‘The Exorcist’ star Linda Blair provided her expertise as a special advisor on the highly anticipated horror sequel ‘The Exorcist: Believer’. The new film serves as a direct continuation of the 1973 classic, in which Linda played the role of Regan MacNeil, a 12-year-old girl possessed by the demon Pazuzu.
In the upcoming sequel, Ellen Burstyn reprises her role as Regan’s mother, Chris MacNeil, fifty years after the original movie. Director David Gordon Green has now revealed that Linda was present on set to assist young actresses Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum, who portray the new victims of Pazuzu in the film.
During an interview with Total Film magazine, Green stated, “She joined the set as an advisor for the movie… because we are working with young individuals and it is important to ensure their safety even in dangerous situations. I was fortunate to have her review the script, although she had no interest in being a significant part of it again.”
While Linda did not reprise her role in ‘The Exorcist: Believer’, Regan’s possession and the subsequent exorcism play a pivotal role in the plot. Leslie Odom Jr.’s character, Victor Fielding, reaches out to Chris for assistance in saving his daughter from the demon.
According to the official synopsis of ‘The Exorcist: Believer’, it follows the story of Victor Fielding, who has been raising his daughter alone since his wife died in a Haitian earthquake twelve years prior. However, when Angela and her friend Katherine vanish in the woods and return three days later with no recollection of their ordeal, a series of events unfold that compel Victor to confront the depths of evil. He desperately seeks out Chris MacNeil, the only person still alive who has witnessed such horrors.
Prior to the release of ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ on October 6, Blumhouse and Universal have already confirmed plans for a sequel titled ‘The Exorcist: Deceiver’, slated to hit theaters on April 18, 2025. Green, known for directing Blumhouse’s recent ‘Halloween’ trilogy, has also confirmed that scripts and outlines are already in progress for two more ‘Exorcist’ films.