LikeJohn Carpenter’sHalloween,William Friedkin’sThe Exorcistis a 1970s horror classic that influenced the genre forever, sparked a franchise with shaky sequels, and featuresa third entrythat has since become abeloved cult classic. And likeHalloween,David Gordon Greenwill be co-writing and directing a new trilogy of sequel films oriented around a returning character from the original, while broadening out the legacy with new ideas.
However, when it comes to the creative construction of these new trilogies, this is where the franchise similarities end. Our own Steve Weintraub recently spoke with Green forHalloween Killsand asked him what he learned making theExorcistfilms from making hisHalloweenones. And Green used two examples from his own body of work to illustrate the wide differences.
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Green began by callingThe ExorcistandHalloween“very different sub-genres of horror.”
“To me, it’s as different as makingStrongerandPineapple Express. They’re just so unbelievably different. One is very primal and the other is very academic. So it’s just trying to switch gears there. I’m sure I’ll know more a year from now when I’ve gotten a handle on whatExorcistis. The script’s written. And it was a very, entirely different writing process.”
For those unfamiliar,Strongeris a sobering drama based on a true story whereJake Gyllenhaalregains his strength after losing his legs in the Boston Marathon bombings, whereasPineapple Expressis a stoner action-comedy whereSeth Rogengets embroiled in a high-stakes (emphasis on high) crime fiasco. Green has always been a genre-hopping director, and it sounds likeThe Exorcistwill continue this impulse even within the specific sub-genre of “legacyquel trilogies of 1970s horror movies” (my gut is that he viewsHalloweenas “primal” andThe Exorcistas “academic,” though I could see the converse argument).
Green is writing the trilogy withPeter Sattler, whom Green worked with on an unaired television adaptation of horror graphic novelFreaks of the Heartland: “He’s another film school buddy of mine and we just have got along great. We did this adaptation of thisSteve Nilesgraphic novel a few years ago and just had a great time, it was so cool. So I brought him on board to jumpstartExorcistwith me. It’s very cool.” Green also confirmed that he will co-write and direct all three films (“That’s the idea right now, yeah”) and said that “the first one of our trilogy is written and the second two are being outlined. So we’ve got a ways to go on that, but we know where we’re going. It’s a new journey [with] some familiar characters and some new ones as well.”
The first in Green’sExorcisttrilogy will featureEllen Burstynreprising her role as Chris MacNeil, the mother of the young, possessed Regan (Linda Blair).Leslie Odom Jr.will play the father of a newly possessed child himself, who seeks out Regan for her help on how to save his own daughter. Like Green’sHalloweenfilms,Jason Blumwill produce and Universal acquired the films (for a whopping $400 million) with the intent of distributing them in theaters and on Peacock — the first film will start in theaters, but the second two just might debut day-and-date.
Green’s firstExorcistfilm is set to release on August 02, 2025. Be on the lookout for more from ourHalloween Killsinterview with Green soon.
KEEP READING:‘Halloween Kills’: Jamie Lee Curtis, David Gordon Green and Jason Blum on the Massive Ambition of the Sequel
