The director of *The Exorcist: Believer*, David Gordon Green, has finally addressed the shortcomings of his reboot attempt and shared insights about the cancelled sequels. The original *The Exorcist*, directed by William Friedkin and released in 1973, is considered a landmark in horror cinema, leading to five subsequent sequels and prequels. The latest addition in 2023, Green’s *The Exorcist: Believer*, was a product of NBCUniversal’s significant investment of $400 million to acquire the franchise rights, aiming to kickstart a new trilogy. Unfortunately, the film did not perform well either critically or commercially, prompting a reevaluation of these plans.
In a conversation with IndieWire, Green discussed the shelving of the sequels to *The Exorcist: Believer*. Although Green remains somewhat elusive, he admits that his creative decisions did not align with audience expectations. He reveals that the sequels would have partially filmed in Europe and focused on Ann Dowd’s character, Ann. Below is Green’s statement:
“Oh, man. That’s a long answer. It’s complicated. It’s long and complicated. We had our next one written and had it mapped out for the third one. Again, it was ambitious, complicated. We were going to Europe for some pretty extraordinary backdrops. It was one of those things where all of the creative parties got together.
What I’m pitching, in terms of my professional ambition is, I need the creative freedom and give me the budgetary constraints so I can keep control of that. That’s something we learned pretty quickly, [with] expectations that are limitless and really daunting. So, for me to keep that creative freedom and be able to make the choices I wanted to make… As you see with the “Halloween” movies, the choices I make aren’t always the most popular ones.
So it’s trying to make something that me, and my great friends at Blumhouse and Morgan Creek, want [for] that property to be fulfilled, as much as the audience is there and has the appetite for it. I don’t think they were on the journey I was excited about taking.”
The Implications of *The Exorcist: Believer’s* Underperformance for the Franchise
A New Direction Awaits
With an estimated production cost of $30 million, *The Exorcist: Believer* grossed $136.3 million globally. Under typical circumstances, this might not be considered a failure, but given the $400 million spent on securing the franchise rights, it is a notable letdown. Furthermore, the film received predominantly negative reviews, holding a mere 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, whereas the audience score, although slightly improved, stands at a mixed 59%.
Despite the return of Ellen Burstyn as Chris and a cameo by Linda Blair as Regan, Green’s vision failed to connect with viewers, leading to plans for a fresh direction. Renowned horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan is now crafting a reboot of *The Exorcist*, described as a “radical new take” on the series by THR. As such, audiences should not expect to see characters like Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), Sorenne Fielding (Tracey Graves), Ann, or even Chris in future installments.
Flanagan is acclaimed for his work on Netflix series like *The Haunting of Hill House* (2018) and *Midnight Mass* (2021), as well as films like *Hush* (2016) and *Doctor Sleep* (2019).
Our Perspective on the Abandoned Sequels of *The Exorcist: Believer*
It’s Better They Were Never Made
Although Green’s ambiguous hints might pique interest, the reception to *The Exorcist: Believer* indicates that entrusting Flanagan with a reboot is a wise decision. Additionally, Green’s history with reviving horror franchises is mixed at best. While his 2018 *Halloween* reboot was successful, its sequels, *Halloween Kills* (2021) and *Halloween Ends* (2022), were contentious, with the latter receiving particularly negative feedback. Following *The Exorcist: Believer*, the franchise stands to gain from a fresh creative direction.
Source: IndieWire
The Exorcist: Believer
- Horror
- Supernatural
The Exorcist: Believer is a direct sequel to the original 1973 supernatural horror film by director David Gordon Green and follows Victor Fielding, a father who was forced to raise his daughter alone after his wife died twelve years prior. When Victor's daughter and her friend go missing, the supernatural events that surround their disappearance force him to seek out the only person to have dealt with these horrors before - Chris MacNeil.
