‘Exorcist’ Review: It Takes A Village Of ‘Believers’ To Combat Evil In Unapologetically Vile But Fascinating Legacy Horror

Rudie Obias editor If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Although it was just released in theaters at the beginning of October, the sixth installment in the “Exorcist” movie franchise is ready to stream — just in time for spooky season. Starting on Oct.

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s an eyebrow raiser in the wake of a zany box office season turned upside down by the actors strike, and ruled by Taylor Swift: Universal/Blumhouse‘s feature take of videogame, Five Nights at Freddy’s, is shaping up for an opening around $40M. That would be the second-best opening at the fall box office YTD after Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour‘s $92.8M start. The pic hits theaters and Peacock on Oct. 27.

Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp through the Cotton Patch (★★★★☆) is a complete con artist and long-winded orator. He’s got the best intentions.

As noted in this intro to a “Happy Sad Confused” conversation with David Gordon Green, the filmmaker behind “The Exorcist: Believer,” the director’s career is confusing to many. He began as an indie arthouse filmmaker (“All The Real Girls,” “Undertow“); then started directing studio comedies, many of which were produced by Judd Apatow (“Your Highness,” “The Sitter“), and then, of course, he’s gone off on his recent horror detour which has included a “Halloween” trilogy that started in 2018 and what’s intended to be a new “Exorcist” trilogy that started this year with “Believer.” The Lost, Unmade & Abandoned Projects Of Director David Gordon Green The reality is that from the very beginning, Green claims he was a cinematic omnivore who looked at Steven Soderbergh, a filmmaker who’s tackled every genre under the sun, as his guiding light model.

Alright, “Exorcist: Believer,” Universal and Blumhouse Pictures’ legacy sequel of 1973’s “The Exorcist,” directed by David Gordon Green hit theaters last weekend and the results were, well, kinda mid. Yes, it’s a legacy sequel, so much like the newest “Halloween” trilogy (also made by Green, Universal and Blumhouse), it disregards all the other sequels and essentially only takes place after the original film).

Refresh for latest…: Just as it came in lower than hoped for domestically, Universal/Blumhouse/Morgan Creek’s The Exorcist: Believer didn’t fully convert overseas audiences, summoning a $17.9M international box office debut for $45.1M global. The R-rated David Gordon Green-directed reboot/sequel did see some of its 52 launch markets give it a No. 1 start, while in like-for-likes, the bow is above M3GAN, Evil Dead Rise, Scream VI and Smile. (As regards the latter, recall that it legged out with terrific holds, so the comparison may not stick down the line since scores on Believer are not good, and Taylor Swift is on deck.) 

according to IMDB’s Box Office Mojo.The Post called the slasher flick — which stars Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair reprising their roles from the original — “a dud” and “awful.”“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” remained in second place with close to $2.9 million in sales.Kim Kardashian, who voiced the character Delores in the 2021 original, returned for the sequel and this time was joined by her two eldest children North and Saint West, who also lent their voices to characters.“Saw X,” which was in first place last week, came in third, earning $2.4 million. Sci-fi action thriller “The Creator,” which was in the number three spot last week, moved down a notch to fourth with a just over $1.7 million take.

J. Kim Murphy Nearly 50 years after William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” landed in theaters to leg out a run as the highest-grossing feature of 1973, a new sequel to it is opening on top of the box office. Universal’s “The Exorcist: Believer” compelled audiences to the tune of an $11.9 million opening day from 3,663 locations, a number including $2.85 million in previews.

Jordan Moreau SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “The Exorcist: Believer,” now playing in theaters. After 50 years, “The Exorcist” franchise is back with “The Exorcist: Believer,” and it returns with some familiar faces. It was announced early on that Ellen Burstyn, who played Chris MacNeil in the original “Exorcist,” would reprise her role in “The Exorcist: Believer,” which is the start of a brand new trilogy.

Jordan Moreau SPOILER ALERT: This article contains minor spoilers for “The Exorcist: Believer,” now playing in theaters. Released 50 years after the original “Exorcist,” Universal and Blumhouse’s follow-up, “The Exorcist: Believer,” pays homage to the horror masterpiece in some grotesque ways. Just like the original, there’s vomit, head-spinning and not one, but two demonic possessions. “Exorcist: Believer” follows a pair of girls who go missing in the woods and return three days later under a supernatural influence.

release of “The Exorcist: Believer,” filmgoers will once again witness young, possessed girls blaspheming, shrieking and levitating as their parents try to wrest a godless demon from their bodies.What they likely won’t see, however, is their fellow audience members fainting, vomiting and fleeing the theater in terror. That chaotic scene was what was widely reported to have happened all over the world when “The Exorcist” hit theaters nearly 50 years ago in December 1973.In early 1974, a security guard at a Midtown East cinema described screenings of the horror flick to the New York Times.

Jordan Moreau In the horror genre, nothing really ever stays dead. Universal and Blumhouse’s sequel, “The Exorcist: Believer,” is launching at the box office this weekend, and it’s made $2.85 million in Thursday previews so far. The R-rated movie is expected to make between $30 million and $36 million in its opening, which will mark the best launch of the horror franchise ever.

David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer kept the horror peace train going at the box office with $2.85M in previews last night on its way to a potential high $20M to $30M start at the box office.

The new movie The Exorcist: Believer, which serves as a direct sequel to the original 1973 movie, is now in theaters.

Ethan Shanfeld Ellen Burstyn reprised the role of Chris MacNeil 50 years after the original “Exorcist” film in David Gordon Green‘s “The Exorcist: Believer.” But the actor wasn’t initially sold on the reboot from Universal and Blumhouse, initially telling Green “hell no” when the director first approached her about returning to the franchise. “At first, she was very skeptical,” Green told A.frame, the digital magazine of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

“The Exorcist: Believer” hits theaters this weekend, fifty years after the release of William Friedkin‘s 1973 original. And given Friedkin’s passing earlier this year, David Gordon Green will never know what the late director thinks about his film.

By this point, with advance reviews, it’s clear that critics aren’t high on David Gordon Green‘s new horror reboot, “The Exorcist: Believer.” So, sorry to fans of the series, but this isn’t the long-awaited sequel that will boost its cultural cache. But if fans and audiences won’t get what they want from “The Exorcist: Believer,” did anyone on the cast and crew? READ MORE: Jason Blum On ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Release Date Change: “We Bowed Our Heads To Taylor Swift” According to a new THR interview with Ellyn Burstyn, the 90-year-old actress did.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “The Exorcist: Believer” looks to easily claim the No. 1 spot in its box office debut, but that almost wasn’t the case.

his 2018 “Halloween” reboot with Jamie Lee Curtis. And, on paper, his plan doesn’t sound so bad. Running time: 121 minutes.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic The sequels — or, in two cases, prequels — to “The Exorcist” have all been unqualified turkeys. There is now a movement at hand to declare that John Boorman’s crackpot insect-swarm fantasia “Exorcist II: The Heretic” (1977) was some sort of misunderstood masterpiece, but that’s an act of revisionism every bit as loony tunes as “Heaven’s Gate” revisionism.