Morgan Creek Entertainment announced a reboot of the 1973 horror classic,The Exorcistlast year in August. The currently untitledExorcistmovie was supposed to come out in 2021, but the backlash Morgan Creek received upon its announcement had them treading carefully. David Gordon Green (Halloween(2018) andPineapple Express) was announced as director in December 2020, with the film being delayed to 2022. Green has now clarified that the film will be a direct sequel to the original and not a total reboot, as previously rumored. Speaking to GamesRadar, Green said the following.
“The Exorcist has been written. That wasone of my pandemic projects. It’s not inaccurate [that it will be a sequel to the original film]. I like all the Exorcist movies. And not only do I like them, I think they can all fall into the acceptable mythology for what I’m doing. It’s not like I’m saying, ‘Pretend that The Exorcist 2 never happened.’ That’s fine to exist. They’re all fine to exist, and I enjoy all of them.”
The Exorcist Reboothas been written and judging by what Green said, it doesn’t look like it will be a complete retcon of the original Exorcist. He has even acknowledged the subsequent sequels ofThe Exorcist. Morgan Creek has said in the past that they will never remakeThe Exorcist, and the upcoming reboot seems to be abiding by that rule. Though he didn’t say anything about the eponymously titled television series that aired on Fox for two seasons from 2016 to 2017 before being canceled. The show was a direct sequel to the 1973 classic and ignored the film’s other sequels. Green further added this.
“It’s another fun legacy to be a part of, and hopefully we’ll get that going in the near future. That one is a lot of research, rather than just impulsive screenwriting. That’s one that you talk to a lot of people. You read a lot of books, and do a shit-load of interviews. There was such a dramatic authenticity to what that original film is. It’s a lot more than I anticipated getting into it. And I guess I was naive to think that. But it was very exhilarating to be involved in a lot of those conversations that you find yourself in.”
David Gordon Greenseems to be very passionate aboutThe Exorcistand is trying his best tohonor the legacy of the original. The reboot cum sequel will be a collaboration between Blumhouse and Morgan Creek.
Directed by William Friedkin from a screenplay by William Peter Blatty,The Exorcistwas a colossal success upon its release in 1973. The film owned the box office and terrified the audiences. With many critics immediately labeling it as a classic,The Exorcistwas praised for its originality and Friedkin’s direction. To this day,The Exorcistremains a quintessential horror film, and David Gordon Green has an uphill task ahead of him to make sure the Exorcist sequel lives up to the original. The movie turned young star Linda Blair into a household name, playing the possessed girl Regan. She also returned inExorcist II: The Heretic, but has never returned in a subsequent sequel. Though she did spoof her character in the Leslie Nielsen lead comedy Repossessed. Will Linda Blair return toThe Exorcistfranchise for a true sequel much like Jamie Lee Curtis did for Blumhouse’sHalloweenreboot? There is no word on casting yet.
David Gordon Green is currently busy promotingHalloween Kills, which is due to premiere in September at the Venice International Film Festival. The film itself will release on October 15 after having been delayed by the Covid pandemic by a year. Green will then begin work on the final film of the trilogy,Halloween Endswhich will end the saga of Michael Myers once and for all. Green will be busy with theHalloweenfranchise this year andThe Exorcistsequel won’t start filming till at least next year. A late 2022 or early 2023 release date is most likely. Till then, fans will have to make do with other sequels/reboots of iconic horror films likeHalloweenandScream.
