Now that hisHalloweentrilogy has been laid to rest, David Gordon Green is set to begin work on filming a forthcoming reboot of the 1970s horror classicThe Exorcist, and production is slated to begin shortly.
Released in 1973, The Exorcistmade waves in theaters as one of the scariesthorrorfilms released to date, with Ellen Burstyn starring as a mother to daughter Regan, whose changes in behavior spiralinto all-out demonic possession. It was followed by a number of sequels, including 1977’sThe Exorcist II: The Hereticand 1990’sThe Exorcist III. The new century brought a couple more installments,Exorcist: The Beginning(2004) and theDominion: Prequel to The Exorcist(2005), as well as a short-lived Fox television series.
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The Exorcistreboot will, likeHalloween, be released as a trilogy from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, with the first installment coming in October 2023. The film is set to begin filming shortly, withBurstyn will reprise her role as Chris MacNeilfrom the original film along with Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton,Knives Out 2) and Ann Dowd (Heredity). “We start in a couple of weeks, and we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and dive into the next great franchise,” Green said during an interview withVariety. “We’ve got an amazing cast coming together and scripts we’re all excited about.”
WhileThe Exorcistis a lot to live up to, Green expressed confidence in the team working on the reboot. “[I’m] honored to step into something that’s so valuable within cinema history. And knowing that there is a fanbase that is curious, aware, alert, potentially concerned to see what we’re up to. What I like is, people say, ‘Is it stressful?’ No, it’s exciting because I spent so much of my life making movies, and you’re just begging an audience to tune in, or see what’s going on, or buy tickets to the movie,” Green said. “With these, I’ve got stories to tell, I’ve got an imagination to express, and the way I can do that within these movies is an incredible opportunity.”
Green has beenpraised for his reboot trilogy ofHalloween, and while the jury is still out on the final installment after opening this past weekend, his involvement bodes well for tackling another ’70s horror classic. The original film is considered the gold standard of possession films in the last half-century, setting the bar for those that came after likeThe Exorcism of Emily RoseandThe Last Exorcist. Burstyn’s performance as the beleaguered single mother seeking help has been praised, by critics. Linda Blair’s performance as Regan placed the young actress on the map and elevated her and her character (literally) into the Hollywood horror canon.
Many considerThe Exorcistto be the perfect horror movieand a tough act to follow. It also happens to turn 50 next year, proving an excellent time for this exciting new installment.
The Exorcistreboot is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 07, 2025.
