The Exorcist 20: Unmasking William Friedkin's Candid Feelings About the Sequel
Discover the late director William Friedkin's intriguing perspective on the sequel/remake of his horror masterpiece, 'The Exorcist: Believer' Uncover its profound connection to the original and anticipate the reaction of horror fans
With the release of The Exorcist: Believer this weekend, the film community continues to mourn the original movie's director on its 50-year anniversary. William Friedkin, a writer/director/producer, was a crucial figure in the New Hollywood movement of the 1970s. He achieved remarkable success with his one-two punch of films, starting with the critically acclaimed and highest-grossing crime thriller of 1971, The French Connection. This film earned five Academy Awards, including Best Director and Picture. However, Friedkin surpassed himself with his astonishing follow-up.
Released in 1973, The Exorcist remains a quintessential horror film, a statement that cannot be disputed. It instantly became a classic and has had a profound influence on the genre, surpassing any movie that came before or after it. The story, based on a novel by William Peter Blatty, draws inspiration from a real-life exorcism conducted by the Catholic Church in the United States in 1949. Blatty, who had extensively studied the Catholic Church throughout his life, brings his thorough research to the narrative. Combined with Friedkin's documentary-style approach, which marked the beginning of his career, the film delivers a hauntingly realistic and deeply unsettling experience.
What Were Friedkin’s Thoughts on ‘The Exorcist: Believer’?
Film critic Ed Whitfield shared that during the early development of The Exorcist: Believer, director William Friedkin expressed his thoughts on the project.
Ed, the filmmaker responsible for those recent Halloween sequels, is now set to create one for my film, The Exorcist. Indeed, my iconic masterpiece will soon be expanded upon by the very same individual who helmed Pineapple Express. Personally, I prefer to distance myself from this upcoming endeavor. However, should a realm of spirits exist and provide me the opportunity, I intend to possess David Gordon Green and subject him to an unbearably tormenting existence.
These eerie remarks should come as no surprise, considering Friedkin's evident disapproval of every installment that followed The Exorcist. According to him, such films only served to devalue the original work, with 1977's The Exorcist II: Heretic notably receiving his scathing critique as "the worst piece of crap I've ever seen." With this in mind, one can only imagine the level of disdain he would have expressed towards The Exorcist: Believer, a ill-fated production that seems to hold little interest even among horror enthusiasts.
How Does ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Connect to the Original?
The plot of The Exorcist revolves around the disappearance of two young teenage girls who, after being missing for three days, are discovered in an altered state. Strangely, they claim to have no memory of what transpired and believe only a few hours have passed. As the girls' behavior becomes increasingly erratic and resistant to treatment, their desperate parents turn to Chris MacNeil, played by Ellen Burstyn, for assistance. Chris suspects that the same demonic force that once possessed her own daughter, Regan, when she was a child, is tormenting the girls. Director David Gordon Green has described his approach to the franchise as "researched and academic," aiming to evoke the strengths of the original film by Blatty and Friedkin. However, it is evident that the film may fall into the predictable realm of a run-of-the-mill demonic possession movie, with forced and inconsequential connections to its iconic predecessor.
How Will ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Fare With Horror Fans?
As is the case with any classic film that comes from the modern Hollywood machine, fan expectations for The Exorcist: Believer range from cautious optimism to complete rejection. Unfortunately, the response has leaned more towards the latter. The film has faced poor test screenings and currently holds a meager 5.4 IMDb user rating before its preview night. Critics have been even harsher, giving it a 41 on MetaCritic and a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, similar to the reception of Green's previous two Halloween movies. What makes this situation even more unfortunate is that, like the new Halloween movies, this film is intended to be the first installment in a new Exorcist trilogy, despite the fact that almost everyone, except for Universal and Blumhouse, realizes the futility of such an endeavor.
After securing the film rights to The Exorcist for a whopping $400 million in collaboration with Peacock in 2021, Universal wasted no time in revealing their plans for a trilogy. The second installment, titled The Exorcist: Deceiver, is already set to hit theaters on April 18th, 2025, with Green returning as the director. While there is no news yet on the status of the final film, if The Exorcist: Believer fails to make up for its poor reception among both audiences and critics through strong box office performance, Universal may have to reconsider the future of the franchise. In that case, Friedkin's spirit could come one step closer to finding eternal peace.
