Linda Blair will reportedly reprise her role as Regan MacNeil from “The Exorcist” in David Gordon Green’s upcoming direct sequel to the original 1973 film at Universal Pictures.
Above the Line broke the news, indicating Blair was only on set for a few days so her role is likely only a small one in the film. She joins the previously announced returnee Ellen Burstyn who is making a more substantial return as Regan’s mother Chris MacNeil.
A Blumhouse spokesperson issued a statement to the outlet saying “Linda Blair served as an advisor on the upcoming Exorcist film” – a statement that pointedly does not deny whether she appears or not.
The new trilogy is a direct sequel to the original film and, unlike the new “Halloween” trilogy which flat out ignores the events of every prior “Halloween” sequel, this will not need to do so. Blair also starred in “The Exorcist Part II” which was critically panned at the time but has found some famous fans over the years.
Oscar nominee Leslie Odom Jr. stars in the lead role of the new film as a father of a possessed child whose desperation leads him to track down Chris McNeil. Ann Dowd, Lidya Jewett, Jennifer Nettles, Olivia Marcum, Raphael Sbarge, and Okwui Okpokwasili also star.
Green co-writes the script with “Halloween” writers Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Petter Sattler. Blum, David Robinson, and James Robinson produce for Blumhouse and Morgan Creek. Universal acquired the rights for this trilogy in a massive deal reportedly to be worth over $400 million.
Filming on the new “Exorcist” wrapped earlier this month and Universal will release the film in theaters on October 13th. A script for a second film in the trilogy was reportedly submitted recently.
