Considered by many to be the greatest horror movie of all time, William Friedkin’s The Exorcist has stood the test of time and continues to enjoy its ever-growing status as cinematic gold. Telling the story of a 12-year-old girl named Regan who suddenly becomes overcome and possessed by a vengeful entity named Pazuzu, critics and audiences alike immediately gravitated towards the jaw-dropping film due to its unfathomable sequences — which includes Regan’s head “spinning” under Pazuzu’s control and spitting out green-colored vomit on two priests.
So with as much influence and impact that The Exorcist held over the horror realm, it was only a matter of time until the movie experienced some sort of revamp and restyle in the modern-day age of spooky. And while a handful of sequels did follow Friedkin’s 1973 original, Blumhouse and Halloween Ends director David Gordon Green have upped the ante and placed an entirely different spin on the narrative with the upcoming sequel The Exorcist: Believer.
When does The Exorcist: Believer release?
There certainly wouldn’t be a more perfect time for a horror movie to release than during spooky season — which is exactly the case for the hotly-anticipated Exorcist sequel. As announced several months ago before the movie’s eye-popping trailer dropped, The Exorcist: Believer is set to be released on Oct. 13 — which just so happens to be Friday the 13th.
Despite several Exorcist sequels already having been released over the years, horror fanatics and franchise die-hards have remained excited about the upcoming sequel due to its return to its original form and bringing back iconic characters which were first introduced in the OG project. Sometimes a wave of nostalgia is all you truly need.
Who is in The Exorcist: Believer?
One of the most intriguing aspects surrounding the horror sequel is the fact that Ellen Burstyn is set to reprise her iconic role as Chris MacNeil — the mother of the possessed Regan. In Friedkin’s original piece, Chris was a working actor while Regan began showing signs of unusual behavior which was eventually diagnosed as possession. Considering Burstyn’s knockout performance eventually earned her an Academy Award nomination, it’s only fitting that she returns to continue the story which was made famous decades ago.
Alongside Burstyn will be Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor — the father of a possessed teenager who stretches out his arms to try and discuss the possibility of an exorcism with Chris. On the other side of the coin, Jennifer Nettles will portray the mother of another possessed young girl, Lidya Jewett, and Olivia Marcum portray the two young possessed teens, and Hereditary’s Ann Dowd makes her extraordinary presence felt once again in the horror realm as a nurse who lives next door to Victor.
As enthralling as a cast can be, The Exorcist: Believer has its sights set on haunting theaters starting Oct. 13.