David Gordon Green proved to be somewhat divisive during his run as director of the modern Halloween trilogy, with a comedic undertone and wild departures from expectations not gelling with some long-time fans. So Exorcist fans are naturally a tad concerned about how the director will handle his latest franchise revival in the form of The Exorcist: Believer.
But in an exclusive interview with Empire magazine, Green states they are taking a ”Very different approach” to filming The Exorcist: Believer compared to the Halloween films.
“The Halloween movies are in the slasher genre,” Green explains during the interview, “They’re a place to play, and maybe have some campy fun. But this one was more researched and a bit academic. The narrative we were sculpting, and the relationships, were more dramatic. It’s a very different approach.”
A Difficult Act to Follow
Green also talks about the tricky balance of respecting the ”dramatic integrity” of the late William Friedkin’s classic whilst acknowledging the impact the film has had changed horror significantly in the past five decades.
”You have to acknowledge that there have been so many movies that are derivative copycats of The Exorcist. It has evolved as a concept, so making a slow-burn, dramatic, provocative, horrific film is different with today’s audience than it was 50 years ago.”
The interview also features an exclusive new image from the upcoming movie, where the two girls central to the story appear to be getting a dual exorcism.
The Exorcist: Believer is a legacy sequel to the 1973 horror masterpiece, and features the return of Ellen Burstyn to the series. It’s due to be released in theaters on October 13, 2023.
