The Exorcist franchise will be shifting gears by going in a bold, new direction after last year’s sequel-reboot flopped with both critics and audiences alike.
Last year, after spending $400 million to acquire the rights, Universal hoped to revitalize The Exorcist franchise with a reboot from Halloween (2018) director David Gordon Green. But after opening to dismal reviews, the film tanked with just $137 million in the global box office on a $30 million budget.
As of this writing, the film has a dismal 4.8 rating on IMDB and has generally been regarded as the worst in the franchise, rivaled only by 1977’s Exorcist II: The Heretic. Fans attributed this massive failure to the film’s departure from its source material by featuring a multi-faith exorcism (something author William Peter Blatty would never have approved) while relegating titular character Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) to a glorified cameo. One scene that particularly incensed fans online featured Burstyn’s MacNeil lamenting that she never got to view her daughter’s exorcism due to the “Catholic Patriarchy.”
— Rolo Tony (@PoorOldRoloTony) October 8, 2023
A little over six months later and it seems that Universal has learned its lesson and will instead hire director Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, Doctor Sleep) to take the franchise in a new direction.
:Horror maestro Mike Flanagan will write, direct and produce what Blumhouse is describing as a ‘radical new take’ on the franchise, one that will be set in the Exorcist universe but will not be a sequel to Believer,” announced The Hollywood Reporter (THR) on Wednesday.
“Flanagan’s Exorcist hiring is a notable change in direction that comes nearly three years after Universal announced a $400 million megadeal that would allow it to make a trilogy of Exorcist films to be helmed by David Gordon Green, the filmmaker behind Universal and Blumhouse’s hit Halloween movies. Those plans were put on the shelf after Green’s Believer earned negative reviews and brought in $137 million at the box office,” it added.
Mike Flanagan said it will be an “honor” to helm the franchise.
“The Exorcist is one of the reasons I became a filmmaker, and it is an honor to have the chance to try something fresh, bold and terrifying within its universe. Reuniting with my friends at Blumhouse, with whom I’ve made some of my favorite pieces of work, only makes this more exciting,” said Flanagan.
“Mike’s voice and vision are indispensable for horror fans, and we are excited to welcome him back to Blumhouse. I immediately responded to Mike’s new take on the world of The Exorcist and can’t wait for audiences to experience it,” said Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse.
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