The Simpsonsis heading into its 29th season, which means that we’re going to be treated to another installment of their annualTreehouse of Horror Halloween specials. They typically have a surprise or two in store for fans, but this year they may have really outdone themselves. Director William Friedkin, who directedThe Exorcist, easily one of the most iconic horror movies ever made, is going to appear on this year’sTreehouse of HorrorHalloween special.
According toTVLine, William Friedkin, who in addition to directingThe Exorcistwon an Oscar for his work onThe French Connection, is set to lend his voice for a segment titledMMM…Homer.William Friedkinwill play a character named Dr. Kenneth Humphries, but it isn’t yet clear how he is going to factor into the segment. The plot is said to focus on Homer, who begins cannibalizing himself after he runs out of food while Marge and the kids are gone.
Interestingly enough,Treehouse of Horror XXVIIIis also set to feature a segment titledExor-Sis. As far as we know, William Friedkin will not feature in that segment, which is most definitely going to be some sort of parody ofThe Exorcist. Instead, it will be Ben Daniels, who plays Father Marcus on Fox’sThe ExorcistTV show, voicing a priest in that segment. In any case, having the man who directed one of the greatest horror movies in the history of cinema on what has become one of the most belovedHalloween traditionson TV feels like a great move.
Since Fox has had luck withThe ExorcistTV series, that probably has something to do with why now is the time they finally decided to tackle a parody of the movie. Over the years,The Simpsonshave spoofed many other famous horror franchises, such asA Nightmare on Elm Street,The ShiningandPoltergeist. In more recent years, they’ve decided to venture outside of horror and tackle movies likeA Clockwork OrangeandBack to the Future. And then there’s been stuff that falls in the middle, like their take onThe Island of Dr. Moreau.
Treehouse of Horrorstarted duringThe Simpsonsseason 2 and has been a staple of the beloved animated series ever since. Some of the show’s best episodes and most memorable bits have come from these Halloween episodes and, even in the lesser seasons,Treehouse of Horrorusually delivers. Fox has already renewedThe Simpsonsfor what will be its 30th season next year, but there is no guarantee it will go beyond that. So we may only have a couple more of these to look forward to. With a master like William Friedkin along for the ride this year, we should expect something great.The SimpsonsupcomingTreehouse of Horror XXVIIIis set to air on Fox on Sunday, October 22.
