The Exorcist: Believer is an upcoming American supernatural horror film directed by David Gordon Green and written by Peter Sattler and Green from a story by Scott Teems, Danny McBride and Green. It is the sixth installment in The Exorcist franchise, and will serve as a direct sequel to The Exorcist (1973). The film stars Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, Jennifer Nettles, Norbert Leo Butz, Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum and Ellen Burstyn.

Originally planned to be a reboot in August 2020, it was redeveloped into a direct-sequel and follow-up to the original film in December 2020. Jason Blum served as a producer on the film through his Blumhouse Productions banner, alongside David C. and James G. Robinson through their Morgan Creek Entertainment banner, in association with executive producers Green and McBride's Rough House Pictures. Universal Pictures collaborated with Peacock to acquire distribution rights in June 2021. Principal photography took place between November 2022 and March 2023.

The Exorcist: Believer is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 6, 2023. It is intended to be the first of three new The Exorcist films, with the second, The Exorcist: Deceiver, set for release on April 18, 2025.

Synopsis 
The parents of demonically possessed girls, desperate for help, go in search of someone who has had similar experiences, Chris MacNeil.

Cast 
 Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor Fielding
 Ann Dowd
 Jennifer Nettles
 Norbert Leo Butz
 Lidya Jewett as Angela Fielding
 Olivia Marcum as Katherine
 Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil
 Okwui Okpokwasili
 Raphael Sbarge

Production

Development 
In August 2020, it was reported that Morgan Creek Entertainment would be producing a new installment in The Exorcist franchise, as a reboot. A tentative theatrical release window of 2021 was planned by the studio. Ben Pearson of Slash Film noted that the studio had previously stated that it would "never attempt to remake The Exorcist" but that it would also obtain the "blessings of their library titles' original creators before they move forward with new entries". 

In December 2020, it was clarified that the project in development would be a direct-sequel and follow-up to the original film, with David Gordon Green in early negotiations to serve as director. Jason Blum, David Robinson, and James Robinson serve as producers. In July 2021, it was reported that a trilogy of sequels were concurrently in development with Green hired to direct the first of the new installments, from a script he co-wrote with Peter Sattler, from an original story he co-wrote with Scott Teems and Danny McBride. Green, McBride, Couper Samuelson and Stephanie Allain serve as executive producers. Prior to acquiring the series' rights from Morgan Creek Entertainment, the writing team and Blum spent early 2020 devising the story over Zoom.

The projects are joint-venture productions between Blumhouse Productions and Morgan Creek Entertainment with Universal Pictures distributing. Universal collaborated with Peacock to purchase distribution rights for $400 million total. Parts two and three of the trilogy were optioned as potential Peacock exclusive films. By October 2021, Green expressed his intentions to direct all three films, with script outlines completed for the latter two films that he co-wrote with Sattler.

Casting 
Ellen Burstyn reprised her role as Chris MacNeil from the original film, with Leslie Odom Jr. co-starring as a father who tracks down Chris to help his possessed child. Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum and Okwui Okpokwasili were also cast. Raphael Sbarge joined the cast as a pastor. Jennifer Nettles has a "primary role" in the film.

Filming 
In early 2022, Burstyn stated that she had completed production for her part in the film. Though Green had previously stated that he would begin work on the sequel after completing Halloween Ends (2022), given the actress' age and the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the production team worked with Burstyn to make sure they had her part completed for the film.

Principal photography began in November 2022, in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. Burstyn was brought in that month for reshoots.  In mid-December, production was shut down early for the holidays after Odom had an "unspecified health issue". Filming wrapped in early March 2023.

Release 
The Exorcist: Believer is set to be released by Universal Pictures on October 6, 2023. It was previously set for October 13, before being moved up a week earlier to avoid competition with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Future 
In July 2021, two sequels were confirmed to be in development with the same creative team of Green, McBride, Sattler, and Teems on board. The first of these sequels, The Exorcist: Deceiver, will be released in theaters April 18, 2025.

References

External links
 
 

2023 films
2023 horror films
2020s English-language films
2020s supernatural horror films
American sequel films
American supernatural drama films
American supernatural horror films
Blumhouse Productions films
Demons in film
The Exorcist films
Films about exorcism
Films directed by David Gordon Green
Films with screenplays by David Gordon Green
Films with screenplays by Danny McBride
Films produced by Jason Blum
Films impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
Films shot in Atlanta
Films shot in Savannah, Georgia
Morgan Creek Productions films
Religious horror films
Universal Pictures films
Upcoming sequel films
Works by Scott Teems
2020s American films
IMAX films