The planned Exorcist trilogy from Blumhouse and Universal is in trouble. David Gordon Green, who helmed the franchise’s shaky reboot, The Exorcist: Believer, will no longer direct the sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver, which has been removed from Blumhouse’s schedule altogether, according to The Hollywood Reporter. And honestly, it’s not a huge surprise. The first installment may have brought in over $135 million at the box office, but many fans and critics weren’t impressed. In fact, we called it “weak” in our review.
Shaky Start, Uncertain Future:
Believer’s critical and box office performance cast a shadow on the trilogy’s initial promise. While nowhere near the original’s iconic status, Green’s 2018 Halloween reboot for the same studios set a strong precedent, making a killing and garnering critical acclaim. Initially slated for an April 2025 release, Deceiver is now searching for a new director and potentially rethinking its trajectory.
Green’s Departure, Reasons, and Repercussions:
Green’s reasoning for stepping away reportedly stems from commitments to other projects, including the feature film Nutcrackers and the TV series “The Righteous Gemstones.” This departure, coupled with Believer’s lukewarm reception, leaves the trilogy’s future shrouded in uncertainty. Will the original three-film plan crumble? Will Linda Blair’s iconic Regan MacNeil, reintroduced in The Exorcist: Believer’s final moments, still play a role? Only time will tell.
The Exorcist: Believer:
Set fifty years after the terrifying original horror film shocked the world, The Exorcist: Believer centers on Victor (Leslie Odom Jr.), who has raised his daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) alone. After Angela and her friend (Olivia O’Neill) return from a three-day disappearance with missing memories, they begin displaying frightening behavior. Victor’s best hope is to find the only person who has seen anything like this before: Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), whose haunting experience with her daughter Regan may be the key to combating ultimate evil. You can watch it now streaming on Peacock.
