Ellen Burstyn played Chris Macneil in the original Exorcist film. She played Regan’s mom and was brilliant in it. Her pain was palpable. A mother suffering and watching her daughter fall apart was just so real. She left the devil out and made it more of a daughter who was very sick. It’s reflected terrifyingly in the scene where Regan is taken to the hospital for that terrifying procedure. Well, Burstyn is headed back to the upcoming Exorcist trilogy being put together by David Gordon Green at Blumhouse.
Burstyn said that she had turned down several chances to come back over the years. She admits that she has been offered the role over and over again. This time she thought “The next thought that came to mind was: ‘I feel like the devil is asking my price and the next thought that came to mind was ‘my price is a scholarship program for talented students in our master’s degree program at Pace University.’” So, Burstyn managed to get the studio to up their end and she got exactly what she wanted. She got a scholarship program for talented young adults. Pretty amazing and it ultimately proves that Burstyn is a complete badass.
The Exorcist is headed back to theaters soon. Right after Blumhouse is through with their Halloween trilogy they are moving into an Exorcist trilogy. It is a strange place to go, I think. The Exorcist was such a one-cast scenario that it’s hard to imagine it expanding into three films. I mean, how many times can priests gather around a bed, shouting prayers before it gets old. Plus, if too many people become possessed it runs the risk of becoming a zombie-like film.
The first Exorcist film headed to theaters in 2023 will feature Hamilton Leslie Odom Jr, whose daughter will become possessed by a demon. This father will inevitably reach out to Chris Macneil to learn from her experience and attempt to fight off whatever is taking over his own daughter.
Are you excited to see Ellyn Burstyn come back in Blumhouse’s The Exorcist? Do you think that a trilogy of Exorcist films is the right move or should it have just been one?