'The Exorcist: Believer' Coming to Digital Ahead of Halloween
'The Exorcist: Believer' is the first movie in a planned trilogy of films.
The Exorcist: Believer was just released in theaters a few weeks ago, and is now coming to digital, ahead of Halloween. It's been announced that the new film, a direct sequel to the original 1973 movie, will be available exclusively on digital platforms where you can rent or buy tomorrow, Oct. 24, 2023, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. It's the first of a new Exorcist trilogy on the way.
A synopsis of the film reads: "Since his wife's death, Victor (Leslie Odom Jr.) 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." The movie is directed by David Gordon Green, who also helmed the Halloween reboot trilogy for Universal. The story for the new Exorcist movie was developed by Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Green, who also penned the script with Peter Sattler.
The Exorcist was directed by William Friedkin and written by William Peter Blatty, as based on a 1971 novel of the same name that was also written by Blatty. It tells the story of a young girl named Regan (Linda Blair) who becomes possessed by a demon that claims to be the devil but goes by Pazuzu. Two Roman Catholic priests, Father Damien Karras, S.J. (Jason Miller) and Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow) come to perform an exorcism, but the demon puts up a relentless fight, wearing the two men down and making this already difficult challenge seemingly impossible. In addition to Blair, Miller, and Von Sydow, the film also stars Ellen Burstyn, Lee J. Cobb, Jack MacGowran and real-life priest Father Thomas Bermingham.
The Exorcist has had quite a reputation since its release, as its production was plagued with controversial circumstances. There are at least nine deaths connected to the film, including that of MacGowran. However, while The Exorcist has been labeled a "cursed" movie, it is still critically acclaimed and widely revered.
It was nominated in 10 categories at the 46th Academy Awards, taking home two Oscars: Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Sound. It also won four Golden Globes that same year: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Blair, Best Director – Motion Picture for Freidkin and Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for Blatty. It also went on to spawn four more films as well as a TV series.