Anthony Hopkins takes demonic forces in "The Rite"

LOS ANGELES  - Anthony Hopkins is counting his blessings, coming aboard to star in "The Rite," a supernatural thriller based on true events.

The New Line project centers on a disillusioned American seminary student who attends exorcism school at the Vatican and ultimately finds his faith through encounters with demonic forces. Hopkins will play a priest who is an expert in exorcisms and whose methods are not necessarily traditional.

Mikael Hafstrom ("Derailed") is directing from an adaptation of a book by Matt Baglio.

Hopkins is making fighting supernatural forces a habit of late. The actor is onscreen hunting a werewolf in "The Wolfman" and shooting Marvel's "Thor," in which he plays Odin, the ruler of Asgard.