Much hype was given to the title reveal and the audience reactions when the latest Exorcist instalment debuted a trailer at Cinema-Con last month. Reportedly “scaring the pants” off attendees, it certainly got genre fans talking about what might be in store.
However, expectations have been significantly dampened of late with sources claiming that David Gordon Green’s legacy sequel to the 1973 classic performed rather poorly in a recent test screening.
Those in attendance took to social media to air their issues with the sequel, chief among them being that the film just wasn’t scary, despite the recent Cinema-Con reaction reports. It was also suggested that The Exorcist: Believer is much too long and struggles to maintain the viewer’s interest and that actress Linda Blair is involved in the film in a very small capacity.
This is particularly worrying news, as distributor Universal and studios Blumhouse and Morgan Creek are putting a great deal of faith behind the film. Believer will fill Universal’s annual October horror slot, previously occupied by Green’s successful Halloween reboot trilogy.
The announcement of a returning Ellen Burstyn after 50 years away excited fans, as did a cast featuring Leslie Odom Jr and Hereditary star Ann Dowd. However, the film has already undergone a round of reshoots so it is not promising that the response was less than stellar.
Currently, Exorcist: Believer is still slated to release to theatres on October 13th 2023, but that may change if the test screening is cause for further photography. We will let you know any further updates on this project as soon as we have them.
