David Gordon Green's The Exorcist: Believer arrives in theaters this weekend, and while reviews have not been great (to say the least), there is still a lot of curiosity surrounding this legacy sequel's ties to William Friedkin's original classic.
We know that Ellen Burstyn makes an appearance as Chris MacNeil, but are the rumors that Linda Blair also returns as her daughter, Regan, true?
Spoilers ahead!
Burstyn's role is a lot smaller than you might expect, as her character is brought in as an advisor after Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) becomes convinced that his daughter is indeed possessed.
MacNeil rather foolishly attempts to perform an exorcism on the other victim, Katherine, but things do not go according to plan, and in one of the movie's most shocking scenes, the demon - who may or may not be the same one that tormented Chris all those years ago - gouges both of MacNeil's eyes out with a crucifix.
Chris survives, and a group exorcism with people of various different faiths is performed. The demon agrees to depart, but it will only leave one of the girls alive, and her would-be saviours must choose! Katherine's father shouts his daughter's name, and in a cruel twist, the demon takes her life - not Angela's
Back at the hospital, Chris, who has been estranged from her daughter since shortly after the events of the first film, gets a visit from Regan (Linda Blair) and the two reconcile.
This is clearly setting up a bigger role for Blair in the planned sequel, but it remains to be seen if a follow-up will actually enter development after the dismal critical response to Believer. Of course, box office performance will be the deciding factor.
"Exactly 50 years ago this fall, the most terrifying horror film in history landed on screens, shocking audiences around the world. Now, on Friday, October 13, a new chapter begins. From Blumhouse and director David Gordon Green, who shattered the status quo with their resurrection of the Halloween franchise, comes The Exorcist: Believer.
Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar nominee Leslie Odom, Jr.; One Night in Miami, Hamilton) has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, Good Girls) on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil."
The Exorcist: Believer also stars Ann Dowd as Victor and Angela’s neighbor, and Jennifer Nettles and Norbert Leo Butz as the parents of Katherine, Angela’s friend.
The movie is set to hit theaters on October 6, with sequel, The Exorcist: Deceiver, arriving on April 18, 2025.