With the release of The Exorcist: Believer, many fans are left asking if the latest film and its 50-year-old predecessor were based on true stories. Here’s all the information you need to know about their source material.
Are The Exorcist: Believer and other movies based on true stories?
Yes, both The Exorcist: Believer and the original Exorcist movie from 1973 are based on true stories.
The latest supernatural horror film, The Exorcist: Believer, is set in the same universe as the original, bringing Chris MacNeil back into the mix. The story focuses on single father Victor Fielding’s daughter, Angela, and her friend Katherine.
The two girls disappear in the woods and return three days later, showing signs of demonic possession. It forces Victor to take Chris MacNeil’s help, whose daughter underwent something similar and had to undergo multiple exorcisms.
This story is inspired by the real-world experiences of Father Gary Thomas. In 2005, a young woman who appeared to be under a demon’s control had to go through conventional exorcism techniques with the assistance of Father Gary. He and a group of professionals took drastic measures to save her. He also wrote a book about other exorcism experiences.
Similar to The Exorcist: Believer, the original movie from 1973 took inspiration from real-life events. Writer William Blatty penned down its script based on the real-life exorcisms performed on a 14-year-old boy named “Robbie,” aka “Roland Doe.”
Regan MacNeil’s character (played by Linda Blair) was created, keeping Roland Doe’s actual events in mind. He was raised in a German Lutheran family and was gifted an Ouija board for his birthday upon insistence. When his Aunt Harriet, who gifted him the board, died, he started encountering terrifying paranormal activities around his house.
He and his family ultimately received help from Father Raymond J. Bishop. Seemingly possessed by a demon, multiple exorcisms were performed on him, similar to how things turned out in The Exorcist (1973).
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