It’s been 50 years since the film based on William Peter Blatty‘s novel, The Exorcist was the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
1973!
Where were you then?
Compare/contrast: The Exorcist trailers, 1973 and 2023
Seemingly, horror has changed a lot since then … right?
#1: Do I have to have seen the other five Exorcist films to understand this one?
Good question! Actually, it would help if you’ve seen the first installation from back in 1973. The Exorcist: Believer is the follow-up to the original.
#2: Will Linda Blair be in The Exorcist: Believer?
Nope, she won’t. However, Blair is credited as the film’s technical advisor. In a recent Entertainment Weekly interview, Director David Gordon Green (Halloween trilogy, Pineapple Express) confirmed that Blair was on the set while filming and “helped us bring excellent performances of young actresses.” (We’re going to assume Green’s speaking of Lidya Jewett (Hidden Figures) and Olivia O’Neill, who played Angela and Katherine, the possessed girls.)
On the subject of Blair, Green also says that The Exorcist: Believer “alludes to her character in a number of ways.”
#3: Will Ellen Burstyn be in The Exorcist: Believer?
Yes, she will. She’ll be reprising her 1973 role as Chris MacNeil, the possessed Regan’s mother. She’s a key link to the new storyline as Angela’s father seeks out her expertise in the rites and rituals of possession in different cultures.
Other actors rounding out the cast include Leslie Odom, Jr. (One Night In Miami, Broadway’s Hamilton), Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale, Hereditary), Jennifer Nettles (Harriet, The Righteous Gemstones), and Norbert Leo Butz (Fosse/Verdon, Bloodline).
#4: Is The Exorcist: Believer the first of a planned trilogy?
It is! Brrr! There’s already a planned release date for the trilogy’s second movie, The Exorcist: Receiver, set to drop on April 18, 2025.
#5: Is The Exorcist: Believer going to be too scary for my kids?
Probably. The film’s ‘R’ rating includes “some violent content, disturbing images, language, and sexual references,” according to FilmRatings.com.
Maybe leave the little ghouls at home for this one.
