What Is Rite Here Rite Now About?
The premise of Rite Here Rite Now in 269 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
Rite Here Rite Now presents a front-row portrait of GHOST’s spectacle, focusing on two concerts during the Re-Imperatour at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on September 11 and 12, 2023. The shows were distinguished by a strict no-phone policy, keeping recording devices and flash photography out of the venue. Without the glow of screens cutting through the darkness, the audience becomes part of the atmosphere, immersed in the music, lighting, theatrical imagery, and collective energy that define the band’s live presence.
The film alternates between electrifying concert footage and an intercut narrative rooted in GHOST’s fictional lore. At the center is frontman Tobias Forge, whose stage persona, Papa Emeritus IV, embodies the ornate, provocative identity of the band’s Satanic ministry. His public performance projects confidence, menace, and showmanship, while the quieter narrative moments introduce a more intimate and enigmatic side of this larger-than-life figure.
Backstage, Papa Emeritus IV’s connection to Sister Imperator and the spirit of Papa Nihil opens a window into the ministry’s strange history and the relationships shaping its central characters. Their interactions blend theatrical role-play with spectral mystery, exploring ideas of identity, legacy, faith, and authority without letting the film lose sight of the concertgoers gathered before them. The contrast between sacred ceremony, macabre imagery, and playful showbiz gives the story a tone that is simultaneously reverent, unsettling, and knowingly absurd.
Together, the performance and fictional threads create an experience that feels both monumental and surprisingly personal. Rite Here Rite Now captures the rare intensity of being present at a GHOST show while suggesting that the band’s elaborate mythology extends far beyond any single concert.
What Happens in Rite Here Rite Now?
The complete story of Rite Here Rite Now, from the first scene to the last, in 182 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Rite Here Rite Now documents two unique performances by the band Ghost during their Re-Imperatour concert tour, held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on September 11 and 12, 2023. To ensure an immersive experience, a strict no-phone policy was enforced, banning all flash photography and recordings during these specific dates.
The film blends concert footage with a narrative rooted in the band’s fictional lore. Frontman Tobias Forge, performing as Papa Emeritus IV, frequently leaves the stage to venture backstage. There, he interacts with his associate, Maralyn Facey as Sister Imperator, and communicates with the spirit of Alan Ursillo as Papa Nihil, the ministry’s frontman from the 1960s.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil are actually the parents of Papa Emeritus IV. Following the conclusion of the concert, the narrative takes a somber turn as Sister Imperator passes away. In the aftermath, Papa Emeritus IV is promoted to the title of Frater Imperator, transitioning into an overseer role for the ministry while he awaits the arrival of a new, unseen heir to the papacy.
Rite Here Rite Now Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “The Re-Imperatour Tour” to “Awaiting the New Heir”. 7 events name a place, across 2 locations.
- 1
The Re-Imperatour Tour
The band Ghost embarks on its Re-Imperatour concert tour in support of their album Impera. The tour features frontman Tobias Forge performing under his fictional persona Papa Emeritus IV, a pope belonging to and promoting a Satanic ministry.
When:2023
- 2
The Lore of the Ministry
Throughout Ghost's career, Tobias Forge has performed under different fictional personas portrayed as popes of a Satanic ministry. Papa Emeritus IV is the latest in this lineage, following earlier papal characters that anchored the band's theatrical mythology.
- 3
Arriving at the Kia Forum
Ghost arrives at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, for two special nights of the Re-Imperatour. These shows on September 11 and 12, 2023 are chosen to be filmed for a feature-length concert movie.
When:September 11, 2023 Where:Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
- 4
The No-Phone Policy
Unlike other shows on the tour, a strict no-phone policy is implemented for attendees of the Kia Forum shows. Fans must surrender their devices to prevent recordings and flash photography, ensuring an immersive and unfilmed experience.
When:September 11, 2023 Where:Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
- 5
Papa Emeritus IV Takes the Stage
Papa Emeritus IV leads Ghost onto the stage to thunderous applause from the packed arena. The concert kicks off the first of the two documented nights, blending theatrical performance with the band's satanic ministry aesthetics.
When:September 11, 2023 Where:Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
- 6
Backstage with Sister Imperator
During the concert, Papa Emeritus IV repeatedly ventures backstage to visit his close associate, Sister Imperator. Their exchanges reveal a deep personal bond between the papal frontman and the leader of the ministry.
When:September 11, 2023 Where:Kia Forum backstage, Inglewood, California
- 7
A Conversation with Papa Nihil's Spirit
Backstage, Papa Emeritus IV converses with the spirit of Papa Nihil, who is depicted as having served as Ghost's frontman in the 1960s. These spectral meetings add a supernatural layer to the film's narrative, connecting the band's present to its fictional past.
Where:Kia Forum backstage, Inglewood, California
- 8
The Second Night Begins
Ghost returns to the Kia Forum stage for the second and final night of the documented shows. The band delivers another electrifying performance while the backstage narrative continues to unfold between songs.
When:September 12, 2023 Where:Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
- 9
The Family Revelation
The narrative reveals that Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil are in fact the parents of Papa Emeritus IV. This dramatic disclosure recontextualizes the frontman's relationships within the ministry and deepens the band's fictional mythology.
- 10
The Concert Concludes
The final show at the Kia Forum draws to a close, marking the end of the two special nights of the Re-Imperatour. The captured footage will serve as the centerpiece of the concert film.
When:September 12, 2023 Where:Kia Forum, Inglewood, California
Show the other 3 events of Rite Here Rite Now Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Sister Imperator's Death
After the concert, Sister Imperator dies. Her passing marks a turning point in the ministry's story and leaves Papa Emeritus IV without his closest associate and mother figure.
When:After the concert
- 12
Promotion to Frater Imperator
Following Sister Imperator's death, Papa Emeritus IV is promoted to the title of Frater Imperator. In this new role, he acts as an overseer for the ministry rather than serving as its papal figurehead.
- 13
Awaiting the New Heir
As Frater Imperator, Papa Emeritus IV awaits the arrival of a new heir to the papacy. The successor remains unseen, leaving the future of the ministry's leadership shrouded in mystery.
What Kind of Film Is Rite Here Rite Now?
Bittersweet in tone, with variable pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Sad
A bombastic, deeply immersive concert film that fuses theatrical Ghost lore with live spectacle, shifting from electric awe and mounting tension to a somber meditation on loss and succession.
- haunting
- electrifying
- bombastic
- theatrical
- immersive
- communal
- live concert performance
- fictional band lore
- religious mythology
- grief and loss
Content notes: character death, religious and occult imagery.
Quiz
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