatican are jointly boosting Risen, a faith-based biblical thriller starring Joseph Fiennes as a Roman military leader tasked with finding the crucified Body of Jesus Christ. Fiennes and his family met with Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square last week before a screening of the film at the Vatican.