The Exorcist Sequel: Wrapped Filming and is Ready for Post-Production
Whether fans requested it or not, The Exorcist will return to the big screen in a reboot, featuring some kind of sequel or story that takes place in the same universe, with some nods to the classic original horror film, called by many the best all inside the genus. In recent years, many horror franchises have found ways to come back and win back audiences. Halloween has done it with a new trilogy of films with Jamie Lee Curtis at the helm. Chucky has managed to stay current with a series that combined all the elements that have made it tick since its release.
And more recently, Scream has shown that it can continue to “make fun” of the genre and itself while maintaining its style and distinguishing itself. Now it will be the turn of the greatest exponent of horror with the belated sequel to The Exorcist. William Friedkin’s 1973 film is considered a masterpiece and remains at the top of horror lists, often in the first place. David Gordon Green, director of the recent saga starring the murderer Michael Myers, is in charge of reviving this story, which has already finished filming. The new film will hit theaters on October 13, 2023, and is the first part of a trilogy led by Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.
What We Know About The Exorcist Sequel
The original film is an adaptation of the novel by William Peter Blatty, inspired by a real exorcism that took place in Washington in 1949. Regan, a twelve-year-old girl, is a victim of paranormal phenomena. Her terrified mother, after having subjected her daughter to multiple medical tests that have yielded no results, turns to a priest with psychiatric studies. He is convinced that the girl is the victim of a diabolical possession. For this reason, with the help of another priest, he decides to perform an exorcism. This time we will see a father who is in desperate need of help to cure his possessed daughter.
However, this film has a different dynamic as the man will try to locate the actress Chris MacNeil (Regan’s mother from the first film) to help him in this terrifying case. Leslie Odom Jr (Glass Onion) and Lydia Jewett will play the father and possessed daughter, joined by Ann Dowd (Hereditary), Olivia Marcum, and Raphael Sbarge, the latter in the role of the priest who will have to deal with possession.
The Great Success of The Exorcist
The Exorcist by William Friedkin was nominated for 10 Academy Awards (including Best Picture), winning two statuettes, and also generated two sequels and two prequel/spin-offs. After the great critical and public success of the original film, in 1977 The Exorcist II – The Heretic was released, thirteen years later, in 1990, Exorcist III was released, directed by William Peter Blatty, author of the original novel that inspired Friedkin’s film, who passed away in 2017.
In neither of the two sequels was Friedkin involved and neither of the two films achieved the success of the progenitor; however, in 2004 a prequel was made directed by Lenny Harlin and dedicated to the events of Father Lankester Merrin, followed in 2005 by another prequel more or less identical to the previous year, directed by Paul Schrader.
Morgan Creek Entertainment was previously responsible for making The Exorcist III (1990) and the two prequels The Exorcist – Genesis (2004) and Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist (2005). Some time ago William Friedkin stated through his Twitter profile that he will not be involved in any way in the new sequel.
The new The Exorcist films are produced by Universal Pictures, Morgan Creek Entertainment and Blumhouse Production. The first feature film should be released in theaters in 2023 while it would seem that the two sequels are exclusive to Peacock, an American streaming service, and therefore could arrive directly on the small screen.
