The legacy of 1973’sThe Exorcistis one many “scary movies” can only aspire to. It was the first horror film to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture (it also won Best Adapted Screenplay). The franchise potential was clear to studio heads as soon as paychecks started rolling in. But after a slew of disappointing sequels, there hasn’t been a newExorcistfilm in more than 15 years, but that has now changed andUniversal’sExorcistsequel will see Ellen Burstyn reprise her role from the original film.
Last year’s announcement of a planned reboot ofThe Exorcistled to mixed reactions from horror fans. Some thought the original was fine as it was, while others thought a modern revamp would only extend its legacy. In December, Blumhouse revealed the “reboot” was actually a direct sequel to the original film, leading to even more debate. However, withDavid Gordon Green (the director of 2018’sHalloween)signing on to the project, fans became nervously excited. Recently, new info has come out on the film, its stars, and the future of the franchise as a whole.
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Universal will release the sequel toThe Exorcistin theaters on August 08, 2025. Blumhouse will produce the film with Morgan Creek (the company that owns film and TV rights to theExorcistseries). It’ll be the first film in a new trilogy that continues the story of the 1973 original in the present day. In terms of star power,Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr.will play a key role in the series. In the original film, Burstyn played Chris MacNeil (whose daughter, Regan, was a victim of demonic possession). Though it’s been almost half a century since the film first came out, her career has managed to keep up. She recently appeared in theNetflix dramaPieces of a Womanto critical acclaim.
With Burstyn returning to her role for a trilogy of sequels, this is starting to sound liketheHalloweenreboot. Also helmed by Gordon Green, theHalloweenreboot discarded the continuity of the entire franchise, with the exception of the original, and saw Jamie Lee Curtis reprise her role as Laurie Strode. With both having the same director, many believe that theExorcistfranchise will try to ride onHalloween’s coattails.
That’s a valid concern, but hopefully, Blumhouse will address it by making the newExorcistfilms as effortlessly terrifying as the original. With Burstyn returning to her famous role, there’s at least one reason to see the next chapter ofThe Exorcist. Until then, Fox’sTheExorcistTV series makes for a binge-worthy substitute.
The untitled sequel toThe Exorcistcomes out in theaters on August 06, 2025.
