Famed horror manufacturing firm Blumhouse spent round $400 million to accumulate The Exorcist license, one of the most coveted in horror cinema historical past as a result of of its legacy. Dishing out that quantity of cash signaled a critical confidence in the funding, that it’d be repaid in type at the field workplace. Blumhouse put its religion in David Gordon Green, the director behind the controversial Halloween reboot, to conjure up a new trilogy for the demonic possession franchise. In comes The Exorcist: Believer, one of the worst films bearing the Exorcist identify to ever have gotten a theatrical launch. On a $30 million funds, it raked in a disappointing $137 million in ticket gross sales. The trilogy was instantly put on hiatus.
In an interview with The Direct, firm head Jason Blum gave an replace on the future of the license. Well, extra of a non-update. He said:
“We are definitely going to make another Exorcist movie, but I wanted more time to figure out what it would be. I have no idea what it’s going to be yet.”
This all however confirms that the subsequent film received’t be Deceiver, the second in the deliberate trilogy. It was faraway from the firm’s launch calendar to develop it into one thing completely different. Gordon Green left the venture shortly after the launch of Believer, a determination that got here on the heels of an overwhelmingly destructive response from critics and poor efficiency. It’s secure to say that ought to Deceiver make a return it received’t be as a continuation of the first installment of the reboot, nor will it’s accompanied by the characters that have been written for it.
People met the information of Gordon Green as director of the new trilogy individuals with skepticism. Quite a bit of head scratching ensued. Sure, the first half of the new Halloween reboot had been a resounding success, each critically and financially, however the different two instalments misplaced a lot of goodwill from its fanbase. A compelled method to extending the story coupled with baffling selections in phrases of character development, and different odd decisions made to the core fable behind the franchise (specifically the pivot to a “new” Michael Myers partly 3) left audiences deflated. And but, Gordon Green was given the keys to the Exorcist kingdom.
So, what ought to we stay up for from Blumhouse after it let one of the greatest franchises in horror land with such a nasty thud? Where do they go from right here? The reply is sort of easy: attempt once more. They don’t have any alternative after the quantity they spent right here. That stated, high quality management is vital. They can’t afford one other blunder the likes of Believer.
Any makes an attempt at course-correction, at this level, would do properly to look to The Exorcist TV collection Fox put out again 2016. Unlike Believer, this continuation of the authentic story stayed true to the spiritual themes of the authentic film. It constructed upon the demonic aspect to create a wider conspiracy targeted on the Catholic church all whereas discovering a good stability between worldbuilding and possession horror. In different phrases, it didn’t betray what already labored. It used the basis to develop into one thing worthy of the identify.
For this to work in what may nonetheless be in the end titled Deceiver, I’d argue there’s a greater likelihood of success if the focus is on a standalone entry. Don’t take into consideration a trilogy or a duology or any type of numeric grouping. Focus on telling a story that frightens on its personal proper, invitations its personal demons, and earns the viewers’s want for extra. Try to provide the William Friedkin traditional a run for its cash. Only after reaching that ought to there be any discuss of sequels.
It’s a lengthy street to recoup the $400 million funding for Blumhouse. Thankfully, I imagine there’s nonetheless a craving for that subsequent nice Exorcist film. Possession films and non secular horror are inclined to generate buzz as they chase that very same diploma of terror that Friedkin’s Exorcist managed to succeed in. Russell Crowe’s The Pope’s Exorcist, The Nun 2, and When Evil Lurks scratched that itch and other people responded. Blumhouse can nonetheless flip it round. They simply have to seek out a approach to make one thing that may maintain its personal beside what many take into account to be the scariest film of all time. No biggie.
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