Another horror reboot? Fans can get excited (or upset), as a long-awaited sequel to The Exorcist is officially in the works at Blumhouse Studios. William Friedkin's 1973's The Exorcist is universally acclaimed and considered one of the greatest horror films, and films of general, of all time, but will the reboot have the same level of success? The upcoming film is set to be a direct sequel to the original and will be directed by David Gordon Green (Halloween, Halloween Kills). With many failed reboots and sequels in the past, it's easy for horror and Exorcist fans not to get their hopes up. Still, with a master horror director in charge, The Exorcist sequel having potential is beginning to feel a lot more optimistic.
Past sequels to The Exorcist have had mixed reviews. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) was universally criticized for being a pointless sequel. The film has some bizarre scenes, including one in which Father Lamont is attracted to Regan, who is only 16 at the time.
The Exorcist III (1990), although not doing great at the box office upon release, has since has garnered a considerable cult following. There was also a 2-season TV series adaptation by Jeremy Slater in 2016 which was a direct sequel to the original Exorcist. Will horror fans enjoy the upcoming film, though? On a spotlight on Morgan Creek published by Park Circus, the studio assured fans that the film is in good hands with Green in charge. Having already done a very successful horror film franchise reboot with Halloween and almost working on the Suspiria remake, it seems as though there is no better director to take over the classic film.
An Exorcist movie reboot has been teased over the years, but the film seemed to get moving in August of last year finally, when Green and Blumhouse got attached to the film, and the infamous franchise returning to the big screen was becoming a reality. Blumhouse seems to be the horror film studio for reboots, as they are responsible for multiple, including Amityville: The Awakening. The studio is also set to do a Christine remake.
Beyond the fact that the film will be a sequel and not a remake, plot details are still undisclosed. A question that has been asked among Exorcist fans, though, is whether Linda Blair is returning to her iconic role as Regan MacNeil. Considering that Blair is 67 and the film is said to be a direct sequel, it seems more likely that Blair would make a cameo at best. At the same time, though, Green did bring back original characters with Halloween (2018), including the return of Jamie Lee Curtis in her iconic role as Laurie Strode, so it is plausible that he could go the same route and bring back Linda Blair as Regan as well. What is more likely for the new film, though, is to use the original premise but take an entirely new possessed child, whose parents bring her to a priest to save her, and of course, some good old-fashioned horror and exorcism scenes.
One actor from the original film who will be returning though is none other than Ellen Burstyn. Burstyn played the role of Reagan's mother and turned in one of the most emotionally charged performances in any horror film, one that even earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the Academy Awards.
There are a few things to consider with how much the new film will be modernized due to the original being over 40 years old. Special effects have become more sophisticated over the years, especially since 1973. If the 2011 remake/sequel to The Thing is any sort of indicator, it's that any studio wanting to make their film feel more modern may resort to CGI over practical effects. It's a safe bet that this sequel will likely utilize some form of CGI, as it is almost impossible to avoid in modern filmmaking. Hopefully, though, David Gordon Green won't go overboard.
What may hold the sequel back from real greatness is the absence of any involvement from William Friedkin. By contrast, Green's Halloween reboot had the original director John Carpenter attached as an executive producer and composer. Friedkin, however, has stated multiple times that he would never be involved in any type of reboot.
In the end, it is hopeful that Green will give Exorcist fans what they want: the film is fresh and new but doesn't completely stray away from the original. Green's Halloween Kills is set to be released in theaters in 2021, and Halloween Ends in 2022. There is no set release date for The Exorcist yet, but more information is likely to come out soon. It is best if Green doesn't complicate the movie too much, and fans might finally be happy with a worthy The Exorcist sequel.