# American Satan
**American Satan** is a 2017 American musical thriller directed and co-written by Ash Avildsen, founder of the independent rock label [Sumerian Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/sumerian-records), about a young heavy metal band that makes a Faustian pact with a man who implies he is the Devil in exchange for stardom.[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan) • [2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax) It was released theatrically in the United States on October 13, 2017, in a limited run by AMC Independent, and it later spawned the television series *[Paradise City](https://www.edgepedia.org/paradise-city-2021-tv-series)*.[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan) • [3](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | October 13, 2017 (limited, US), distributed by AMC Independent; video release January 16, 2018 by Miramax Video[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan) |
| Director and writers | Ash Avildsen, co-written with Matty Beckerman[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan) |
| Runtime and rating | 111 minutes; rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, drug use throughout, pervasive language, and some violence[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan) |
| Box office | $226,232 domestic gross; opening weekend $135,378 in 55 theaters[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan) |
| Reception | 78% Tomatometer from 9 critics on Rotten Tomatoes; 5.7/10 on IMDb from about 4,800 votes[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5451690/ratings/) |
| Music | Score by Jonathan Davis of Korn and Nicholas O'Toole; soundtrack single "Let Him Burn" by The Relentless reached #1 on digital music charts in 15 countries[2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax) • [6](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzsiGk73r1c) |
| Franchise | Led to the TV series *Paradise City*, with Andy Biersack and Ben Bruce reprising their roles[3](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Johnny Faust ([Andy Biersack](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-biersack)) sings for The Relentless, an aspiring rock band with members from England and the United States. The group leaves Ohio for Los Angeles to chase stardom on the [Sunset Strip](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunset-strip), living in a van as their passion and talent exceed their means to survive. Outside a liquor store they meet a man who suggests he is the Devil and offers stardom in return for a human sacrifice.[3](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017) The band accepts the deal, and when they release their debut album, "American Satan," it sets off a firestorm of controversy, death, and destruction beyond anything the music world could imagine.[2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax)
A scholarly analysis in the *Journal for Religion, Film and Media* describes the film as placing the classic pact with the devil in the foreground: the band finds worldwide fame and impressive album sales, but only at a high price. Notably, the Devil often appears in human form and other supernatural effects are not used.[7](https://www.jrfm.eu/index.php/ojs_jrfm/article/download/369/317/1801)
## Cast and production
The film stars Andy Biersack, lead singer of [Black Veil Brides](https://www.edgepedia.org/black-veil-brides), as Johnny Faust, and Ben Bruce of Asking Alexandria as Leo Donovan, bringing what the production called rock and roll authenticity to the fictional band The Relentless.[2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax) Malcolm McDowell plays Mr. Capricorn, the enigmatic stranger; the supporting cast includes [Denise Richards](https://www.edgepedia.org/denise-richards) as Kat Faust, John Bradley as Ricky Rollins, Booboo Stewart as Vic Lakota, Jesse Sullivan as Lily Mayflower, Mark Boone Junior, Drake Bell, Bill Duke, Bill Goldberg, Olivia Culpo, and [Larry King](https://www.edgepedia.org/larry-king) as himself.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan) • [3](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017)
**Production and distribution.** Sumerian Films produced the film with Intrinsic Value Films, Jeff Rice Films, and Execution Style Entertainment; Sumerian partnered with Miramax, which handled worldwide distribution rights.[2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax) The film opened in over 50 US cities on October 13, 2017, as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Australia, with a UK release scheduled for October 20.[2](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax) It had earlier screened at the Oceanside International Film Festival on August 10, 2017.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5451690/releaseinfo/) The soundtrack features music by Deftones, The Pretty Reckless, Asking Alexandria, In This Moment, Skid Row, and others, alongside the original score.[6](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzsiGk73r1c)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 78% Tomatometer from 9 reviews and a 78% Popcornmeter from more than 500 audience ratings.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan) Jason Best of Movie Talk wrote that Avildsen "turns the dial up to 11, throwing music biz satire and heavy metal bombast into the mix, as well as shaping a cautionary tale about the cost of stardom."[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan) John Fink of The Film Stage graded it a B, calling it "a stylish psychedelic thrill in the mold of a zany comedy that grows dark, quickly" and praising its complete character arc for Johnny Faust.[9](https://thefilmstage.com/review-american-satan-is-a-nightmare-of-sex-drugs-and-heavy-metal/) The Verge was more negative, describing the film as "a horror movie about how the devil is bad, and entering into vague contracts with him will not make you happy."[10](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/american-satan/) On IMDb the film rates 5.7/10 from about 4,800 users, with the most ratings coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Greece.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5451690/ratings/)
**Box office.** The theatrical run was small: $135,378 in its opening weekend from 55 theaters, falling 76 percent in the second weekend, for a final domestic gross of $226,232, all of it domestic.[1](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan)
## Legacy
The film launched the franchise that led to the TV series *Paradise City*, with Andy Biersack and [Ben Bruce](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-bruce) reprising their roles.[3](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017) A 2025 Forbes profile of Avildsen describes *American Satan* as his feature debut, a supernatural musical thriller.[11](https://tollbit.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2025/12/15/sumerians-ash-avildsen-triples-down-on-supporting-artistic-expression-in-music-film-publishing-and-beyond/)
## Not to be confused with
*An American Satan* (2019) is a separate work: a 72-minute documentary directed by the Barcelona-based filmmaker Aram Garriga about the Church of Satan, founded by Anton Szandor LaVey in California in 1966, featuring interviews with active members and other self-styled Satanists. It was distributed by Film Movement's Omnibus Entertainment label.[12](https://filmmovement.com/product/an-american-satan)
## References
1. [American Satan (2017) - Box Office and Financial Information, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/American-Satan)
2. [ABOUT - American Satan, official site](https://www.americansatanmovie.com/miramax)
3. [American Satan (2017) on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/american-satan-2017)
4. [American Satan, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_satan)
5. [American Satan (2017) - Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5451690/ratings/)
6. [AMERICAN SATAN Interview - Ash Avildsen, Andy Biersack, Ben Bruce & Matt Pinfield, Sumerian (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzsiGk73r1c)
7. [Treiber, Fritz. When the Devil Plays the Guitar and the Preacher Prays for Mercy, Journal for Religion, Film and Media (2023)](https://www.jrfm.eu/index.php/ojs_jrfm/article/download/369/317/1801)
8. [American Satan (2017) - Release info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5451690/releaseinfo/)
9. [Review: 'American Satan' is a Nightmare of Sex, Drugs, and Heavy Metal, The Film Stage](https://thefilmstage.com/review-american-satan-is-a-nightmare-of-sex-drugs-and-heavy-metal/)
10. [American Satan Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/american-satan/)
11. [Sumerian's Ash Avildsen On Embracing 'Fearless Originality', Forbes](https://tollbit.forbes.com/sites/cathyolson/2025/12/15/sumerians-ash-avildsen-triples-down-on-supporting-artistic-expression-in-music-film-publishing-and-beyond/)
12. [An American Satan, Film Movement](https://filmmovement.com/product/an-american-satan)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Musical and music films (individual works) › Musical films of the 2010s and 2020s › Released 2010 to 2020*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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