Ellen Burstyn reveals what finally made her say "yes" to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil in the upcoming sequel to The Exorcist. Warner Bros. has been pursuing the Oscar-winning actress for years, and after several occasions of turning the iconic studio, down Burstyn found a cause worthy of agreeing to star in the sequel.
The Exorcist is a horror icon to this day, as visions of Regan MacNeil's head spinning, vomiting, and levitating still haunt audiences. The film was so successful it became a franchise, however, every time the studio asked Burstyn to appear in any type of sequel she declined the offer. This time, Burstyn thought about how she can change lives just by starring in this sequel, as she revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Of course, due to the film's 50th anniversary, it's a no-brainer to ask one of the most iconic actresses to star in The Exorcist sequel. However, Burstyn turned down the first offer they gave her. "You know, what happened was I've turned down so many versions of The Exorcist 2. I've said no every time," Burstyn said. "This time they offered me a whole bunch of money and I still said no. And then they came back and said 'We doubled the offer.' I said 'OK let me think about it.' The next thought that came to mind was: I feel like the devil is asking my price. And the next thought that came to mind was, 'My price is a scholarship program for talented students at Pace University. That's my price. So then I went back and upped their [offer] and ended up getting what I want. And I've got a scholarship program for young actors."
Aside from delivering one of the best performances in the most successful horror film, Burstyn has a passion for helping out young actors. She is currently involved with a prestigious acting workshop, called the Actors Studio, which was co-founded by Eliz Kazan in 1947. Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Paul Newman are just some of the big names who perfected their craft in that studio.
While studios are currently on a trend of trying to get sequels and reboots out as fast as possible, The Exorcist sequel is one of the most anticipated films that is finally hitting theaters in October 2023. Based on Burstyn's involvement, it is clear they are pulling out all the stops on this one.
The Exorcist sequel is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 31st, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter