MOVIE NEWS – After months of rumors, it has now been announced that the director of the new Exorcist, The Exorcist: Believer, David Gordon Green, has clarified how original star Linda Blair was involved in the new sequel.

Director David Gordon Green clarified that Linda Blair, who played Regan in the original Exorcist, was involved as a technical consultant on the new film. Blair’s character is hinted at in “numerous ways” in the upcoming sequel, hinting at a possible appearance. Green’s deliberate vagueness leaves open the possibility of Blair’s Regan appearing in The Exorcist: Believer, potentially creating a strong emotional connection to the original film.

The director of The Exorcist: Believer, David Gordon Green, clarified the role of franchise star Linda Blair in the upcoming sequel. Currently scheduled to hit theaters in October 2023, Exorcist: Believer is a sequel to the original 1973 film and is slated to be the first of three new films in the horror franchise. Although it has not yet been officially confirmed whether the role of Blair Regan MacNeil will appear in the new film, the original actor Ellen Burstyn will reprise the role of her on-screen mother, Chris MacNeil.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly , Green avoided revealing whether Blair’s character will appear in his upcoming film, but hinted that her character will be referenced in “a number of ways.” The director also revealed that Blair actually visited the set as a technical consultant, guiding the film’s two young stars, Olivia Marcum and Lidya Jewett. Check out his comments below:

“We were lucky to have Linda as our technical advisor. She helped us get great performances out of the young actresses. It was really valuable to have her in contact and to be a part of that conversation.”

Should Linda Blair’s return wait for a future Exorcist sequel?

Despite appearing in only two Exorcist films, the 1973 original and the 1977 sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Blair’s obsessed Regan MacNeil is largely regarded as the face of the long-running franchise. Although the 1977 sequel was largely regarded as a disappointment, Blair’s 1973 portrayal of Regan not only provided some of the series’ most memorable moments, but is also one of the most iconic horror performances of all time.

Given the monumental impact of Blair’s original possessed daughter, it’s easy to see why viewers would want to see her possibly return in Exorcist: Believer. But since Green plans to use this new film to set up two more sequels, it might be better to leave Regan’s return for a later film. His new film is already connected to the original film with the return of Burstyn, and having Blair appear alongside him could overshadow the nostalgic connection.

One possibility is that Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil dies during the events of the new film, potentially setting the stage for Blair’s Regan to take his place in the next two films. Given that the new trailer for Exorcist: Believer focuses on Burstyn’s role as a mother, having her character perish without being able to say goodbye to her daughter would be a powerful emotional blow for viewers. Given Green’s purposefully vague answer, it’s still possible that Blair Regan will make an appearance in The Exorcist: Believer after all.

Source: ScreenRant