While The Exorcist remains one of the iconic films in horror history, its recent streak at Halloween Horror Nights has felt surprising. Warner Brothers owns the original film, and thus, it counted as an external IP house. Additionally, most of the movie takes place in a bedroom. Not exactly the easiest property to adapt into a haunted house. Yet the teams at Universal pulled off the feat, even returning it to HHN Hollywood for a second year. With Universal and Blumhouse taking over the franchise in its latest installment, The Exorcist: Believer, this will be the first time that Universal and HHN do not have to answer to a third party for this IP.
While this feels like a huge upgrade over other Blumhouse-focused houses, including The Purge and Freaky/Black Phone, we simply do not know the quality of The Exorcist: Believer. However, the marketing push promises something special. An October 13th, 2023 release date in theaters and the trailer playing in front of marquee titles show true confidence. Universal thinks they have a hit on their hands. With the house working as both marketing and as one of the few houses to release prior to its theatrical run, let’s look at how to prep for it.
EXPECTED WAIT TIME
Weekdays
40 – 60 Minutes
Weekends
40-90 Minutes
CHARACTERS/EFFECTS WE HOPE TO SEE
Two Girls – The iconography of the marketing and merchandise has already put Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia Marcum) front and center. The girls offer plenty of opportunities for scares, as previously seen in The Shining. The makeup effects are considerable, and the dual exorcism appears to be the highlight of the movie. Expect them to be the primary physical antagonists throughout the house.
Pazuzu – Where would this franchise be without a flashing of good old Pazuzu? The original antagonist of The Exorcist seems poised for a return. The famed demon, most often depicted in scary white-faced images and statues of dog monsters, haunts every character across the franchise. Why would the MacNeils return Pazuzu is not related?
The Parents – The parents of the girls in The Exorcist: Believer are some of its biggest stars. Leslie Odom Jr., Jennifer Nettles, and Norbert Leo Butz each have considerable experience on Broadway. In fact, Odom and Butz have Tonys to their name. These are not roles any of them would take if they were not promised some juicy material. That may or may not play out in the house, but we still expect to see their characters in some fashion.
The MacNeils – We know that the mother Chris MacNeil (Ellen Barkin) is in the movie. Do we have any doubt that Regan (Linda Blair) will be in this movie or this house? Considering the consistent return of horror icons, this feels like a given. How frequently they’re in the house is another question. Anticipate them showing up later in the house, likely in the last few rooms.
Ann Dowd – The Emmy-winning actress rarely commits to full horror films. Yet her appearance in Hereditary proved deeply unnerving.
LOCATIONS WE EXPECT AT HHN – THE EXORCIST: BELIEVER
The Woods – The forest and woods seem to play a significant part in the girls’ disappearance. It seems likely we will discover whatever evil possessed them before we enter their town.
The Church – The already trademark scene of The Exorcist: Believer trailer shows Katherine’s return to town. As she screams about “the body and the blood,” her curdling screams fill the air. Expect this scene to find its way into the house as a carbon copy.
The Hospital – It seems likely that the hospital will showcase a couple of big moments, in part because of Chris MacNail’s return. It may not prove the most horrifying, but at worst, it can mark a clean transition and storytelling moment.
The House – While it’s not obvious whose house is depicted in the early merchandise, it’s clear that the two girls will find themselves inside at some point. Odds are, this is set for the end of the house. Get ready for it to be quite intense once you enter that part of the house.
WHAT TO WATCH
The Exorcist: Believer
You’ll have to wait until Friday the 13th to catch the new entry in The Exorcist series. Releasing on October 13th, 2023, Gordon Green’s latest is poised to earn considerable cash at the box office. It’ll be interesting to see the differences between the house and the movie once it finally releases.
The Exorcist
A young girl begins acting strange, and her mother cannot find a way to help her. She eventually approaches a priest, Father Carras (Jason Miller), who is struggling with his own faith. The iconic film that launched the franchise is one of the best horror films of all time. While The Exorcist houses have seen too many HHN nights, the iconic flick remains scary as hell. With the 50th anniversary coming and the recent death of director William Friedkin, treat yourself to the masterwork.
The Exorcist III
Few horror sequels are as scary as The Exorcist III. Even fewer are directed by original writers. Yet William Peter Blatty, the author of The Exorcist, takes the reigns on The Exorcist III. The cult classic follows George C. Scott‘s, Lieutenant William F. Kinderman. As the officer investigates a series of murders by “the Gemini Killer,” who appears to resemble Damien Karras (Jason Miller). With an incredible sequence with Brad Dourif of Chucky fame, as well as some of the best jump scares in history, The Exorcist III was finally restored to Blatty’s vision when the director’s cut was released in 2016.
