The horror genre is an never-ending cesspool filled to the brim with unnecessary prequels that the majority of film buffs have never even heard of. From an influx of lazy storytelling and inconsistent plot development to seemingly forgettable characters, it’s not difficult to understand why the two sequels for 1973’s The Exorcist have long been forgotten in the minds of supporters around the fandom. And it’s for those very reasons that hype for director David Gordon Green’s upcoming Exorcist sequel is slowly dying.
After receiving an official announcement back in August 2020, the horror community immediately rallied around the supernatural project, with excitement further skyrocketing once it was revealed that Green, who helmed the entire updated Halloween trilogy, would be firmly seated in the director’s chair. Although, as years have passed, those same fans have started to scratch their heads and wonder if the upcoming horror feature will truly be as good as folks once hoped it would be.
But before folks get too carried away, it’s worth pointing out that the backlash for the original movie’s prequels, Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist, weren’t exactly well-received upon their individual releases — and that disdain has notably carried into the present day, where Redditors over on the r/horror platform weren’t shy in regards to the films’ flaws.
However, perhaps the 2023 sequel’s saving grace will be the fact that it ignores all other entries in the horror franchise and specifically focuses on the events that only occurred in the 1973 original. Such a travesty is the fact that OG director William Friedkin will have no major influence over the fresh-faced franchise chapter, but perhaps the hype will slowly ramp up once more as the months draw closer to October.
The Exorcist sequel will haunt theaters on Oct. 13.
Published: Feb 22, 2023 3:07 PM UTC