David Gordon Green’s THE EXORCIST Will Be a Direct Sequel

The Exorcist

In a fairly expected turn of events, David Gordon Green announced to Total Film Magazine that his incoming reboot of The Exorcist will be a direct sequel rather than a remake or reimagining of the original film. This is all the less surprising considering the success of his Blumhouse production of Halloween, which enacted a very similar plan. 

In his conversation with Total Film, Green explained that a direct sequel does not mean a total retcon of the rest of the franchise. 

Here’s what he had to say:

The Exorcist has been written. That was one of my pandemic projects. I like all the Exorcist movies. And not only do I like them, I think they can all fall into the acceptable mythology for what I’m doing. It’s not like I’m saying, ‘Pretend that The Exorcist 2 never happened.’ That’s fine to exist. They’re all fine to exist, and I enjoy all of them.

This is especially interesting because of how Blumhouse’s Halloween handled the legacy of the franchise’s sequels. Some fans were nonplussed by the choice to eliminate the sequels from their story, rather than build on the history already provided.

The director isn’t taking his Exorcist responsibilities lightly.

Here’s what he has to say about the work ahead:

It’s another fun legacy to be a part of, and hopefully we’ll get that going in the near future. That one is a lot of research, rather than just impulsive screenwriting. That’s one that you talk to a lot of people. You read a lot of books, and do a shit-load of interviews. There was such a dramatic authenticity to what that original film is. It’s a lot more than I anticipated getting into it. And I guess I was naïve to think that. But it was very exhilarating to be involved in a lot of those conversations that you find yourself in.

Blumhouse’s The Exorcist is the first film the franchise since the double feature of The Exorcist: The Beginning and  Dominion all the way back in 2005. In more recent memory we were gifted two excellent seasons of a series adaption on Fox. The series also revealed itself to be a continuation of the film in the end…

Are you excited about The Exorcist? Let me know on Twitter via @joshkorngut. I’m always down to talk about all things horror! You can also let your voice be heard in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Dread Central is now on Google News!

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